Monday, June 26, 2023

On June 26, 2015 Marriage Equality became the law of the land.

 



Happy Pride Month!

On June 26, 2015 Marriage Equality became the law of the land.
With hundreds of others I celebrated on the Supreme Court steps because the U.S. Supreme Court issued a landmark decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, making marriage equality legal, granting due process and equal protection to hundreds of thousands of same-sex couples.

Later that glorious day, I chatted with President Obama’s official photographer Pete Souza in front of the White House which was lit up in rainbow colors in celebration of the LGBTQ community. While we watched, the Presidential Marine Corps unit arrived. Onboard was President Obama returning from his moving speech at the memorial service for the church folks who were gunned down by a young white supremacist in South Carolina. President Obama sang "Amazing Grace" that day. Arrivals and departures…




 48”x36” oil on linen






Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band RACING IN THE STREET - Live at Ullevi Gothenburg 06/26/2023

Live at Ullevi Gothenburg 06/26/2023

Monday, June 19, 2023

Van Gogh's Cypresses at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York

by Gregg Chadwick



Cypresses

 Vincent van Gogh (Dutch, Zundert 1853–1890 Auvers-sur-Oise)

 June 1889
Oil on canvas
36 3/4 x 29 1/8 in. (93.4 x 74 cm)

Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York



“To give an idea of Provence it’s vital to do a few more canvases of cypresses and mountains.
… It took me all the time to observe the character of the pines, cypresses, &c. In the pure air here, the lines which don’t change and which one finds again at every step.”
Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, Saturday, 4 January 1890 836



“Van Gogh’s Cypresses” is the perfect exhibition for this moment in time. In our pixel soaked, AI drenched, climate change endangered world we are in need of a sojourn to physical reality and a soulful engagement with the natural world. This exhibition at the Met in New York brings together Van Gogh's paintings, drawings, and illustrated letters that engage the theme of cypress trees. Many of the artworks are fragile and light sensitive, so are rarely loaned out. Expertly put together by Engelhard Curator of Nineteenth-Century European Painting Susan Alyson Stein, the current exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York runs from May 22–August 27, 2023.




It was a pleasure to virtually venture through the exhibit by following Ms. Stein’s exploration of Van Gogh’s paintings of cypress trees and the mythological and historical lore hidden beneath Van Gogh’s richly hued paint in the video attached below and her masterful exhibition catalog.

 Over the years, I have seen most of the paintings illustrated in the catalog in their home museums in Paris, New York, London, Amsterdam and beyond. Yet, viewing them gathered in this volume, I seem to see them anew. Van Gogh’s richly textured oil paint shines in the reproductions. I can almost hear the wind and smell the air of Provence in these artworks. A bittersweet melancholy hangs over this collection of cypress inspired artworks and not only because these trees are often seen as guide posts or markers of the world beyond our corporeal bodies. Two of the most iconic artworks in this collection - The Starry Night and Wheat Field with Cypresses were painted by Van Gogh at the asylum in Saint-Rémy where he admitted himself after a psychological crisis. The swirls of paint in these artworks become trees and harbingers of galaxies beyond. 

Viewing these artworks through Ms. Steins prose, we are privy to a vision beyond mere depictions of nature. Inspired by his artistic colleagues Monticelli, Gauguin, Seurat, and Émile Bernard - Van Gogh was attempting to create paintings that evoked the deep past but were completely new at the same time. 




Susan Alyson Stein explains that “cypresses held an ineluctable allure for Van Gogh.” These inescapable cypress trees enabled Van Gogh to “bring his art to the next level and make his mark as a modern painter.”

Van Gogh spent two years and three months in the South of France. From February 1888 through May 1890, he put down with ink on paper and oil paint on canvas artistic themes that emerged from his deep observations of nature and his internal responses to the light and landscape of Provence. 

After leaving Saint-Rémy, Van Gogh died soon after he returned to Northern France. At Van Gogh’s funeral held on July 30, 1890, the catalog  informs us that The Moniteur des arts reported that Doctor Gachet “spoke a few touching words over his friend’s coffin, which disappeared under branches of cypress trees and bouquets of large sunflowers.”




The Starry Night

 Vincent van Gogh (Dutch, Zundert 1853–1890 Auvers-sur-Oise)

  1889
Oil on canvas
29 x 36 1/4" (73.7 x 92.1 cm)

Museum of Modern Art, New York





The paintings in the exhibition Van Gogh’s Cypresses have been gathered from across the globe. From the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, to collections in Cologne, Bremen, Essen, Otterlo, Copenhagen,  Paris, London, Cleveland,  Chicago, Los Angeles, Washington DC, New Haven, and New York, Van Gogh’s cypresses have been brought together for the first time since 1901. 



Country Road in Provence by Night
(Landweg in de Provence bij nacht)


 Vincent van Gogh (Dutch, Zundert 1853–1890 Auvers-sur-Oise)

  12-15 May 1890
Oil on canvas
36 x 29" (90.6 x 72 cm)

Kroller Muller Museum, Netherlands



The catalog has an introduction and five major sections. The intro and three of the sections are authored by  Susan Alyson Stein. These sections “The Roots of His Invention: Arles, February 1888-May 1889”, “The Making of a Signature Motif: Saint-Rémy, May-September 1889”, and Signing Off in Style: Saint-Rémy, October 1889-May 1890” take us through Van Gogh’s life and artistic production in Provence with the guiding lens of his cypress paintings. 

The fourth section entitled “Untangling Nature” by Charlotte Hale and Silvia A. Centeno explores the art materials used by Vincent and describes in depth his painting process. 

The fifth section by Alison Hokanson with the assistance of Marina Kliger provides an overview of literary and artistic uses of the cypress tree theme. 





The French poet, critic, painter Albert Aurier praised Van Gogh’s paintings in an article where he described Vincent’s “cypresses shooting up their nightmarish silhouettes of blackened flames.” 










On view: May 22nd - August 27th, 2023

Learn more about the exhibition: https://www.metmuseum.org/exhibitions... 










Sparks - The Girl Is Crying In Her Latte (Official Video)


Music video for The Girl Is Crying In Her Latte by Sparks, from the new album of the same title.

 Starring Cate Blanchett

Saturday, June 17, 2023

Happy Juneteenth 2023!

Tuesday, June 06, 2023

Astrud Gilberto and Stan Getz - The Girl From Ipanema (1964) LIVE


From the Guardian:

"Astrud Gilberto, whose dreamy interpretation of The Girl from Ipanema became the most popular version of the song, has died aged 83.

Paul Ricci, a collaborator with Gilberto, confirmed the news on social media, writing that he had been asked to announce it by Gilberto’s son Marcelo. “She was an important part of ALL that is Brazilian music in the world and she changed many lives with her energy,” he added.

Born in 1940 in the Brazilian state of Bahia and raised in Rio de Janeiro, Astrud Weinert married musician João Gilberto in 1959. In 1963, she accompanied him on a trip to New York where he would record with jazz artist Stan Getz and fellow Brazilian bossa nova star Antônio Carlos Jobim. The session’s producer wanted an English-language singer to help The Girl from Ipanema cross over to a US audience, and Astrud – who had no previous recording experience – was the only person who could speak it."



Gregg Chadwick
City of Desires (Rio de Janeiro)
72"x96" oil on linen 2000-2008
Private Collection, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 

 

Saturday, June 03, 2023

The Los Angeles Zoo's Beastly Ball is On Now!

 


Gregg Chadwick
Elephant Song at the Los Angeles Zoo
30"x24" oil on linen 2023

My painting "Elephant Song" has made its journey to the Los Angeles Zoo and is available for bidding NOW at the Beastly Ball. The painting is on display with a selected group of environmentally oriented artworks at this link https://one.bidpal.net/beastlyball2023/browse/all(details:item/7)

"Elephant Song" depicts an African Elephant in its natural environment.  The title refers to the low frequency method of elephant communication. Elephants sing using the same physical principles as humans - using their immense larynx to produce very low notes.
Pitched below the range of human hearing, these infrasounds can travel long distances and enable elephants to connect with other elephants in hearing range. 

"Elephant Song" is featured at tonight's Beastly Ball benefit for the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association. The event is held each Spring at the L.A. Zoo and this is my third year participating. For 60 years, the nonprofit Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association (GLAZA) has funded exhibits, capital projects, field conservation efforts, education and community outreach programs, and more at the Los Angeles Zoo, an international leader in the preservation of wildlife and care of animals.

 The “best party in town” returns tonight June 3, with favorite L.A. eateries, special animal experiences, dazzling entertainment, an incredible silent auction, and more. It’s the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association’s largest and most important fundraiser of the year, bringing in critical support for our work on behalf of the Los Angeles Zoo and its efforts in wildlife conservation, public education, and creating innovative experiences to connect people with nature. 

The Beastly Ball's online silent auction features a range of wild items and experiences. Browse the offerings and make bids NOW, all from your phone, wherever you are.                         



Beastly Ball 2023
Saturday, June 3, 2023, 6 p.m. 
Hosted by Joel McHale 
Beastly Ball Honoree: Diann H. Kim
Betty White Conservation Hero Honoree: Tom LaBonge, posthumously

An unforgettable evening of adventure and philanthropy, benefiting the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association

Link to more information on the Beastly Ball at https://lazoo.org/plan-your-visit/special-experiences/beastly-ball/#auction



Friday, June 02, 2023

45 Years of "Darkness on the Edge of Town"


45 years ago today, Bruce Springsteen released his highly-anticipated fourth studio album “Darkness On The Edge Of Town.” To celebrate the anniversary, fans can now dive even deeper into the sonic world of “Darkness.”

Listen to a new 20-song live playlist from The Darkness Tour '78 — all previously unavailable on major streaming platforms — including performances of every song from “Darkness On The Edge of Town” and a trove of bonus material from that period.

Van Gogh Museum 4K Virtual Tour || Exhibition ‘Van Gogh In Auvers'


From the Van Gogh Museum:

"Vincent van Gogh lived in Auvers-sur-Oise from 20 May 1890 until his death on 29 July of the same year. He was tremendously productive in these months and made several of his most renowned masterpieces, including 'Wheatfield with Crows' and 'Tree Roots'. In the anniversary year of 2023, the Van Gogh Museum and Musée d’Orsay are organizing a major exhibition about the final months of Vincent van Gogh’s life, which he spent in the French village of Auvers-sur-Oise. The exhibition 'Van Gogh in Auvers. His Final Months' is on view from 12 May until 3 September 2023." Find out more: https://www.vangoghmuseum.com/vangogh...


 

Saturday, May 27, 2023

moby ft. Lady Blackbird - 'Walk With Me'


Official Music Video for 'Walk With Me' (always centered at night Version) by moby ft. Lady Blackbird. Out now on Deutsche Grammophon. Taken from the new moby album, Resound NYC, out now on Deutsche Grammophon. More info at https://www.moby-resound.com/ Subscribe to Moby: http://moby.la/subscribeytYo​ For info on Moby music, merch, tour dates & more, please visit https://moby.com/

Amythyst Kiah | Sounds of the Road | Presented by Toyota and SiriusXM®

Sunday, May 14, 2023

Collector's Smiles

Amy and Ludek Drizhal with their new Chadwick painting. “New York Stories”

 

Love the smiles when collectors are about to take their new artworks home. Thank you to all who spent time in my studio at our latest Art at the Airport event! What a night! Props to Ailsa Chang for surprising me and bringing such a sense of inspiration into my studio. Thank you to @rebecca.youssef_studio and @alexandradillonartist for your incredible hard work and drive to make this happen. Excited for the next one!!!


#LosAngeles #ArtOfRecovery #ArtAtTheAirport #CityOfSantaMonica #SantaMonicaArtsCommunity #SantaMonicaArtScene #BuyArtFromArtists #SupportLocalArtists #SantaMonicaArtCollective #SantaMonicaCulturalAffairs #artistssupportingartists #Art #Hollywood #P22 #NPS #MountainLion #clocks #GrandCentral


The 58th Annual Nebula Awards Ceremony


Watch the the 58th Annual Nebula Awards Ceremony! This year's Toast Master is Cheryl Platz, and the awards will be presented by multiple notable figures in the science fiction and fantasy community including Christine Taylor-Butler, Chinaka Hodge, Gay Haldeman, Mur Lafferty, Leigh Bardugo, and more!

Saturday, May 13, 2023

Happy Birthday Stevie Wonder!


100 million records sold
25 Grammys
An Oscar
RnB Hall of Fame
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 
Songwriters Hall of Fame
Helped make Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday a federal holiday
United Nations Messenger of Peace
Presidential Medal of Freedom
Happy Birthday to Stevie Wonder!



Wednesday, May 10, 2023

Filmed on The Front Lines in Ukraine - Imagine Dragons - Crushed (Official Video)

 
Imagine Dragons' video for Crushed was filmed on the front lines of Ukraine. It follows Sasha, a young boy who endured months of shelling in his town.


Sasha's story is heartbreaking, and there are thousands more like him who desperately need help.
Even today, his family is without electricity and other basic utilities. Please consider donating to United24 and raising your voice for this cause.





Credits:
Director: Ty Arnold
Producer: Ty Arnold, Roman Ostrovskyi, and Igor Shcherbyna
Production company: Black Box Films

Lyrics:
I suppose she’s supposed to be exactly what they want her to be
So pretty in pink
Necklace and ring, don’t be heard
Just be seen
But that’s not who I am
She said I can feel, I can feel too much
And I wish they’d go away, go away
Cause it’s crushing me
It’s crushing me

Don’t you know that you don’t have a say and the scarlet “A” on
Your neck so pretty in red, eyes are all dead
What they haven’t said gets stuck in your head
The silence is deafening and your heart is bleeding out
But they don’t care, no they never cared at all
They never cared at all
That’s not who I am

She said I can feel, I can feel too much
And I wish they’d go away, go away
Cause its crushing me
It’s crushing me
It’s crushing me
It’s crushing me
She just wants to be free, take it or leave it

Eyes like the sunrise
Colorful rainbow

She said I can feel, I can feel too much
And I wish it’d go away, go away
Cause they’re crushing me
They’re crushing me

(I can feel, I can feel too much
They’re crushing me
I can feel, I can feel too much
Oh they’re crushing me)

Crushing me
Crash down on me
Crash down on me
Donate here:




‘Mercury – Acts 1 & 2’ is out now: https://ImagineDragons.lnk.to/Mercury

Shop Imagine Dragons: https://smarturl.it/ImagineDragonsShop Sign up for email updates: https://ImagineDragons.lnk.to/EmailList Catch Imagine Dragons on tour: http://ImagineDragonsmusic.com/Tour Join the Imagine Dragons Discord: https://ImagineDragons.lnk.to/Discord Follow Imagine Dragons: Facebook: https://ImagineDragons.lnk.to/Facebook Twitter: https://ImagineDragons.lnk.to/Twitter Instagram: https://ImagineDragons.lnk.to/Instagram Youtube: https://ImagineDragons.lnk.to/YouTube TikTok: https://ImagineDragons.lnk.to/TikTok #ImagineDragons #Crushed Music video by Imagine Dragons performing Crushed. © 2023 KIDinaKORNER/Interscope Records http://vevo.ly/0KiwUp



Singer-songwriter Aoife O'Donovan takes on Springsteen's 'Nebraska'


From PBS:

"It’s not unusual for a singer-songwriter to perform songs written by others. But it is unusual for an artist to take on performing an entire album’s worth of someone else’s material, particularly if that someone else is a giant of the music world. Grammy-winning musician Aoife O’Donovan is doing that on her latest tour. Tom Casciato has this story for our arts and culture series, CANVAS."

Stream your PBS favorites with the PBS app: https://to.pbs.org/2Jb8twG
Find more from PBS NewsHour at https://www.pbs.org/newshour
Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/2HfsCD6

Also - 

Of Songs and Stories: What Bruce Springsteen Learned From Flannery O’Connor
Great Excerpt from "Deliver Me from Nowhere: The Making of Bruce Springsteen’s Nebraska" by https://lithub.com/of-songs-and-stories-what-bruce-springsteen-learned-from-flannery-oconnor/
via @lithub