Category: Art 2722

Differences in contemporary art arise from artists diverse perceptions of reality. It stems from different cultural and historical experiences, including the artists origin. Indigenous and non-indigenous people face misunderstandings of each other in one way or another, but this is normal. It is probably due to differences in the influence of other countries and territories: for Canada, it is the influence of European states and especially French tendencies. The work of indigenous and non-indigenous artists is different because outside influences have invariably transformed the perception of reality.

Consider how artists belonging to the Quebec Modernist movement behaved. Ferrand Leduc regularly exhibited French grandeur  notably La Dernière campagne de Napoléon (1946). He idealized social theories along with a surrealist perception of reality. The work is saturated with harshness and unrestraint; Leduc aspired to typical European freedom where values were raised to a new level. He believed his goal was to create a new product of Canadian identity that would reflect their needs and take art as a whole to a new level.

Paul-Émile Borduas protested against the Catalan takeover of Quebec, which led to the violation of workers rights. He argued for free art of the anarchist type  against everything customary that stopped development  Automatisme 1.47 [Sous le vent de lile] (Borduas, 1947). He reflected the fragmentation of a society in crisis from an oversaturation of the old. This oversaturation can also be seen in the works of André Masson (Battle of Fishes, 1926). Even before the Automatist movement, he was inclined toward freedom of consciousness and surrealism. Thus, the fundamental ideas reflected in modernism were the freedom of the spirit, the anarchic perception of reality, and, most importantly, the surrealism of being.

At the same time, indigenous art sought a somewhat different understanding of art  stylistic and material attributes of reality should be elevated above social relations. One of the first Indigenous art exhibitions was People of the Potlatch in 1956. It extolled material culture as dominant: the Haida decorations made by Bill Reid proved to be objects of the revival of primordialism. The idea was to preserve indigenous values but elevate them to an aesthetic and modernity. Bill Reid created the Jade Canoe (1994) to demonstrate the harm of deforestation on indigenous ancestral traditions. Robert Davidsons later work in the form of a totem pole (Raven and Eagle Pole, 1969) became one of the symbols of the national Native American movement to claim identity. The indigenous cultural expression became a tool of political struggle.

European tendencies about freedom and the influence of North American movements have led to a combination of movement, freshness, and the preservation of cultural knowledge in contemporary art in Canada. They were not fully entrenched in society, but they changed the perception of materiel objects of culture  they gained market value because they demonstrated a political orientation. Although the colonial past remained too strong an imprint on the consciousness of society, still the opportunity for self-expression and recognition of rights changed the way Indigenous art was treated.

Among Canadas most famous Native artists is Norval Morriseau, who wanted to break free from the governments assimilationist policies. While wandering around the country, he acquired cultural material objects that directed him toward a different type of worldview. Morriseau regarded his work (e.g., Thunderbird 1960, Mishupishu 1972) as an extension of indigenous culture: oral histories of the Ojibwe (visual language) served as the primary source of knowledge of the world. It renounced typical composition and shifted to increasingly abstract forms. This shift to increasingly separate and spiritual elements likely led to his works becoming part of primitive simplicity.

Canadian identity is a complex issue of confrontation between the desire to conform to ones own indigenous cultural traditions, European and American currents of freedom, and ones past. The problem arose that indigenous art was not a value but a product of mere primitive consumption. Daphne Odjigs art, however, demonstrates that this was the only way recognition could be achieved. In particular, in The Indian in Transition (1978), she reveals the plight of the Indian people as they faced colonialism and genocide. In Earth Mother (1969), she reiterates the need to recognize the value of indigenous art. Odjig manipulated art by making it marketable and forcing consumers to value it so that Native peoples could gain cultural survival. The political struggle was a significant source in countering the echoes of the colonial past.

The acquired identity of modernist artists was expressed in a desire to push back against the colonial past and conform to the principles of the new reality. The direct reflection of modernism was the shift to a new perception of the value of art  freedom of expression and free will were now central concepts. Non-indigenous art expressed itself in opposition to invasive state policies, while indigenous art attempted to lead its peoples into a new cultural representation. As a result, cultural identity in Canada remains incomplete, as a culture of consumerism and primitiveness has led to a misunderstanding of Indigenous and non-Indigenous artists modernism.

Works Cited

Borduas, Paul-Émile. Automatisme 1.47 [Sous le vent de lile]. 1947, National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa

Davidson, Robert. Raven and Eagle Pole. 1969, Museum of Anthropology, Vancouver

Leduc, Ferrand. La Dernière campagne de Napoléon. 1946, National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa

Masson, André. Battle of Fishes. 1926, The Museum of Modern Art, New York.

Morrisseau, Norval. Mishupishu. 1972, Collection of the Canadian Museum of History, Gatineau, Quebec

Morrisseau, Norval. Thunderbird. 1960, Collection of the Canadian Museum of History, Gatineau, Quebec

Odjig, Daphne. Earth Mother. 1969, Collection of the Canadian Museum of History, Gatineau, Quebec

Odjig, Daphne. The Indian in Transition. 1978, Collection of the Canadian Museum of History, Gatineau, Quebec

People of the Potlatch exhibition. 1969, Vancouver Art Gallery

Reid, Bill. Spirit of Haida Gwaii, the Jade Canoe. 1994, Vancouver International Airport

The current essay provides a critical account of two performances of classical music which I visited during the course. Based on the advice of my friends and information that I borrowed from various resources the first concert of classic music that I visited was the Violin Virtuoso Extraordinaire concert which took place on October 11 in Rebecca Cohn Auditorium. It was a violin concerto played by Yi-Jia Hou, a talented violinist, and conducted by Bernhard Gueller.

The second one was the Brahms festival with Jon Kimura Parker playing classical piano concertos conducted by Bernhard Gueller. The critical comparative analysis is based on personal experience and the discussion of performers personalities and the composers whose music was performed. The quality and peculiarity of performance, personal skill of soloists, pianists, and conductors are analyzed with a particular emphasis on repertoire, settings, work of the orchestra. All these are evaluated in terms of my artistic perspectives.

The first classical music concert was a real revelation to me as I enjoyed a beautiful performance by the Canadian violinist Susanne Yi-Jia Hou which is regarded by many specialists as one of the leading soloists in violin concerts. Her repertoire is very extensive including violin concertos of such masters as Bach, Brahms, Bruch, Shostakovich, Mozart, Paganini, and many others.

Among the works that she played that evening were Mendelssohns Violin Concerto, Saint-Saenss Intro and Rondo capriccioso for violin and orchestra, and Bela Bartoks Divertimento. Besides this, the orchestra conducted by Bernhard Gueller played a magnificent Symphony 39 created by Mozart. My anticipation of qualitative conduct by Gueller was great since he is an acclaimed professional in Romantic, Classical, and late Romantic music which was widely represented in this concert. Moreover, he is renowned experimentation, interpreter and is proficient in conducting large-scale works such as Mozarts symphony for small orchestras.

Bartoks Divertimento played by Yi-Jia Hou was the piece I particularly anticipated for hearing live since from historical accounts I knew that this music had a shocking effect on the audience when first performed in 1939. I think that the young Canadian violinist made her part very well though there were some major shortcomings. It was very difficult to vary changing tonalities which are abundant in this Bartoks peace. It can be characterized by constant variation between dodecaphonic atonalities and melodic themes. It is also difficult to perform since it needs consolidated and effective work of conductor and orchestra.

This is not to blame Hou but some cellos and drums sometimes took wrong notes which is notable not only for professionals but for the ordinary classical music fan. Bartoks work has three movements that vary from F Major to the modal scale which is based on D and back again to F. Moreover, Bartok uses solo strings against a large group of strings which unites his Divertimento with concerto grosso.

The opening movement was performed by Hou in an energizing manner though it is written in Allegro non troppo which seems to be a considerable deviation from Bartoks original idea in my view this interpretation was partly motivated by Gueller.

The abundance of inversions, canons was particularly thrilling and in harmony with the violin solo. The second movement which is described by many as Night Music was particularly close to Bartoks original performance and showed Hous artistic skills in full scale.

She not only played it well but also was successful in improvisations. And finally, the third movement which can be described as the fugato section was played professionally but a little bit slower than I supposed it to be. Hou violin created an atmosphere of music mocking at itself. Notwithstanding these little shortcomings, Bartok Divertiment played by Hou and conducted by Gueller was very interesting for me in terms of improving my musical skills. I like it very much.

The play of Mendelssohn violin concerto was perfect and I heard it live for the first time. It seems that this Violin Concert is a visit card of Hou since she plays it easily and vigorously. Due to the lack of space, I will not analyze other pieces performed during this evening but there is no denying the importance of the fact that they manifested Guellers great conductor skills and Hour play on the violin.

In comparison to the second concert that I visited the abovementioned performance has significant advantages which are mainly connected to the soloist play. I believe that Hou was more professional than Jon Kimura Parker who played classical piano during Brahms Festival on 6 November. The conductor was the same: Bernhard Gueller and hence no flaws in conducting the orchestra were apparent.

Kimura Parker performed Brahmss Piano Concerto # 1 and the orchestra performed Brahmss Symphony #3. When preparing to watch this performance I thought of a wonderful recording of Brahmss piano concertos made by Ashkenazy and Richter and anticipated something equal to this.

The first movement was performed well following sonata form including exposition, then development, coda, and recapitulation. It seems that Parker didnt express the heroics of Brahmss allusion to Beethovens 9 symphony which is present in the first movement. He was rigorous and academic but lacked the necessary artistic expression. It was too plain and smooth and that did not impress me much.

Besides this, I did not like the play of tonic minor chords which are crucial elements of this concerto. They were not performed rhythmically and dynamically as they should have been.

The second movement of the concerto was performed perfectly. This is particularly the case for the accompaniment of the opening hymnal recalls. The communication between orchestra and piano was harmonic and the final section of the movement created a real emotional climax. What concerns the final movement it was performed in form of rondo with Parker introducing the main theme then followed by the orchestra which is repeated once again.

This was performed using spacious coda which was followed by the secondary theme played in D major. All sections of the final movement were performed well by Parker but he considerably lagged behind the orchestra in the final section which was easy to note. Notwithstanding these apparent drawbacks in his performance, my impression of his play was quite positive.

The general positive impression from the concert was reinforced by the orchestra conducted by Gueller performing beautiful Brahmss Third Symphony. As in the case with the first concert, I visited Guellers conducting skills and professionalism were evident.

To sum it up while assessing both classical music concertos I visited during this course I relied on my personal experience and understanding of qualitative performance criteria. Quite subjectively I consider the first concerto I visited to be more professional and interesting in terms of solo play and orchestra performance. Though it is difficult to assess the professionalism of performers playing on different musical instruments such as violin and piano Id thought risk to claim that Hou violin is better than Parkers piano.

La Jetee (from French  Jetty) is a featurette by a French director Chris Marker. This is the only story film by the famous documentary maker who decided not to stand back from the genre of science fiction that was gaining popularity overnight in early 1960s. However, the films specialties do not come down to its creation as long as both its form and content are noteworthy. Overall, La Jetee can be called a unique phenomenon in film making.

The movie consists almost completely of still black and white photos with a narration attached, which actually makes it look like a documentary. Nevertheless, the story it tells is a fictive one about a post-apocalyptic world and time travel. Both motifs are typical of science fiction but still intriguing since the scenario differs from author to author. Furthermore, those motifs are no more than tools the director uses to address the audience presupposed to involve deep thinkers. It is, however, hardly possible to claim what exactly La Jetee teaches its viewers because of its superlative metaphoricalness and general complexity.

To the contrary, the movie is not originally meant to be straightforward as the director leaves analyzing and concluding to the spectator. Marker does not claim anything or give any arguments, his only mission lies in employing evidence which can be interpreted in various ways depending on who perceives it. The need for an individual approach is obvious from a combination of a utopia and a dystopia in the story. In one respect, the contemporary world is dystopian, but there is a hope for potential renovation which proves to be possible. Along with that, the hope confronts the threat, which does not allow the entire story to be utopian. Which of the two dominates, depends on the lens the viewer looks through.

It is worth noting that, unlike the vast majority of films as a type of art, La Jetee does not focus on movement. Instead, it creates the illusion of such by demonstrating separate images each of which remains obviously still. This technique helps to illustrate the fragmentary nature of the events depicted and adds to unreality of the environment. The only scene that seems to be real is the wink of the girl who has been staring into the camera. Furthermore, it is real in all senses  this is the only scene not made from a photo. Being absolutely unexpected and, therefore, surprising, the wink hints at the girls special role in the narrative. Having watched the movie to the end, it is possible to assume that the girl stands for main characters past and conclude that the past is the only real thing in human life.

Marker was probably willing to drive his spectators to that same conclusion, and he succeeded. La Jetee shows senselessness of the present and impossibility of reaching the future by demonstrating both as a fragmentary set of images. Furthermore, the movie convinces the viewer that even peoples memories about their own past, also still and random, are not necessarily real. Motion in contrast to stillness is sufficient for creating the proper atmosphere. Presumably, habitual walking and talking characters would attract more viewers, but the director was hardly focusing on number. For a chamber film, the organization is appropriate since it gives pause for thought. Being an untypical film, La Jetee is not good for everyone, but primarily for those who are into philosophy and need meditation. For more straightforward individuals not fond of allusion and indirectness, the lack of action would be a disadvantage. Nevertheless, it is still worth watching as an example of breaking all possible canons of cinema.

To summarize, La Jetee by Chris Marker is an outstanding film, both in terms of form and content. It comprises separate still images and consequently does not tell a coherent story, encouraging the viewer to develop their own interpretation of what actually happens. The films specialty makes it attractive for deep thinkers and less interesting for those who like action, although they can watch it to learn more about the theory of cinema.

Introduction

Hollywood Indian Western was a genre that, in times of its flourishing, pleased the audience with images of brave Americans who conquered America. In 1939, a film Stagecoach with the notion of Indian leader Geronimo, was produced: while Geronimo is not portrayed explicitly, he is constantly present in the movies plot (Aleiss 112).

Discussion

In the 1950s, there were many films, and American Indians were primarily portrayed in two roles. They were either those who accepted the Western culture and helped White people or ruthless enemies who should be eliminated (Aleiss 116). Indians, however, were unwilling to assimilate and surrender unconditionally to Western culture. This one-sided limited view eventually became the reason for the Indian Westerns aging and dying. While living successfully for more than three decades, it started to fade out in the 1970s, as it seemed that all its tropes were already created and shown (Aleiss 137). Its death may be considered painful, as there were attempts to review the genre for another bunch of decades.

In the 1990s, it was a brief success, despite the genre was already a grandfather. Dances with Wolves was a 1990 successful film where Indians were portrayed mainly from a positive side, but it still was controversial (Aleiss 138). In 2010, Meeks Cutoff may be considered the last breath of the Indian West. It was based on a well-known historical plot of the 1840s about the guide Stephen Meek, and it was mostly unsuccessful. I think that the genre is empty now, and it is the reason for this failure and that no new movies are filmed now. This death, however, does not mean that there are no descendants: independent Indian films are possible, and some examples already exist (Aleiss 150).

Conclusion

Still, those films have nothing to do with the traditional Western Indian, where Indians have only two choices: to cooperate with Western people or die. In the future, probably, Indian people will probably write their own stories in new genres, which one may consider the Western Indians racially conscious children.

Work Cited

Aleiss, Angela. Making the White Mans Indian. Greenwood, 2005.

The piano can be directly linked to two instruments ¿f centuries past. The first is the clavichord, a box-like structure in which strings are stretched and struck by metal blades to produce notes and pitches. The clavichord could be manipulated to produce different chords, but even at its best, it could barely be heard by anyone other than the player. Intent upon creating a superior to the clavichord, musical engineers created the harpsichord. The harpsichord used a frame similar to modern grand pianos but utilized a wooden bar and a quill to pluck strings (the jack), which amplified the sound ¿f a clavichord greatly. Harpsichords were more expensive than clavichords and became a fad in sixteenth and seventeenth-century England. The harpsichord was a particularly important development leading to the invention ¿f the piano.

However, the harpsichord was limited to one unvarying volume. Its softness and loudness remained the same while playing. Therefore, performing artists could not achieve the degree ¿f musical expression ¿f most other instruments. The artistic desire for more controlled expression led directly to the invention ¿f the piano, on which the artist could alter the loudness and tone with the force ¿f his/her fingers.

The first piano appeared in Italy sometime around 1693, originally named the gravicembolo col piano e forte (the harpsichord with loud and soft). An Italian harpsichord-maker named Bartolomeo Cristofori replaced harpsichords jacks with leather-covered hammers, activated by a remarkable mechanical system. Where the harpsichord could only make a string produce one sound, the new piano could be played loud or soft, make dynamic accents, and could produce gradations ¿f sounds. Even though this new invention attracted little attention at the time (because ¿f the existing popularity ¿f the harpsichord), the piano would captivate the world in the years to come. Cristofori made only two pianos before he died in 1731, but an article was written about the new invention, and the article made its way to Germany. There, an organ-builder named Gottfried Silbermann read the article and became fascinated with the idea ¿f a modified harpsichord.

Additionally, Silbermann had recently seen a performance dedicated to Louis XIV, which included a piece ¿f music played on a huge dulcimer, which is played by striking strings with a mallet. One end ¿f the mallet was hard, while the other was covered with soft leather. Fascinated and inspired, Silbermann set out to create a piano ¿f his own, using leather-covered hammers. When Silbermanns first piano was finished in 1736, the great composer Johannes Sebastian Bach evaluated it. Bach admired the tone but complained that the action was heavy and the upper register weak. Though slightly discouraged, Silbermann introduced his piano to King Frederick the Great, who was thrilled with this new instrument. It has been rumoured that the king acquired 15 ¿f Silbermanns pianos, but if this is true, only three have made it into the twentieth century. The acceptance ¿f the piano by King Frederick began what is known as the Twilight Era, a time ¿f transition between the rejection ¿f the harpsichord and the acceptance ¿f the piano.

In the late seventeenth century, the piano had begun to shed the reputation ¿f an improved harpsichord and was starting to be recognized as an entirely new instrument. The pianos popularity steadily increased partially due to the standard ¿f living at that time. Clavichords were inexpensive, but their uses were limited. Harpsichords cost more than early pianos and were more difficult to maintain. The material resources ¿f the rising middle class encouraged musical amateurs and created a climate favourable to the new keyboard instrument. Even Wolfgang Mozart, a future virtuoso, who was a primary advocate ¿f the harpsichord, had taken to the piano and practically discarded his old instrument. The pianos popularity spread through Europe at a surprising rate. Piano makers experimented and made improvements on current pianos; the piano industry was becoming rivalries, with everyone trying to outdo each other. Eventually, this competitive nature spread to England.

Oscar Bie best describes Lizsts concerts like this: Using the full weight ¿f his shoulders, arms and wrists, he made the instrument speak with power, drama, and even violence that had never been done before. Pianos suffered at his hands, and it was not at all unusual for one or two strings to break and for the piano to require retuning in the midst ¿f one ¿f his concerts. A spare piano stood ready on the stage, and reports ¿f his concerts suggest that the audience felt cheated if a piano survived intact. Lizsts works were all passionate and beautiful, and since his passion was sometimes violent, pianos needed to be built stronger and more durable to sustain the blows dealt by passionate players.

Piano-makers had to keep up with the changing times, and with Beethoven contributing to the pianos hype, change was imminent. Ludwig van Beethoven was the king ¿f pianists in his time. Beethoven wanted the piano to sound like a whole orchestra instead ¿f just one instrument. Beethoven was accustomed to standard five-octave pianos, but in 1818, he received a six-octave grand piano from the Broadwood Piano Company. Excited with this new style and extra octave, Beethoven wrote his last three sonatas for the six-octave. Beethoven, however, was deaf by 1818, loved his Broadwood because he could more feel the music than hear it. Since Beethoven favoured Broadwood, so did the rest ¿f the musical community. The Broadwood Grand continued to be a very popular model through the 1850s.

By 1853, the United States had become part ¿f the piano scene, producing pianos such as the upright and the Chickering, but perhaps the most important piano-makers in America in the nineteenth century are Steinway and Sons. As German natives, these men came to America to flee the German government and found their calling in the piano-making business. Using the same frames as older pianos, the Steinways piano models remained in style for a time, but the showstopper came out in 1855 when the Steinways introduced their own homemade iron frame. This frame was that ¿f the grand piano, which became the primary concert piano in America by 1900. In the early 1900s, pianos began to be the primary vocal accompanying instrument. With the Big Band Era and the Swing Era between the 1920s and 1940s, the piano continued to be a major part ¿f all music.

From the 1960s to the present day, the digital piano has been a vital part ¿f almost all music recording studios. Being easily transported and virtually perfectly pitched, digital pianos are the preference ¿f recording artists. This transformation exemplifies the pianos evolution in relationship to human music growth and change. Concert pianists, however, use only true grand pianos, perhaps to preserve the tradition set by early Europeans. Worldwide, the piano has lived a full and momentous life. Since Steinways success, pianos have been used for recreation, employment, entertainment, and education. Though the piano has had many different faces, the general intent ¿f all players was (and is) to bring joy to someones day. The piano is not only a musical instrument but also an instrument ¿f internal harmony. From its origination as a little tiny clavichord to the unblemished beautiful grand pianos ¿f today, the piano has and always will be one ¿f the centrepieces ¿f all kinds ¿f music.

As a music faculty member ¿f a small liberal arts college, part ¿f my teaching responsibility is to provide all music majors with rudimentary piano skills. In similar colleges and universities across the United States, this process is generally accomplished through group piano lessons in an electronic keyboard laboratory. These classes usually meet two or three times a week for a fifty-minute class period. Depending upon the institution, after two to four semesters ¿f lessons, students are prepared to take a piano proficiency examination. The components tested in this exam also vary across institutions but generally include the performance (in some form) ¿f scales, arpeggios, and cadences; harmonization and transposition ¿f a melody; sight-reading; and performance ¿f a prepared repertoire piece. Students who fail several components ¿f the test are ¿ften sent back to class or private lessons for more training. Those who successfully pass the examination are usually excused from the further piano study.

Is the short amount ¿f piano study required to pass the proficiency exam enough preparation for music education majors? Those professors who place and monitor student teachers often mention the fact that the cooperating teachers want these students to possess a high degree ¿f capability at the keyboard, including the ability to accompany and play voice parts for choirs and lessons, as needed. These are the same skills that administration members hiring teachers look for when screening applicants for permanent positions. Too often, graduates who are now working in classrooms or studios tell me that their piano skills are not sufficient and that they wish they had taken more piano lessons in college.

Even the best university and college piano teachers realize that only so much can be packed into a two-semester piano requirement ¿f group lessons, especially when instructing music majors who come to college having no keyboard experience. The camaraderie and enthusiasm for learning among teachers and students can be excellent in these classes, but we piano instructors know we would like several more semesters with these students in order to build their piano skills to a higher level. Unfortunately, investing the time to do this is often impossible. Our students barely have enough space in their packed curriculums to take even one elective, and they must be careful in planning semester schedules if they are to fulfil all graduation requirements in the traditional four-year timespan. Another, less satisfying option might be to raise the piano proficiency standards so that a majority ¿f music majors could not pass the exam after two semesters of ¿f study and would therefore be required to take more Plano. This circuitous approach would most likely leave students depressed and instructors frustrated.

There is another solution. However, that does not involve tacking on extra hours ¿f piano study or subjecting students to the humiliation ¿f an impossible test. If we as college and university teachers want our students to be truly proficient in playing the piano, we must include keyboarding across the curriculum and not depend solely on the piano class to get the job done, even if it requires a bit ¿f extra effort and cooperation. The following are a few possibilities:

Include keyboard assignments in all levels ¿f theory class. Students should be encouraged to hear what they have written. They should be able to play all ¿f their homework exercises on a keyboard, including their first attempts at four-part writing.

Have students add piano accompaniments to the melodies played by instrumental music education majors in brass, string, and woodwind techniques courses. Be sure to have the students design the chordal harmonization, as this can be a useful exercise in transposition. Students should also be encouraged to transpose and play at the piano the individual parts from instrumentation class projects.

Incorporate piano into the aural skills curriculum by having students play chords at the keyboard while other students sight-sing exercises or by having all students in the class accompany themselves as they sing. Students should also be able to play melodies on the keyboard as they practice any prepared reading assignments.

As their peers take turns at the podium in basic and choral conducting classes, encourage other students to accompany at the piano. This often requires the use ¿f simpler exercises for the pianists benefit and also some extra planning on the teachers part to ensure that the accompanist has adequate preparation time beforehand. Be sure that the pianists know they dont have to hit every note. They should, however, be able to stay with the performing group and conductor with a reasonable degree ¿f accuracy and musicianship.

Encourage music majors who are not piano majors to use their keyboard skills in choral literature classes. Avoid playing the piano yourself as students explore and perform choral literature. Assign each student several moderate-level choral pieces to accompany before this friendly audience. Theyll have to do it soon for their own students, students parents, and school administrators when they take a job.

Be sure that students in choral arranging, composition and counterpoint classes can perform their own creations. Encourage students to use the piano during the compositional process so that they can hear what they wrote. Then have them play their final projects for the class.

When the choir breaks into sectionals, have a music education major in each group play the single-line part for that rehearsal. Dont always depend on keyboard majors or tape recordings for this task-its a great experience for music education students.

Encourage music education students to accompany as often as possible, whether it be for an elementary or secondary music methods class, a vocal performance class, or a fellow freshmans beginning applied lessons. A few ¿f the easier vocal anthologies are listed in the Useful Anthologies for Beginning Keyboard Accompanists sidebar.

You may find as you begin to implement some ¿f these suggestions that your students will be hesitant and scared to share their piano skills before others. Too often, we as teachers sympathize with our music majors sparse keyboard backgrounds and give in to their anxiety by excusing them from playing. It can be time-consuming and definitely less perfect to encourage these students to use their piano skills in class. Careful planning and choosing ¿f repertoire and exercises, however, can be quite helpful. Teachers must also realize that the eventual payoff is enormous. Our music education majors will be building the skills necessary for successful performance in the studio and classroom.

Few instruments are as familiar to the person on the street as the piano, yet most students ¿f the piano know little about its physical and performance history. Granted, most are aware that Cristofori is credited with its invention, but the subsequent details are less well known. As a result,

A History ¿f Pianoforte Pedalling will probably be one ¿f the more popular books in its series. The author, David Rowland, has collected essays covering the history ¿f the instrument, the history ¿f its performance, and a study ¿f its repertory. Obviously, less than 250 pages are hardly enough space to deal thoroughly with each ¿f these topics, but the book is aimed at piano students and amateursnot professional musicologists.

The book divides into two parts: Pianos and Pianists, and Repertory. The former is more successful for various reasons but perhaps above all because the subject is more clearly limited and somewhat less arbitrary. Interesting morsels ¿f information abound in Part One, such as Mozarts use ¿f rubato (the two hands do not synchronize) as opposed to Chopins (the more typical interpretation). This section contains numerous photographs and diagrams ¿f historical pianos and their actions, all ¿f which aid in the explanation ¿f what could be a rather dry topicthe physics ¿f the piano mechanism. The account ¿f the development ¿f the modern grand piano, especially the innovations made by Steinway, is particularly illuminating and useful.

Liszt has always been an engaging figure to pianists ¿f every level, and his exploits in performance especially so. Hamilton details the competition between Liszt and Thalberg and comments on the lasting effect Liszts playing has had on subsequent generations. Robert Philips essay on early recordings ¿f famous pianists provides fascinating reading, even for a specialist in the piano repertory; he cautions, for example, against relying on piano rolls for tempi, which were ¿ften speeded up to fit a long piece onto too short a piece ¿f paper, and elsewhere against the common temptation to establish a simple family tree ¿f teachers and pupils.

Part two is less satisfying because ¿f the obvious selectivity that must accompany such a slim book. In J. Barrie Jones two essays, a decidedly German bias affects the writing, and whereas composers such as Schubert receive their own headings, all French music is grouped together. This would seem the obvious place to introduce amateurs to figures less familiar, such as Faure, but Barrie deemphasizes that composer by not giving him his own place. As expected, Chopin receives special emphasis in both ¿f his chapters (Piano music for the concert hall and salon c. 1830-1900 and Nationalism), but American music is completely left out. American composers do not fit Barries definition ¿f Nationalism as an eastern European phenomenona narrow interpretation indeed. Thus, Gottschalk and MacDowell are mentioned only in the Coda to this chapter, and their music compared to ragtime and jazz in the case ¿f Gottschalk, and Grieg, Liszt, and Elgar in the case ¿f MacDowell. These attributes are indeed part ¿f each composers style, but other innovations might have been considered.

The twentieth century is represented here by the usual composers: Debussy, Bartok, Cowell, and so forth. Mervyn Cooke breathes a bit ¿f fresh air into that topic by treating Messiaen and Stockhausen. Brian Priestley begins his essay (entitled Ragtime, blues, jazz and popular music) with a detailed explanation ¿f Joplins music. The only examples in the chapter belong to Joplinprobably the most familiar and thus least necessary specimens ¿f this repertory. Examples ¿f music by other innovative pianists discussed in the chapter, such as Art Tatum, would have been more instructive and enlightening. Indeed, this is the one place in Sandra Rosenblums book Performance Practices in Classic Piano Music where more examples are needed.

In general, Performance Practices in Classic Piano Music takes a decided British and German slant. The music and musicians ¿f the Americas seems particularly ignored. For example, Albeniz is not mentioned, nor Ginastera nor others from South America. Similarly, Granados is mentioned only as a student ¿f a student ¿f Thalberg. Other noteworthy names omitted include Alicia de Larrocha (whose acrobatic feats in managing Rachmaninoff concertos with tiny fingers are certainly worth illumination) and Michael Tilson Thomas (who recorded Gershwins music following Gershwins own piano rolls). However, these omissions should not detract too much from an admirable contribution aimed at students and amateurs. The book commendably covers a diverse range of ¿f topics in a brief amount of ¿f space. It is beautifully produced and would be an excellent addition to the library ¿f most pianists.

An excellent companion to Rowlands book is Eva Badura-Skodas video, The History ¿f the Pianoforte. It is incomparable as a teaching tool because it is the one place where a large number ¿f historical keyboard instruments can easily be heard and demonstrated in the classroom. All too often, professors describe Mozarts piano (or earlier instruments) and compare it to Beethovens, but the opportunity to see and hear them makes all the difference in understanding the sonic distinctions between the two.

In The History ¿f the Pianoforte, Badura-Skoda has managed to record some ¿f the most renowned pianists in the world performing on a lavish number ¿f historic pianosnot only the pianos that we might expect, but obscure and fascinating ones as well: the video includes a demonstration ¿f the pedal piano as indicated in Mozarts Concerto in D minor, janizary instruments, a split pedal (appropriate for Beethovens Moonlight sonata), and more elaborate (yet shortlived) pianos, such as one with seven pedals. Several ¿f the instruments used are in the private collection ¿f the Badura-Skodas. One ¿f the fascinating moments in the video occurs when three pianists join together on three grand pianos built between 1790 and 1800 to play Mozarts Concerto K. 242. Beethoven is featured in several segments, including back-to-back performances on an 1817 Broadwood (Bilson playing Op. 101) and an 1822-23 Graf (Badura-Skoda playing Op. 109) and a demonstration ¿f the composers piano (currently in the private collection ¿f the Badura-Skodas). Perhaps the most interesting part ¿f the video is the last, which illustrates less well-known pianos ¿f the mid-nineteenth to early twentieth centuries. For example, the demonstration ¿f a piano appropriate for the piano music ¿f Debussy because ¿f a special dampening mechanism (Bosendorfer Imperial concert grand, ca. 1920) is typical ¿f the unique features ¿f this video.

Performances by such distinguished pianists as Jorg Demus, Malcolm Bilson, and Paul Badura-Skoda add a remarkable degree ¿f professionalism to the video, and the number ¿f pianos exhibited is astounding. Unfortunately, a few minor details ¿f production mar the polish ¿f The History ¿f the Pianoforte. Most notable is the variety ¿f narrators. Badura-Skoda does much ¿f the narration, but other (anonymous) voices have prominent roles as well. The alteration in voices disrupts the continuity ¿f the video. A minor detraction is a ninety-minute format, which does not fit easily into most class schedules.

Piano literature classes, music history classes, and those that deal with performance practice on an introductory level would greatly benefit from this video. Amateur and student pianists would also profit from owning The History ¿f the Pianoforte, although the number ¿f times one might view it would more than likely be small-its entertainment value is somewhat limited. But as an educational tool, it is a remarkable video.

References

1. Cole, Michael., The Pianoforte in the Classical Era.. pp. xiv + 398. Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1998
2. Hamel, Barbara L.. Playing Piano across the curriculum. Teaching Music, 2000
3. Rosenblum, Sandra P. Performance Practices in Classic Piano Music, Indiana University Press, 1988
4. Rowland, David., A History ¿f Pianoforte Pedalling. (Cambridge Musical Texts and Monographs.) Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1993
5. Ruckmich, Christian A., The psychology ¿f piano instruction. Journal ¿f Educational Psychology, Vol 5(4), 1914
6. Sloboda, John A.; Clarke, Eric F.; Parncutt, Richard., Determinants ¿f finger choice in piano sight-reading., Journal ¿f Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, Vol 24(1), 1998

Introduction

The aim of the submitting this proposal is to demonstrate the significance of the exhibition subject matter, in particular, the concept of the contemporary craft. In my opinion, the contemporary craft theme is of great importance nowadays as it reflects the socio-cultural concerns of the modern society and makes people broaden their horizons.

Theme

It goes without saying that Ideological and moral guidelines are continually changing in unison with new trends of social development. Such guidelines are the principal stimulus to the artistic creativity. Consequently, the modern aesthetic art is a mix of vanguard ideas of postmodernism and a set of traditional human values. In fact, an essential role in the development of modernity was played by the handiwork of Morris.

Displeased by the tastelessness of so-called consumer goods, he believed that arts and crafts are inseparable and should be marked with the stamp of the artist (Pearce 2003). Having mastered professions of the cabinetmaker, glassblower, and printer, Morris established workshops, in which the product was to be the creative fusion of arts and crafts (Macdonald 2006). Morris had no one equal in creating patterns for tapestries and upholstery fabrics inspired by plant motifs. Plenty of ornaments of Morris are popular nowadays as well.

One of Morriss associates Jones, whose decorative style was influenced by the Pre-Raphaelites epoch. His oeuvre better known as fake is a confirmation of the fact that arts and crafts movement had a powerful influence on the development of Art Nouveau (Pearce 2003). According to Baudrillard (1994), all objects that are possessed submit to the same abstractive operation and participate in a mutual relationship in so far as they each refer to the subject (7). It shows that the subject embraces a wide range of corresponding objects.

Taking into consideration the above mentioned, I have the idea of organizing the exhibition covering the contemporary craft in order to promote the innovative craft that is exciting, intriguing and challenge peoples belief about what is possible. This type of exhibition should broaden horizons of visitors. It would be a special exhibition of the contemporary craft on the international level keeping the current with the global art scene.

Content

The exhibition would include a diversity of international artists working with different materials such as ceramics, glass, metal, textile, and wood. It would be the different object of art displayed by the group of artists working with same materials. The following illustrations demonstrate perspective exhibits:

To choose the content of the exhibition means to organize it and the space in which it would occur in such a way that exhibited craft objects would be fully manifested (Lash & Urry 1994). The location of objects exhibited in the gallery would be clearly defined in advance. According to Howes (2014), exhibits would be arranged by color, by subject, by performing technique, in chronological order, etc.

As it is generally accepted, the central place would be given to the brightest or the most significant exhibit. All components of the exposition (works themselves and design elements) would be in the framework of the same thematic and stylistic unity. Therefore, the integrity of the exhibition would be achieved, and artistic sense of exhibited objects would be uncovered. In addition, I would like to consider the sound accompaniment as music would enhance the perception of the audience and create the desired atmosphere.

There are some helpful studies we learn during the course. For instance, it seems appropriate to take as an example the ArcelorMittal Orbit sculpture. According to Marini (2013, p. 588), the principal aim of it was to materialize a spirit of national unity during the Olympics. In my opinion, it is the perfect example of the art revealing the beauty along with modern social and cultural concerns.

Thus, the exhibition would provide a complete picture of the contemporary craft.

Resources

I would like to place the exposition in the gallery. In my point of view, some specialist skills would be required to install and maintain displays. The curator of the exhibition in connection with specialist would create imagery in conjunction with the concept of the exhibition considering suitable graphic and technological solutions and carefully preserving the concept of the given exposure. This process would involve the following aspects:

• the development of models for color printing of brochures for visitors;
• the manufacturing of the exposition design elements (backdrops, showcases, and panels) (Bennett 1995);
• the maintaining of non-standard equipment (showcases, catwalks, etc.)
• the labeling design;
• the development of multimedia content such as interactive presentation, 3D animation, and video, etc.

Among other things, some organizational issues should be taken into account. For instance, it is necessary to have a special insurance for the exhibited works of art, the schedule of the importation of works as well as their removal after the exhibition. Moreover, information about artists (handed out to visitors flyer and a folder with the profiles of all the exhibited artists), price list (if required), and other logistical details would be elaborated. I believe that the best way to solve these questions is to visit other expositions, galleries, or, at least, to talk to people who have made such an exhibition before. Hence, the curatorial approach allows creating such an exhibition that would be an independent work of art.

Design

It goes without saying that the selected gallery would look presentable and clean. Moreover, room dimensions would correspond to exhibits to create the proper surrounding and atmosphere (Julier 2000). It would be a place that is thematically appropriate for the exhibition, in particular, the modern space with laminate flooring and white or dark walls without patterns. Windows in the room would be missing or would have dark curtains as large windows could prevent the appropriate enlightenment of crafts.

Besides, it is necessary to equip the gallery where the exposition would be placed (Marincola 2006). In this regard, I imagined that I am the visitor viewing exhibits. As a result, it was stated that it is significant to think about how to make sure that visitors passing through the exhibition halls would feel as the audience and be exhibitors at the same time. What would they see in the first place? What direction would choose next? Is there any dead zone? Based on Krauss (1996), I would add the description of all the exhibits and ensure there are signs clarifying if they can touch exhibits to answer those questions.

Speaking of the items and displays, they would be of different types. For instance, I consider the following examples are rather appropriate:

All in all, every aspect concerning design including even posters and music would be taken into account.

Impact

To encourage an appreciation and understanding of the contemporary craft by a wide audience that comprises everyone from enthusiast who want to enjoy the contemporary craft to those looking for special knowledge and collecting advice. Speaking of the mass interpreting, it is worth turning ones attention to Cooper (2001), who believes that the modern globalized world created its bewildering abundance.

In other words, the most common features of the mass became dispersion, consumption, and production. In his turn, Crary (1991, p. 75) determines connections between the modernization of subjectivity and the dramatic expansion and industrialization of visual/auditory culture. Precisely speaking, he states the amazing unity of freedom and creativity of the audience and mass consumption. I agree with Levin (1995), who claims that art is an integral part of any conscious person.

What is more, I would like to include an outline for a program of events related to the exhibition. There would be lectures, performances, and workshops capturing visitors attention and explaining the purpose of the exhibition to some extent. Every visitor has a choice: either to try to understand the language of the exhibition and make some effort associated with it or simply do not go to the exhibition of contemporary art, because he or she does not understand it. However, the misunderstanding of the contemporary art, particularly, of the contemporary craft, has no effect on the viewer because craft itself is a symbolic object (Vogel 2013).

As a matter of fact, misunderstanding is the most powerful engine of awareness of the meaning of art. Sincere man says, I do not understand that, thus announces his intention to understand the concept. After that, the art is revealed to him in its entirety. Awareness and experience of such things make people kinder, smarter, and more adaptable to any situation in life (Krajina 2014). Otherwise, we see plenty of examples when people become motivated to wrong actions and do not appreciate what has been created before, what is created now, and do not appreciate the work and talent that surrounds them. Such a society would inevitably turn into a barbaric one. Fortunately, the exposition directed at cultural enrichment of the society.

In this regard, the exhibition is not just a group of works hanging on the museum principle. At any exhibition, as well as any product, there is the idea that the organizer is trying to convey. In this case, the idea is to express the essence of the contemporary craft.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the suggested proposal of the contemporary craft exhibition covers a variety of aspects that would be taken into account during its organization. It seems important to point out that the proposal is based on references and involves the theme, content, design, resources and impact of the exhibition that would undoubtedly attract visitors and develop their cultural vision of the world.

References

Baudrillard, J 1994, The System of Collecting, in J Elsner & R Cardinal (eds), The Cultures of Collecting, Reaktion Books, London, pp. 7-24.

Bennett, T 1995, The Birth of the Museum, Routledge, London.

Crary, J 1991, Suspensions of Perception: Attention, Spectacle, and Modern Culture, MIT Press, Cambridge, MA.

Howes, D 2014, Introduction to sensory museology, The Senses and Society, vol. 9, no. 3, pp. 259-267.

Julier, G 2000, The Culture of Design, Sage, London.

Krajina, Z 2014, Negotiating the mediated city: Everyday Encounters with Public Screens, Routledge, London.

Krauss, 1996, Postmodernisms Museum without Walls, in R Greenberg, B Ferguson, & S Nairne (eds.), Thinking about Exhibitions, Routledge, London.

Lash, S & Urry, J 1994, Economies of Signs and Space, Sage, New York.

Levin, T 1995, Introduction, in S Kracauer (ed.), The Mass Ornament: Weimar Essays, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, pp. 1-32.

Macdonald, S 2006, A Companion to Museum Studies, Blackwell Publishing, Malden.

Marincola, P 2006, What Makes a Great Exhibition?, Philadelphia Exhibition Initiatives, New York.

Marini, H 2013, The ArcelorMittal Orbits Ambivalent Effect and the London Olympics: Art, Regeneration, Business and Sustainability, Contemporary Theatre Review, vol. 23, no. 4, pp. 587592.

Pearce, S 2003, Interpreting Objects and Collections, Routledge, London.

Taste Contemporary Craft, n.d. Web.

Vogel, F 2013, Notes on Exhibition History in Curatorial Discourse, New Institutionalism, vol. 21, no. 1, pp. 46-54.

The scene that is going to be reviewed within the framework of the current paper is the I am the scales of justice that starts approximately around 01:09:15. The scene is mostly focused on background music and plenty of footsteps and gunshots that vary in order to create a more sound-rich picture of the movies world (Miller, 2015). The musical background starts as majorly non-diegetic yet intense.

The contents of the composition, though, do not coincide with what is currently happening in the scene. The car was stuck in the sand, and the main characters were trying to move it, while the background music was supporting the dramatic nature of the moment. For Miller (2015), it was a great opportunity to display the emotional struggle and the need to escape while also ensuring that the physical struggle (moving the car out of the sand) would also be visible.

As the main characters are starting to move faster to get the car out of the trap, the tempo of the background music also speeds up, while the audience may witness diegetic gunshots, as all the characters shooting guns are visible at the moment. The problem arises during some of the moments when the music is getting even faster, and it becomes harder to spot if gunshots are diegetic or not.

The static noise that appears after Furiosas sniper shot is a diegetic one because the loud sound from the sniper rifle is noticeable through the ringing in ones ears. Nevertheless, Miller (2015) approaches this scene less realistically, making the rifle sound non-diegetic, as none of the characters react to it as expected. Another reason why this sound is important is the fact that it creates a sound bridge when the camera focuses on a different vehicle with the Doppler effect still active.

There are also several examples of parallel sounds in the scene that are supported by the background music and numerous diegetic sounds. The music is in line with what is happening on-screen, making it a great fit for the action scene. The sound design does not actually focus on any gunshots or footsteps in order to bring the action itself to the forefront. The majority of diegetic sounds, nevertheless, come from the vehicles, as the audience hears engines constantly and sees the cars struggling on-screen. Accordingly, there is a specific mix of non-diegetic and diegetic sounds that makes this scene so outstanding.

These tricks allowed Miller (2015) to make the scene practical and believable without resorting to visual effects and computer graphics. For the most part, the film score makes it completely different and emphasizes certain points. A large number of diegetic sounds is another crucial element.

As for sound continuity, the most evident examples may be the points in the scene where engines are revving, but it is not clear if it is the main characters trucks or the enemies vehicles. This uncertainty adds to the excitement that the scene brings to the movie in general, as it is one of the scenes where the action is not visual but audial. It also allowed the director to strengthen the effect of the film score when the engines started revving in the background with an enemy who has just been blinded by a sniper rifle shot. It is a memorable sound effect because the audience hears the anger in the mans voice and how it is paired with the incredibly loud engine sounds symbolizing his spite.

Reference

Miller, G. (2015). Mad Max: Fury Road [Film]. Australia; Warner Bros. Pictures.

The story of Florence Thompson and her migrant experience touches many people who see the works of a documentary photographer, Dorothea Lange. The themes of depression, despair, and the necessity to protect her family are perfectly observed in several images. In my attempt to evaluate the offered shots, I would choose The Full View photo, where all family members sit in their tent. I believe that this shot is a good example of how immigrants might live under limited resources and available conditions for several reasons. First, this image allows people to see the land and the environment where Thompsons family has to live. Second, the number of people underlines the horror of the situation when it is impossible to find a safe shelter. Besides, the age variety of individuals shows that the threat of migration has no boundaries, and any person, either an adult woman or a baby, can be challenged. Finally, although the farthest view prevents a closer look at human faces and the recognition of their emotions, an overall mood is easily traced.

Refugee life is never simple and hardly has a happy ending, regardless of the efforts taken. Thompsons story proves that the Great Depression was one of the most dramatic periods for millions of people. Her photos become solid evidence of how many difficult and hopeless moments might exist in human life. The Full View is a unique opportunity for modern people to observe a general picture of the situation when refugees have to leave their native homes and follow their desire to find a better place to live or a good job. Many mothers and children are not ready for all those tent-style lives, but they have nothing to do but lie on the ground and have some natural resources for protection and survival. This choice depicts such elements of refugee life as an always packed suitcase and a lack of food and water. However, despite the inability to change something at this moment, this family has the power to look ahead and believe that a better future is waiting for them.

Introduction

The main idea or intent of an artists work is communicated through the use of brushstrokes. I agree with the statement, in a painting of a rock, the rock itself is not expressive; rather, the brushstrokes that suggest the rock are expressive( Mironova et al., 2020).

Discussion

This is true because to identify what kind of rock is displayed in a painting or the significance behind it; one must look at certain details that are shown there. This can only be done by carefully examining the artists brushstrokes and painting techniques. In general, brushstrokes highlight a painters skill and talent because they signify where a stroke is applied and how delicate or forceful it is (Mironova et al., 2020). Therefore, in the case of a rock painting, it will be true to say that a picture of a rock will only be expressive if the artist has portrayed it uniquely, indicating that brushstrokes offer meaning to the painting, which in this case is a rock painting.

A brushstroke is a single point of paint on the canvas, and how that point of paint moves to become a lengthened stroke gives the painting life. The love and astonishment in the colors and landscapes are obvious when you look at Van Goghs brushstrokes. If he had integrated the paint smoothly and painted the landscape more realistically, his message would have been perceived differently (Mironova et al., 2020). This is the same case with the rock, where the brushstrokes give it its expressiveness.

Conclusion

Brushstroke visibility provides some context for how a painting was created. Hence, this helps in giving an artists work significance and expression.

Reference

Mironova, A., Robache, F., Deltombe, R., Guibert, R., Nys, L., & Bigerelle, M. (2020). Digital Cultural Heritage Preservation in art painting: A surface roughness approach to the brush strokes. Sensors, 20(21), 6269. Web.

Introduction

Drag is an art that involves entertaining people by crossing sexes to have the characters perform roles of the opposite sex. Drag shows contain performances of music, dances, skits, and monologues, with either one performer at a time or a group of performers to entertain the audience. Most such performances are designed for theatrical plays. Drag queens and drag kings refer to the characters who impersonate a different gender for performance purposes, which is the art of drag. In particular, drag queens are men who dress up as women to appear like female characters. On the opposite, drag kings are women who take up male roles and dress up like men (Torr & Bottoms, 2010).

The goal of setting up both drag queens and drag kings is to make them replicate the opposite sex tactfully to entertain the audience. Grooming drag queens and drag kings include modifying their costumes, hairstyles, and make-up. To bring out convincing characters in the performances, one requires a lot of creativity. Most drag queens and drag kings aim at imitating renowned celebrities and famous personalities comically. At times, drag performances represent politicians and activists in their performance. In addition, drag kings and drag queens often play gay personalities (Torr & Bottoms, 2010).

Drag queens

A drag queen is a man dressed up like a woman portraying feminine behavior through acting to amuse the audience. There are many variations of drag queens, which are based on: the place they perform in, the number of times they perform, the culture they represent, their class, and the purpose of performing (Gonzalez, 2004). For drag queens to display feminine traits, men have to work on their physical features including dressing like women, waxing their body hairs to make it look like feminine skin, shaping their eyebrows, applying make-ups, fixing fake eyelashes to show a feminine look, faking walking styles, sitting positions, and talking manner.

Drag kings

Drag kings are female artists dressed up as men for the sake of entertaining the audience. It should be admitted that they are not as famous as drag queens because, in the past, more reservation was held against female artists performing male roles as compared to the reverse. In most cases, the roles of drag kings are taken up by masculine-bodied females. Many drag kings have also used this position to represent lesbianism. To show a masculine touch, they dress up as men and try to look like men by sticking beards on their faces, adding more hair to their eyebrows, and acting like men. For instance, a drag king will seat in a care-free sitting position. They also dress like women to hide their feminine features like their breasts and female curves. For instance, they may use sports bras or ace bandages around the breasts to make them less visible (Torr & Bottoms, 2010).

Similarities between drag queens and drag kings

Drag queens and drag kings have several things in common. First, they both represent genders of different sexes: drag queens being men and drag kings being female characters. The other similarity is in the purpose of their roles as they play roles of different sexes for entertainment (Gonzalez, 2004). They may take up those acting styles to imitate real people of various professions such as a musician, and great personalities like leaders of a nation. For both drag queens and drag kings, a considerable amount of make-up is used to make them look like their opposite sexes. In addition, they are both known for representing the gay and lesbian communities. This is one reason they have received diverse critics from different societies.

Drag queens and drag kings are also similar in representing heteronormativity. It is unusual for men to be women and women to be men, however, in drag performances, an entirely different society is created, which accepts cross-sexuality. They both show resistance to gender structures. In a normal world, a person born with male features is masculine while another born with the feminine feature is feminine naturally (Gonzalez, 2004). Nevertheless, in drag shows, there is a resistance to this fact, whereby both sexes display a struggle to belong to their opposite sexes. Both drag queens and drag kings impact their audiences. Some of the public are rather critical of how the drag artists play different roles while others have their desires provoked by these performances.

Differences

The first difference between drag queens and drag kings is that they represent two different sexes, with drag queens being men and drag kings being women. Drag queens have existed longer than drag kings have. The idea of drag kings took longer to be embraced because female characters played this role. Drag kings and drag queens differ in how they came to drag. Studies show that drag queens are characters who had sexual dilemmas even early in their lives, feeling like women trapped in mens bodies (Rupp, Taylor, & Shapiro, 2010). Some of the drag queens are said to have wanted to be women from early stages, trying to wear feminine clothes, or even to display feminine traits such as having a sassy talking style. Drag kings majorly do it for performance and do not have a progressive transition that starts earlier in their lives. They assume masculinity only in performance, which is why they drag. This difference suggests that varied positions lead drag queens and drag kings into drag performances.

Rupp, Taylor, and Shapiro (2010) point out that drag kings and drag queens do not represent binary gender systems similarly. They suggest that drag queens tend to have assumptions in considering the difference between gender identities and sexual identities. Therefore, they are seen as depicting instability between sexuality categories and gender categories. In other words, they present minority sexualities and genders in their performance. Some studies show that drag kings have gender identity as an issue of social construction (Rupp, Taylor, & Shapiro, 2010). For instance, while acting they would have a pre-formed notion that politics is part of life in most men. However, drag queens performances are based on particular theories of gender identities. They tend to bring natural reality to their performance. For instance, it would be expected that a woman should feel seduced when touched, and such like traits.

Conclusion

Drag queens and drag kings are characters playing the roles of opposite sexes in drag performances. To appear like opposite sexes, both wear make-ups, dress up, and change voice tones to cover their natural gender identities to fit in the characters they represent. Despite having different drives into drag, they have various theoretical establishments and different gender and sexuality performances. Drag queens and drag kings bear the same similarities like dragging to impact on their audience.

References

Gonzalez, J. (2004). Kings, Queens Hold Audience at MCC. Daily Nexus, 84(130), 15-34.

Rupp, L. J., Taylor, V., & Shapiro, L. E. (2010). Drag Queens and Drag Kings: The Difference Gender Makes. Sexuality, 13, 275-280.

Torr, D. & Bottoms, S. J. (2010). Sex, Drag, and Male Roles: Investigating Gender asPerformance (Critical Performances). Michigan: University of Michigan Press.