They examine society’s jewels

     The role of a curator, in an overall general understanding, is one who is entrusted with the responsibility to safeguard a cultural organization’s collection of mainly historical or scientific tangible objects, however their duties whether it is for a small to large library, an archive, museum or art gallery, take on other facets such as – they not only decide, but also oversee the how to care for, including the documentation as well as conduct research related either a single work to an entire collection. In turn, these findings are often placed on exhibition to the public.

     These guardians of a society’s exist are all around the globe and although some curators are limited to specific concentrations because of giant size of the institutions like the Musée d’Orsay in Paris or the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, but when it comes to the actual numbers; these leaders command a six figure tabulation, who dominate huge spaces like the Frist Center for the Arts in Nashville, Tennessee and those smaller nestled within huge cities such as Los Angeles, where Affinity and Lark galleries staged their collaboration recently entitled, “Spring Equinox”  in separate opening receptions that combined the visual and performing arts.

     Curated by Larisa ‘Lark’ Pilinsky and Tony Clark, the events under this dual gallery spring umbrella began with Colors of Life at the Phantom Galleries in Long Beach, including a Jason Jenn’s Cavafy’s Caress theatrical production; Artistic Voyage at the Messiah Lutheran Church in Yorba Linda; Sound Art: Marriage of Music and Art in San Pedro at the Loft Galleries; and Sacre du Printemps: Art, Music & Dance at the 216 The Promenade in Long Beach.

     Those who curate, including evaluators not only possesses the specialized knowledge of the subject, but one that also serves as a guiding overseer that alerts a civilization with the present day events and the people who express their ‘modernization’ to the links of ago.

     One of the winning musical selections for LarkGallery Online Colors of Life international competition was by Alan Derian called, Father and Son and the artwork teamed with Derian’s composition was Broken Earth by Narine Isajanyan, and reviewed by Laurence Vittes who said, “Who could not like a song with this title, especially when the two voices, of father and son are so deeply, affectionately and gently handled that they cannot help being reflected in the strange landscape on a satellite map in someone’s life that the artist, Derian’s wife has created. Even more, there is the composer’s ability to create moments of indelible beauty that must surely paint the intimacy of his love for Narine.”

     Although Vittes also talked about S. J. Pettersson’s performance and who was honored for the Best in category classical modern opera and ballet composition, he had much to say about all that is recorded elsewhere, including new to the LGO community was “…songstress Kinsey Michal, who flew in from Indiana for the week to accept her award as well as perform.” He also added, “The intrepid Ann Gresham with her Project Evanos crew captured the intoxicating thrills of opera and operetta by singers who strolled among the audience.”

     Curator Clark touched upon the Sacre du Printemps show where goers were greeted “…with the larger than life Symphonic Poem paintings by Roy Shabla; Water Dance by William Emboden gave the essence of the dancing life forms; the multi media of j. Reto‘s classical Greek themes; Stanley Howard‘s figure and forms give the organic forms of nature; Ray Klausen‘s Circles and Spiral sculptures remind one of the sun’s approach to the earth with every twist; and the Earth Movements of David Gardner gave way to his Dancing Flames.” Beyond the visual arts, the music flowed with the rhythms by the SangomaBeat World Music, with Sel and Pashyo Sarkin playing Jazz to the Congo beats; Marvin Bond’s sax filled the airways with his sounds of soul; including the visual movements of the Fred Sugarman’s Medicine Machine Dancers as well as artist Eva Montealegre painting to the music.

     “We have more than 100 entries for these venues, which were selected by highly gifted jurors, yet they told me it was challenging because of their obvious artistic and technical skills,’ said curator Pilinsky. “But they are all winners in my assessment and they will remain part of Spring Equinox’s permanent collection and future exhibitions.”

     For a more information on all visual and performing artists: Art Venti, Sandra Cooper, Felice Willat, Elena Beresnjak, Amy Galaudet, Kaleeka Bond, Jolanta Badyna-Budny, Michael Chearney, Pat Rayman, Georganne Heller, Ruth Dutoit, Dasha Guilliam, Lark, Juan Rosenfeldt, Elisse Pogofsky-Harris, Narine Isajanian, Vered Galor, Sallie-Anne Swift, Armineh Teimourian, Annemarie Rawlinson, Rachael McCampbell, Roy Anthony Shabla, Randal Reel, David Oldrieve, William Emboden, William Haugse, J. Reto, Eva Montealegre, Sel Sarkin, Pashyo Sarkin, SangoBeat World Music, Saule Piktys, Artie Q, Parviz Azad, Alan Derian, Devin Galaudet, Burton Goldstein, Kinsey Michal, Kevin Nolan, Nyee Moses, S.J. Pettersson, Norman Sachs, Katherine Semple, Andrew Swift, Susan Thampi, Julia Torgovitskaya, Pamela Stein, Jeannette Koekkoek Rusty Wickell and Project Eranos – see www.larkgalleryonline.com and www.affinitygalleries.com as well as you are also encouraged to contact curators Pilinsky or Clark direct in regards to future programming and events.

For the AAPJ’s print version view see: http://www.scribd.com/arttoartpalette/documents

Affinity GalleriesCaliforniaKinsey MichalLarkGallery OnlineLong BeachLos AngelesPat RaymanSangomaBeat World MusicSound Art