Tag Archives: Rakuko Naito

NY Mysteries January 18, 2020

 

 It’s been a busy week. First of all, I’ll mention two events I didn’t attend. Both were held at Judson and both had large crowds. Wrestling with Zionism explored the treatment of the Palestinians. I attended Mystery Writers of America to thank the outgoing president, Jeff Markowitz, for his involvement and enthusiasm and to welcome the new president, Erica Obey.

The second event honored Jean Montevil. A friend gave me permission to quote his Facebook account of the event: At Judson Memorial Church marking the second anniversary that Jean Montrevil, our friend, father of four, and advocate to so many, was swept off the street by ICE and deported. We joined his kids today to launch the “Bring Jean Home’ campaign to right this wrong! Join us!judson.org

https://theintercept.com/…/jean-montrevil-deportation-firs…

 

 

 

 

 

Bring Jean Home!

 

 

 

 

 

 

A friend and I attended a Frick concert given by Paul Galbraith, the acclaimed guitarist and Antonio Meneses, the acclaimed cellist. They mesmerized us with Bach, Schubert, and various compositions written for the two musicians. 

Rakuko Naito and Tadaaki Kuwayama had an opening reception at Christie’s on January 14. It was glamorous, uber Manhattan spiked with champagne and lots of attitude. I’ve admired Rakuko’s intricate paper work for years

Studio Visit: Tadaaki Kuwayama and Rakuko Naito

Rakuko Naito

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tadaaki Kuwayama

 

 

 

Graphic Lessons: What do a thirty-four-year old, a nine-year-old and an eighteen-year-old have in common? Murder. 

Millie Fitzgerald applies for a Windsor School teaching job, faints on a  dying man in the school kitchen, deals with a troubled nine-year-old and with the eighteen-year-old niece of the murdered man.

Graphic Lessons: Nine-year-old Dana is the only witness who overhears a person fighting with George Lopez, the soon to be stabbed Windsor School kitchen worker. Who can she tell? Her mother who  accuses her of lying? Her father who’s fled to Singapore? She tells Millie. 

Graphic Lessons: NYPD Detective Steve Kulchek is assigned the murder case at the prestigious Windsor School. What’s bugging him? His partner was stabbed. He feels remorse over screwing up an important case. His corrupt boss is a trustee of the Windsor School. His girlfriend married his boss. And his daughter quit college. 

New York City Blog Feb. 1 – Feb. 8

Wasn’t the Super Bowl fun? I like football because it’s so American and so politically incorrect. But what’s happened to the cheerleaders? In the old days they were pretty, bouncy, sexy girls. Now, they look as if they take gymnastics very seriously.

I chose a day when the temperature hovered around eleven degrees to go to the Barbara Mathes Gallery to see Rakuko Naito’s paper work.The gallery is a townhouse that has the secure features of a vault, It also has the hushed, immaculate, tony atmosphere that makes you lower your voice. Then on to the Lauder Cubism exhibit at the Met. Picasso, Braque, Gris. Léger are artists in the collection. Cubism grabbed me as a child when I’d wander through MOMA and stand in front of Picasso’s Three Musicians.

Fernand Léger"s The Typographer
Fernand Léger”s The Typographer

NYCB’s Glass Pieces with music by Philip Glass and choreography by Jerome Robbins was the best piece of an afternoon performance. My head was still filled with the images of cubism so I imagined I saw it in Glass Pieces. This is the first time I’ve appreciated Philip Glass. Choreography complements his music.