DIAGHILEV AND THE LIFE ARTISTIC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bakst, Afternoon of a Faun, for Diaghilev, music by Debussy, choreographed by Njinsky

 

The faun, appearing half naked, cavorts in cobalt swirls highlit with sea foam and gilded accents. Overwhelmed by the motion, color and force of the immense image, I'm inhaled into the East Wing of the National Gallery. Past the enormous poster hanging outside, I glide into my favorite big museum space. I.M. Pei's design makes me feel like I am inside an unfolding white origami. I myself unfold every time I enter the building, receptive to something new, and I'm always glad I did.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The exhibit Diaghilev and the Ballet Russes: When Art Danced with Musicsplashes and swashbuckles, and it has left me dazed and slack-jawed.  Theater, dance, costume, and staged visual extravaganzas lure me like nothing else. I experienced big magic; I can feel that, and I'm wondering what to do with it.

 

The massive show chronicles and displays the influence of Serge Diaghilev at the beginning of the twentieth century in Paris. Hailing from Russia, the impresario transformed both the dance form itself and the entire cultural life of Paris. The astute showman effected this by luring brilliant dancers and artists from his homeland, flaunting his flamboyant artistry and homosexual lifestyle, and over time, engaging the most brilliant artists of the day to create sets, costumes, and musical scores.  They are the biggest names in twentieth century culture, names like Picasso, Matisse, Stravinsky, and Chanel, and they were all influenced by Diaghilev. There is a remark in the exhibit that there was one kind of art before Diaghilev and something different after him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pablo Picasso set design for Diaghilev's Parade, concept by Jean Cocteau, music by Erik Satie.

 

 

But, that is history. What about you, and me, and inspiration? Where do YOU get it? I've experienced these profound jolts to my artistic urges a couple of times before. If you've had the pleasure of witnessing the live stage version ofThe Lion King created by Julie Taymor, you know what it is to be delighted by something new and huge and extravagant. I saw it twice in London, and afterwards consumed everything about Taymor I could get my hands on. I wanted to get inside her head. I wanted to be her. That never happened, but my mind's eye shifted, and I could see that there is a giant world with plenty of room for my creativity. The lesson: Be bold.

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The Lion King

 

Then, how does a work of art infiltrate your creativity? Dance and music will get to you in funny ways. Many years ago I saw the Portland Ballet choreograph a dance to Carl Orff's Schulwerk. Orff used percussion instruments like glockenspiels to teach music to kids.  The ballet dancers wore bright leotards and bounced off each other on stage to that tune.

 

 

Loving it so much, I made it my ringtone, just so I could have that tune. It's the first song on my stone carving playlist. When I took a Photoshop class, I wanted to create an animated gif of colored blobs bouncing off each other to the tune of Gassenhauer, like a lively lava lamp. I did, but I think I need to learn some other software to describe the feeling exactly. What do you hear when you make stuff or write? What makes you want to learn new things, more skills? How has art infiltrated you? The lesson: Integrate the art you experience.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Diaghilev thought about what he did best and liked most, and went with it. Boldly. He said, "I am at first a charlatan, but full of dash; secondly, a great charmer; thirdly, cheeky; fourthly, a very reasonable man with few scruples, fifthly someone afflicted, it seems with a complete lack of talent. And yet I have found my true vocation: to be a patron of the arts. For that I have everything I need except money, but that will come."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Striking my own dramatic pose, I say to you writers and artists, "Let yourself be inhaled into a big space, look around at art, listen to music, and then dance that special way you do. The magic is happening already."

 

 

 

Notes:

The spelling of his first name is listed as Serge in the catalogue and as Sergei in Wikipedia.

The exhibit, based at London's Victoria and Albert Museum is traveling around the world.