NO EVIL

Ignorance=Fear,Silence=Death  Haring, 1989

As briefly mentioned within the introduction into Haring’s work, Haring featured many political and social commentaries within his work. This ranges from the election of President Ronald Reagan to a light hearted campaign ‘gays against facial hair’ (in which he is said to have stencilled this slogan upon buildings across New York).

Throughout his career Haring’s work featured issues such as the use of drugs, sex, life, death, pollution, war and the AIDS epidemic. 

Particularly after Haring’s diagnosis of the AIDS virus his work  built upon creating an awareness for the public to the issues surrounding HIV and AIDS. Working alongside ACT-UP the AIDS activism group, Haring created the slogan and logo “Ignorance = Fear, Silence = Death” (above) featuring three figures; one covering eyes, the second ears, and the third the mouth referring to the well known ancient Japanese proverb of the three wise monkeys who "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil". Within his interpretation of this ancient proverb Haring refers to Western culture's interpretation which widely is used as means of referring to those who may deal with evil or impropriety by not acknowledging it or feigning ignorance.
This same interpretation of the proverb of the three wise monkeys shall be used within the final film Radiant Baby Manifest through the exploration of semiotics.

The study of semiotics (or semiosis) is the science and theory of signs and symbolism and the analysis of systems of communication such as language and gestures,  Professor Gary Shank of  Duquesne University defines semiosis as the process of rendering our world as meaningful and significant (Shank, G., 1995).

Within this particular medium of dance the language used being a non-verbal form instantly falls into a question of interpretation and semantics. Therefore a clear, calculated methodology in creating movement vocabulary should be used in order to communicate clearly the intended theme of ignorance in relation to the proverb of the three wise monkeys.

Gestural movements featuring the dancers covering their eyes, ears and mouths for example create a strong image that holds clear relation to the proverb. However it shall be the movement surrounding these gestures that shall create force in interpreting the overall theme of the film. 

Whilst viewing dance and art the audience is enabled to make an informed interpretation of the contents or meaning of the work due to the display of vocabulary of the language used (whether this be textual or physical). This usually is displayed through the use of a repeated gesture/movement/word and through it's repetition becomes significant and holds stronger meaning. 

Within the choreography the motifs used in which dancers cover the eyes, ears and mouth shall be repeated and developed in order to hold the strong symbolism of the proverb of the three wise monkeys and Haring's Ignorance=Fear. 

Sources:

• figure1: Haring, K. 1989. Ignorance=Fear [Poster] Available at: http://www.haring.com/cgi-bin/art_lrg.cgi?date=1989&genre=Editions&id=00253  [Accessed 22 January 2011] 

MOVING

Whilst working through this project research into Haring's work has played a substantial role in the influence in the choreography itself (along side a number of elements within this project), due to the nature of Haring's strong geometric imagery it has been decided that this shall be reflected through the movement of the dancers. 

Within Henry Taylor Parker's review of Harald Kreutzberg and Yvonne Georgi's work commentary of the pair's innovative angular movement express the notion of beauty within the dance, and the way in which this desirability is pushed as so the previously conventional notion of beauty within dance is challenged.

"The modernist beauty is a mathematical beauty...geometrical rather than sensuous patterns. Like them or mislike them; find them ugliness or pleasure..." (Jowitt, 1989., pp. 153)

Kreutzberg and Georgi's work has been a huge influence on the choreography of this piece as the use of sharp, harsh movements alongside the complexity within the use of rhythmnis something that too is being used throughout the choreography of this film.

Although within today's contemporary dance community stands a broad spectrum of stylised movement, there are still certain aesthetics that may be subjectively viewed as either ugly or beautiful. 

Other choreographers that are also being used for inspiration to the movement vocabulary within the film include Merce Cunningham, Martha Graham and Richard Alston in their use of strong lines and use of the arms as well as other choreographers such as Matt Cady, Nigel Charnock and Ian Eastwood whilst looking at smaller  gestural movements.

Within the choreography of this dance film the ugliness or beauty of the movement is something that is looking to be challenged, as this shall be viewed by those who may be accustomed to viewing contemporary dance and those who may not be accustomed to modern dance language which may influence the way in which some viewers perceive the film as possibly grotesque or perhaps stunning.

This same outlook on the the movement vocabulary shall be maintained during the contrasting dynamic movement, as not only shall large, strong shaped be visible, but also smaller quirky gestures. This diverse nature of the vocabulary shall enable an overall visually challenging piece of choreography assisted by the use of variety in camera angles and edits.

One of the issues faced whilst choreographing specifically for the camera however includes the notion of the technology aided movements, including a re-arrangement of the choreographed movement phrases. This alone is an interesting experiement, but also has to be kept in mind whilst choreographing dance phrases as so they can be open to technological alteration.

The choreography to be shown within the film is currently being choreographed within small sections, each of these sections although stylistic have a clear link do not necessarily merge together to create a constant flowing movement phrase. This is due to post-production and further editing that shall take place in editing that movements creating a sporadic and non-conventional viewing of dance where in which movements may not necessarily move into one another but be completly separate in time and space.

Author's Note

I have chosen to work in two ways whilst choreographing; one being the conventional, choreographing a phrase of movement, but then watching it back on the dancers from a variety of angles to see which camera angle and framing would work best for a particular movement etc. The other being creating movement with specific camera framing in mind, which therefore allows precision when notating this onto a story-board and later whilst editing. I find both methods work well, however my preferred method would be the second as this gives me the immediate decision, and when it comes round to shooting shall hopefully result in a less time-consuming process in filming and of editing however this is found more difficult to do in terms of the big movements and jumps as it is more appropriate to use whilst  filming smaller gestural movements.

UNIFYING THE ARTS

"The Music, Dance, Theatre, and the Visual Arts, the forms of expression, the arts of hope. This is where I think I fit in." 

- Keith Haring (date unknown)

Each art form is now more commonly used as a commentary on the World that surrounds us, and the issues that as both individuals and collective we face rather than beautifying and self-worshipping.

As a youth Haring's daily paper-round exposed him to politics and other issues that graced the front pages of his local newspaper, this ultimately had an effect on him and the issues he chose to confront within his work.

Like Haring and his work, this project looks to everything as a possible source of inspiration particularly influence coming from a broadness of interest within the arts.

Haring performing 'neo-dada' poems at Club 57, NY (date unknown)

Haring used the idea of unifying the arts and experimented with this particularly within his time spent at 'Club 57' and later curating the rotating gallery at the 'Mudd Club'.

Club 57 and the Mudd Club were nightclubs in New York (opening the late 1970's-1980's) where artists, musicians and dancers came together to not only have a good time but also to showcase their work, and work together as artists. 

Haring regularly performed at the Wednesday night poetry readings and performed inside a false-television set and read his neo-dada poems and curated the Black Light Show in Club 57 and the Rotating Gallery at the Mudd Club.

Haring regularly put on shows with his friends (that were often completely surreal and obtuse) including a collaboration with dancer and choreographer Bill T Jones entitled "Long Distance" (performed at The Kitchen-another arts gallery/centre based in New York) in which Haring painted at the rear of the stage allowing the sounds of his paintbrush against his board to be the accompaniment for the dance.

The Mudd Club and Club 57 soon became a great fixture on the underground music, fashion, art and counter-culture scene, The Kitchen still continues to be an active Centre for video, music, dance, performance, film, and literature.

Bill T Jones & Keith Haring performing Long Distance at The Kitchen, NY (date unkown)

At the time when Haring was sharing his work with his friends at the Mudd Club, Haring was attending the School of Visual Arts in New York. Where he experimented with performance pieces and film.

Films included both Haring himself and his friends and family as the subjects. One of the most notable being his film (and later live performance) depicting Haring speaking in Morse Code (Title Unknown).

(Haring was later expelled from the School of Visual Arts for using the interior of an SVA building as a canvas for graffiti in a project with Jean-Michel Basquiat)

Author's Note

Haring naturally collaborated and explored various art forms, this is something that I aim to achieve through this project and hope to do this as seamlessly as he did.

Given Haring's work as an example I challenge anyone who questions that a merge or unity within the arts cannot be achieved.

Sources:

• information retrieved from haring.com and The Universe of Keith Haring., 2008. [DVD]

•  figure 1 & 2: Screen-captures taken from The Universe of Keith Haring., 2008. [DVD]

CORNERED

As discussed previously the use of camera and edits within dance film allows the creation of something adverse from reality. This is epitomised within Michael Downing's 1997 film Cornered which has stylistically been the key influence and inspiration into the filming and editing planned to be explored within the up-coming film for this project.
Cornered, a fast-paced, high contrasted black and white film features a solo female performer dancing within a corner of a white-walled room. Clever camera angles and sharp edit choices create the illusion of a small box like shape in which the performer is trapped. Due to the combination of choreography, camera angles and edit style the film creates an interesting aesthetic - confusing and disorientating the viewer alongside the accompaniment of strange scratching sounds gives to the overall nature of the film a post-modern surrealism.

Due to copyright reasons an extract of Cornered may not be shown within this blog, however the influence for the film Cornered being the famous dance sequence from the 1951 film Royal Wedding featuring Fred Astaire is shown below depicting Astaire appearing to dance upon the ceiling and walls of the room in which he is located.

Source:

• Video: SneakyGuy55, 2011. Fred Astaire - Royal Wedding (1951) - The Famous "Ceiling" Dance. [video online] Available at: <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GNGDe4uNjQ> [Accessed 30 April 2011]

THE INFLUENCE

Keith Haring Annie Leibovitz (1986)

The initial concept of Project KH originates from the 1986 portrait of Keith Haring by photographer Annie  Leibovitz.
The photograph captures a nude body-painted Haring against a similarly painted set.

This particular photograph features Haring's signature stylistic thick, vibrant tribal lines containing humorous and thought provoking imagery.
     Haring's stylistic black and white imagery which features within the Leivovitz portrait is iconic in modern pop-culture and has been interpreted and used for major vibrant  fashion designers  such as Tommy Hilfiger, Jeremy Scott, Adidas, Zara, Patricia Feild and Nicholas Kirkwood.
In 2010 the popular recording artist Rihanna featured in one particular scene within the music video for the single 'Rude Boy' a clear and direct influence from the Leibovitz photograph, where in which Rihanna is seen in a white unitard printed with a Haring inspired design against a similarly patterned background.

Stills captured from Rude Boy performed by Rihanna (2010)

The resemblance between Leibovitz photograph of Haring and the scenes from the 'Rude Boy' music video is clear, however it must be stated that the original concept and visual inspiration for this Project was adopted from the 1986 portrait of Haring. 

The artistic content of the photograph by Annie Leibovitz serves as the initial and visual inspiration for this Project, further research into Keith Haring's life and his other works also serve to be a great part of this Project, as not only for a direct visual connection between Haring's work and the upcoming dance film, but also to the theoretical and social commentary that shall be featured within the Project.

Keith Haring in his Pop Shop, Photograph by Charles Dolfi-Michels 

Keith Haring (1956-1990), was an artist and social activist who worked predominately within the 1980's. After moving to New York from Pennsylvania he found himself connecting to and responding to many issues faced within the New York street culture. 

Haring featured many themes throughout his work including concepts of love, sex, birth, death and war.

Haring's work was highly political and due to his distribution and increasing celebrity like status his work enabled access of his art to the world. 

He began his interest in art as a teenager and attended art schools in both Pittsburgh and New York, however his status propelled as he started drawing on blank advertisement boards on the New York Subway stations with chalk, which later developed into commissioned murals and artworks, and the continued to venture into clothing and merchandise via the Pop Shop.

Haring's artwork has become iconic and is still recognised today, and now is arguably one of America's most iconic and popular modern artists alongside the likes of Jean Michel Basquiat and Andy Warhol. 

For more information and Haring's official Biography please visit  haring.com.

Sources:

• figure1: Leibovitz, A., 1986. Keith Haring [Photograph] Available at < www.artbrokerage.com/artist/Annie-Leibovitz/Keith-Haring-1986-33075> [Accessed 29 December 2010]
• figure 2 Screen-captures taken from: Rude Boy Music Video Performed by Rihanna © 2010 The Island Def Jam Music Group. Available at  <www.youtube.com/watch?v=e82VE8UtW8A>
• figure 3: Dolfi-Michels, C., Date unknown. Untitled [Photograph]  Available at <www.independent.co.uk/multimedia/archive/00244/4851248_244597a.jpg > [Accessed 29 December 2010]