Does music move us?

Dear K,

Long time, friend. I know we both have been needing a break. In an effort to get myself motivated on my only week off of work, I decided to take a day trip down to Miami. I haven't had a Miami adventure day in awhile, so I was really looking forward to it. It ended up being a dud of a day.. maybe parallel to my energy and excitement about art lately. The exhibit was called, "Sympathy for the Devil: Art and Rock and Roll since 1967." Except for this above installation by David Muller, a sort of timeline of rock and roll drawn directly on the wall, I was less than impressed. The North Miami Contemporary Museum usually has top-notch shows - maybe this is an indication of Florida in the summer - watered-down, loosey-goosy, cultural events. Plus, this show originated at MCA, Chicago, in your stomping ground...

Here is some information from the website: "Organized by the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago and curated by MCA, Chicago Curator Dominic Molon, Sympathy for the Devil: Art and Rock and Roll Since 1967 includes over 100 works of art by 56 artists and artist collectives, explores the varied ways art and music interrelated and overlapped (or in some cases not) in six geographic centers: New York, West Coast/Los Angeles, Midwest, United Kingdom, Europe, and “The World.” The emphasis is not on the aesthetics of rock, but on singular and significant works of art in various formats and media, that were created as a circumstance of the two cultural genres coming together."

Taken from the Rolling Stones song inviting the listener to “have some sympathy and some taste,” I wondered whose taste they were marketing to. The works seemed conceptually interesting, but left my eyes wanting more. I walked out disappointed and intrigued by these simple color-study paintings in the gallery across the street. After my lack of inspiration at the museum, I decided to spend the rest of the afternoon reading books. - A summertime pleasure that I rarely get to revel in.

Hope you are inspired.
Love,
K.