A week seeing Equity and Deepwater Horizon and visits to two museums. The abstract art by centenarian Carmen Herrera is bold, colorful and arresting.
FILM
Equity
Written, produced and directed by women, Equity, is a fascinating film about women on Wall Street and bringing an IPO to the trading floor. Starring are Anna Gunn as the seasoned older managing director, skilled, but tainted by a more recent failure, and Sarah Megan Thomas, as her up and coming vp who is better equipped to handle the Facebook-like founder of privacy company Cachet. Portrayed here are women with power and women admitting they like money along side the chicanery, manipulation, and cheating that is part of this financial milieu. And unlike traditional films where good prevails and the bad guys get it, the ending may surprise you. Both the Chief Penguin and I liked this film and would recommend it. Later we learned that Sarah Thomas was one of our son’s high school classmates. For the record, she is very good.
Deepwater Horizon
While any reasonably aware person knows about the oil rig disaster that was the Deepwater Horizon in 2010, few of us can appreciate how horrific an event it was. If for no other reason than seeing the catastrophe develop and play out, this film is worth seeing. It is amazing to me that more men didn’t die. By choosing to focus on a couple of key players, the technician Mike Williams; Andrea, an operator in the control room and the only woman; and Jimmy Harrell, who is in charge and essentially “the captain” of the rig; the creators provide a strong emotional link for the viewer. Two BP execs are also on board; needless to say, they and the company do not come off well. Scenes of the engulfing fireball may haunt you, but I still recommend it.
ABSTRACT ART
The Whitney Museum of American Art is close by, and, as members, we can go as often as we like. Last week we explored the Carmen Herrera exhibit, “Lines of Sight.” At 101, Ms. Herrera is still actively creating art and now getting some long overdue recognition. A Cuban immigrant and female, she was mostly overlooked during the 1950’s, 60’s and beyond until fairly recently. Her colorful geometric canvases make me think somewhat of Rothko and Jasper Johns. They are bold and bright and stunning in their simplicity. Here are a few samples.
SPIRITUALISM
We also stopped into MOMA briefly, mostly to enjoy lunch in their café, but did spend a few minutes wandering in an exhibit of books, posters, clippings and other items relating to Fulton Oursler and the spiritualism movement.
Spiritualism attracted the likes of Arthur Conan Doyle, who wrote a book about the existence of fairies (based on some photos taken by two cousins which they decades later admitted were bogus), and even those who debunked it such as master magician Houdini.
Note: All photos by JWFarrington
