A WEEK OF CULTURE
General John Kelly, former chief of staff for the current president, made national as well as local news for his comments about John Bolton. Kelly was the featured speaker at Ringling College’s Town Hall series on Monday, and when asked about Mr. Bolton said, he is an “honest man” and a man of integrity.
At Global Affairs on Wednesday morning, former advertising executive Peter Georgescu, a Romanian who emigrated to this country as a child, gave a thoughtful talk about the tension between business and society. He contrasted Boeing’s misguided handling of the Max crisis with Johnson & Johnson’s more humane approach to the Tylenol tampering in the 1980’s.
At Thursday’s Sarasota Orchestra concert, we heard several unfamiliar pieces in a concert that, to me, seemed somewhat flat. After intermission, Sarah Chang redeemed it with an exhilarating rendition of Dvorak’s Violin Concerto in A Minor.
Lastly, we made our inaugural visit to the new Sarasota Art Museum with my visiting sister and brother-in-law. We were all delighted with both the gallery spaces and the art on display. An eclectic exhibit of works by various artists under the title, Color Theory, on one floor and a career-spanning exhibit of Brazilian-American artist Vik Muniz’s collages and photographic works.
One of the most stunning pieces is an installation of plexiglass plates with colored film on them that reflect light in intriguing ways. It’s by Christian Sampson, a Ringling College of Art & Design graduate.
Muniz used many media from plastic toy soldiers to peanut butter and jelly to sugar to junk. I found his horse head (plastic soldiers) and his collage of Jerusalem especially appealing. If you’re local, this new art destination is a must visit!
RECENT READING
Family Dynamics
Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane
What happens when you witness a traumatic event as a young teen? How does that impact your adult life in ways you never expected? Keane’s novel explores the friendship between two cops and their families who are neighbors for a short period of time. That relationship is ripped open by a horrible tragedy, and yet, the teenage boy and the neighbor girl who was his closest friend marry each other. The consequences of the earlier tragedy echo and haunt them all, parents and adult children, through the next twenty years. Can one forgive an injury caused by someone who is mentally ill?
Keane’s novel is a delicate and nuanced exploration of hate, love, remorse, and confusion as Peter, the teenage son of the perpetrator, and Kate, his neighbor and later wife, suffer long-lasting fallout from the event. Keane has Irish heritage and this plus her own life experiences are reflected in these characters. A novel that will linger in your mind long after you’ve read the last page. (~JWFarrington)
Notes: All photos by JWFarrington. Header photo is Blossom by Tony Feher (2009) at the Sarasota Art Museum.
