The high school drama class making one of many research visits to JUS Broadcasting, their first stop on . . . circle through New York. They appeared on Bikkar, a corrupt-cop comedy show and are preparing a scripted segment based on their research that will be shot and broadcast film later in March.
A Museum Artwork, "Untitled" (Public Opinion) by Felix Gonzales Torres, is installed at St. Philip's Church throughout March. Visit the church to meet members of the congregation and vestry and to view the artwork.
“Untitled” (Public Opinion) is a 1991 work by Felix Gonzalez-Torres consisting of a large quantity—ideally 700 pounds—of individually wrapped licorice candies, which are poured directly on the floor, usually in a pile or flat rectangle, and available for viewers to take and eat. As this artwork travels around the circle, it will be installed by a team of museum professionals in response to the architecture of each site. This is the first time it has been exhibited outside of the context of a museum or gallery.
Photo's by Kristopher McKay, © Guggenheim Museum
French Archaeological Mission to Ras Shamra-Ugarit, photographs of Françoise Ernst-Pradal.
What is sometimes called “The Hurrian Hymn” is the earliest known example of music notation, dating to around the 13th century BCE. The hymn is written on a clay tablet (about the size of a smart phone), in cuneiform script. Cuneiform is the earliest known form of writing, which used a stylus (usually of reed) to make fine incisions on wet clay. Cuneiform was a complex writing system, used to write several different languages (as our alphabet is also used to write different languages). This tablet is a good example of this, as it includes the words of the song (lyrics) in the Hurrian language, and the music instructions (or “notation”) in Akkadian. Akkadian is an early Semitic language, belonging to the same family of languages as Arabic and Hebrew. Hurrian, on the other hand, is not related to any contemporary language, and it is poorly understood.
The tablet was found at the site of ancient Ugarit (contemporary Ras Shamra), 1km from the Syrian coast. There are several other examples of tablets with music notation from this site, but one well preserved example (although even this tablet is damaged). The tablet was discovered during French excavations of the 1950s, in the archives of the royal palace, together with many other texts of various types, such as letters and administrative documents. It is now in the National Museum of Damascus, Syria.
Ugarit was a city known for being a cosmopolitan centre during the late Bronze Age (14th and 13th centuries). This was due to its being a gateway for trade on the Mediterranean coast, as well as the fact that it was constantly being fought over by the great powers to its east (Mittanni, contemporary northern Syria), south (Egypt) and north (Hatti, contemporary Turkey). The cosmopolitan character of Ugarit in this period, is confirmed by the multilingual nature of texts found there, such as the Hurrian Hymn that uses both the Hurrian language for the lyrics, and the Akkadian language for music notation.
The upper part of the tablet obverse includes a hymn written in Hurrian. The text of this hymn is difficult to translate. However, the theme is clearly the promotion of fertility. It is addressed to the moon goddess, Nikkal. It refers to the making of offerings and libations (sesame oil) to the deity, and the placing of a ritual object (of lead) at the foot of the divine statue. The lower part of the tablet (below the double line) includes musical instructions, written in Akkadian.
The above text is excerpted from a longer dossier that Sam Mirelman, graduate student at the Institute for the Study of the Ancient World, wrote for the project partners. Download Sam Mirelman's complete information sheet on the Hurrian Hymn here. Download sheet music interpretation of the Hymn here.
A Call to Action against Social Injustice
We are a band of faithful Christians who organized in 1809 to worship in a non-segregated church and to educate, socialize, and recognize the African-American contribution in all of society. There was--and persists today--fear, ignorance, greed, and wilful discrimination that hurts many in our midst. We fervently ask that all who hear our story take action against these injustices, including self-examination of your own participation in discrimination and injustice. Always be just as ready to listen as you are emboldened to speak out for or against others.
By "many in our midst" we are referring to a broad swath of people affected by current events, which include, among others:
This call to action will rotate around the circle, being interpreted by each venue in turn according to their own communities and capacities.
Frank Sinatra School of the Arts offers the opportunity for all students to achieve their fullest academic and artistic potential. This is accomplished through a rigorous educational program, which includes a challenging academic program, pre-conservatory studio work, experiences with cultural institutions, and intensive participation in community service. The school was founded by world-renowned entertainer, Tony Bennett, and his wife Susan Benedetto, to honor Tony's late friend and colleague, Frank Sinatra. At Mr. Bennett's encouragement, students are offered the opportunity to gain real world experience in the arts through internships and apprenticeships. Graduates will be prepared for both the finest conservatories and the best universities in the country. Our graduation rate has been one of the highest in the city and our graduates have gone on to rigorous, highly selective conservatories, art programs and competitive colleges and universities. Previous classes have been awarded several millions of dollars in scholarships. All of the people associated with the school - administrators, teachers, artists and performers - are consonant in their belief that students should be committed and dedicated to their art form, not fame and celebrity. Students should be prepared to work hard and long in their chosen field, learn to appreciate the art itself, and, finally, to see their hard work as its own reward. From vision to course development to day-to-day teaching, the school is designed to reinforce its dedication to the arts.
Interior of St. Philips Church, Harlem
Celebrating 208 years in 2017, St. Philip’s Church was founded in 1809 and is the second oldest Episcopal Church in the United States to be organized and led by African Americans. A hallmark throughout its history has been its continuous role in the struggle for justice and well-being. From inception, St. Philip’s, through its strong clergy and lay members, have played a critically important role as abolitionists, anti-lynching and anti-Jim Crow demonstrators and activists, facilitators of mental health care services to black and poor people (when there was none available), and as community housing developers. The Legacy extends through the current time with the church’s work around issues of justice for the formerly incarcerated, among other areas. It should also be noted that St. Philip’s Church served as the spiritual home for the former Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall during the time that he worked on and won several landmark cases as head of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund.
Designated a landmark building in 1993, the church’s current structure was designed and built by the African American architecture firm of Tandy & Foster in 1911. Vertner Tandy, the first African American licensed architect in New York state, was also a member of St. Philip’s Church. Over the years the beautiful architecture and wonderful acoustics of the church have made it an ideal home for great theatre productions, musical performances, and art exhibits. Through these various mediums St. Philip’s has sought to minister holistically to mind, body, and spirit of both individuals and the wider community.
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In the year leading up to the launch of ...circle through New York the artists Lenka Clayton and Jon Rubin walked, cycled and drove the imaginary circle through New York, visiting every public location that happened to fall on the line of the circle.
Here is an early draft of the spinning wheel. This wheel will be given out for free at each of the six locations around the circle. It acts as an introduction to the project, and a map so that viewers can follow each circulating thing around the circle over the course of the project.
Spinning wheel designed by Brett Yasko
Shop drawings of the signs that will stand outside each venue during the project. Currently in production.
The Aye Simon Reading Room on the Rotunda Ramp of the Guggenheim Museum will serve as an information center for ...circle through New York where books on each partner can be read, and documentation of the project so far viewed.
