Page 29 - ARUBA TODAY

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PEOPLE & ARTS Thursday 1 augusT 2019
Huge NY show honors Brazilian Modern landscape architect

By KATHERINE ROTH the use and preservation
Associated Press of Brazilian wild plants, tak-
NEW YORK (AP) — Through ing long collecting trips into
flowers, foliage and works the Amazon and other ar-
of art, a big botanical gar- eas, often ahead of log-
den show distills the genius ging companies or road
of influential Brazilian artist building concerns, Forrest
and landscape designer says. He would identify and
Roberto Burle Marx. rescue plants that might
Curvy, graphic pathways otherwise have been lost,
draw visitors in, winding bringing them back and
through eye-catching tap- planting them in his own
estries of bright, almost garden.
sculptural plant forms. Ex- Besides Brazilian plants,
otic water lilies resemble Burle Marx "also used the
rimmed serving trays. Brazil- plants of the world in his
ian music plays in the back- designs. His designs are well
ground. known for stunning tropical
Oh, and it's all in the Bronx. plant forms," Forrest says.
In what the New York Bo- "He had an exuberant per-
tanical Garden says is its sonality. He was a great
largest botanical exhibition singer, and made all kinds
ever, "Brazilian Modern: The of drawings and paintings
Living Art of Roberto Burle This undated photo provided by The New York Botanical Garden shows a visitor in NYBG's Art Gal- and tapestries and mosa-
Marx" celebrates the artist, lery looking at the artwork of Roberto Burle Marx in part of the exhibit "Brazilian Modern: The Living ics. That modern abstract
landscape architect and Art of Roberto Burle Marx" at NYBG in New York. style of his can be seen in his
conservationist in a daz- Associated Press landscapes," says Forrest.
zling display of his garden "There's a sense of scale
style. Accompanying pro- mid-century modern land- landscapes, on scales One of Burle Marx's signa- and drama that links his
gramming showcases the scaping? Not so much. ranging from a small estate ture elements was the use landscapes to the broader
sights and sounds of Brazil, This show is a tribute to a garden to roof gardens of biomorphic paving pat- landscape surrounding it.
with music and dance per- master of that form. on institutional buildings to terns, with walkways func- There's a strength of design,
formances meant to evoke "Roberto Burle Marx was massive urban parks," says tioning as part of the site's a boldness to it. You see
Rio de Janeiro, the inspira- arguably the world's most Todd A. Forrest, vice presi- aesthetics, not just a way large blocks of color. And
tion of the artist's life and celebrated modernist land- dent for horticulture and through it, Forrest says. In there are often water fea-
work. scape architect. He was living collections at the gar- addition, the artist often tures."
The show opened June 8 born in 1909 and died in den. used architectural ele- Aerial photos of his land-
and runs through Sept. 29. 1994. His career as a land- "Most of his work was done ments, such as walls, using scapes, on view in the ex-
While many people have scape architect began in in Brazil, but he was glob- diverse materials like con- hibit, resemble his abstract
heard of mid-century mod- the late 1930s, and he went ally recognized for his influ- crete or corten steel. paintings of the same
ern furniture and homes, on to design nearly 3,000 ence." Burle Marx advocated for era.q

Bird and Bee cover Van Halen no guitars, much fun

By PABLO GORONDI George's multi-tracked It was shocking when Van
Associated Press vocals on the refrain — a Halen featured keyboards
The Bird and the Bee, "In- reminder of the greatness on their biggest hit, "Jump,"
terpreting the Masters, Vol- of ex-Van Halen bassist Mi- and while George sings
ume 2: A Tribute to Van chael Anthony's backing the synth lines beautifully,
Halen" (No Expectations/ vocals — and a just-right it could have been a neat
Release Me Records) combination of the origi- twist to play some on gui-
An album of Van Halen nal's stomp with a lighter tar. The Kinks' "You Really
covers without guitars. touch. Got Me" was Van Halen's
Wait, what? "Panama" gets a dance- first single and sounds so
Singer Inara George and floor makeover and what good here that George
producer-keyboardist Greg sounds like a solo of tuned and Kurstin should target
Kurstin, who make up The bottles. Ray and Dave Davies'
Bird and the Bee, carry off Kurstin, a seven-time Gram- band for their next volume
the intriguing concept with my-winning producer who of interpretations.
plenty of fun, grace and has worked with every- "Diamond Dave," the final
aplomb, focusing mostly on one from Adele to Sia to song on the 10-track al-
Van Halen's debut album Beck, has a wild piano bum, pays tribute to Roth.
and some of the band's solo on "Hot for Teacher," Even if the lyrics, written
other big hits from the Da- which features a spoken- when he rejoined Van
vid Lee Roth era, as well as word cameo by Beck. That Halen in 2007, show their
a fresh take on their own leads right into "Eruption," age, the ballad is a fitting
homage to the spandex- where Kurstin turns Eddie This cover image released by No Expectations/Release Me Re- closer to an album where
clad vocalist. Van Halen's flurry of notes cords shows “Interpreting the Masters Volume 2: A Tribute to the Bird and the Bee's love
Opener "Runnin' With into a quasi-classical piano Van Halen” by The Bird and the Bee. for Van Halen requires no
the Devil" is elevated by piece. Associated Press euphemisms.q