I haven't really found anything about any world events that might have influenced any of Cunningham's work. I don't really interpret Cunningham to be one that is influenced by what is going on in the world. Some things that happened during his time that could have influenced his work include:
• World War II: The Red Army arrives at Auschwitz and Birkenau in Poland and finds the Nazi concentration camp where 1.1-1.5 million people were murdered.
1952
• Premiere of John Cage's 4'33" in Woodstock, New York
1962
• The Mona Lisa was assessed at US $100 million, the highest insurance valuance for a painting in history
1968—Martin Luther King Jr. delivers his "mountaintop" speech
Hollywood adopts the movie ratings system
1980
• Mark Morris, choreographer, gets together some friends, calls them the Mark Morris Dance Group, and puts on its first show at the Merce Cunningham Studios
• 1970’s—computers become commercially feasible
-->By the 90’s computers had become a common household appliance
---->The computer was very important to Merce as he suffered from arthritis
-->Used the computer program DanceForms to make his works
• 1983—the CD was officially launched in the UK
• 1996—the first DVD was shown
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Monday, March 1, 2010
Professional Lineage/collaborations/lessons
I couldn’t find much about Merce Cunningham’s dance lineage. He studied dance at what is now called Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle. He began his professional dance career with the Martha Graham Dance Company. He was with her company for six years as a soloist, and then in 1953 he created the Merce Cunningham Dance Company (MCDC). In 1955, only two years after MCDC was founded, his company made its first appearance at Jacob’s Pillow.
Once he had his own company he began to collaborate with other artists. The most influential of all the artists he worked with is John Cage, musical advisor in MCDC from the beginning and Merce’s life partner from the 40’s until Cage’s death in 1992. The two met at Cornish College of the Arts. He, therefore, also worked with David Tudor whom was associated with John Cage.
Another notable artist that Cunningham worked with was Andy Warhol. Warhol created a piece called Clouds which he made for Cunningham’s dance piece called Rainforest in 1968. He worked with Robert Rauschenberg in 1954 in a piece titled Minutiae. A quote from Cunningham, “But with "Minutiae" [1954] a different idea about the addition of décor came in. I asked Robert Rauschenberg to make something for it. The dance was not finished. I did not tell him what to make, only that it could be something that was in the dance area, that we could move through it, around it, and with it if he so liked… He made an object and beautiful as it was, I knew it wouldn’t work, because it needed a pipe to hang on. He made a second one through which we walked, huddled, and climbed. It was like an object in nature.”
Other distinguished artists he collaborated with include: Bruce Nauman—contemporary American artist who was influenced by John Cage and Philip Glass among others, Tacita Dean—best known for her work in 16mm film, Roy Lichtenstein—American pop artist, influenced by popular advertising and comic books, Ernesto Neto—contemporary visual artist, Frank Stella—designed the set and costumes for Cunningham’s piece titled Scramble, Rei Kawakubo—an untrained fashion designer (featured as a Guest designer for H&M in fall 2008), Romeo Gigli—a designer, and Benedetta Tagliabue—an architect.
Some of Cunningham’s students went on to create their own dance companies. Karole Armitage—company member from 1976-1981--company name is Armitage Gone! Dance. Paul Taylor--company name is Paul Taylor Dance Company. Viola Farber--Viola Farber Dance Company. Robert Kovich--The Estate Project—for artists with aids. Kimberly Bartosik--Daela. Floanne Ankah--SIMPLE [production]. And finally, Jonah Bokaer.
Once he had his own company he began to collaborate with other artists. The most influential of all the artists he worked with is John Cage, musical advisor in MCDC from the beginning and Merce’s life partner from the 40’s until Cage’s death in 1992. The two met at Cornish College of the Arts. He, therefore, also worked with David Tudor whom was associated with John Cage.
Another notable artist that Cunningham worked with was Andy Warhol. Warhol created a piece called Clouds which he made for Cunningham’s dance piece called Rainforest in 1968. He worked with Robert Rauschenberg in 1954 in a piece titled Minutiae. A quote from Cunningham, “But with "Minutiae" [1954] a different idea about the addition of décor came in. I asked Robert Rauschenberg to make something for it. The dance was not finished. I did not tell him what to make, only that it could be something that was in the dance area, that we could move through it, around it, and with it if he so liked… He made an object and beautiful as it was, I knew it wouldn’t work, because it needed a pipe to hang on. He made a second one through which we walked, huddled, and climbed. It was like an object in nature.”
Other distinguished artists he collaborated with include: Bruce Nauman—contemporary American artist who was influenced by John Cage and Philip Glass among others, Tacita Dean—best known for her work in 16mm film, Roy Lichtenstein—American pop artist, influenced by popular advertising and comic books, Ernesto Neto—contemporary visual artist, Frank Stella—designed the set and costumes for Cunningham’s piece titled Scramble, Rei Kawakubo—an untrained fashion designer (featured as a Guest designer for H&M in fall 2008), Romeo Gigli—a designer, and Benedetta Tagliabue—an architect.
Some of Cunningham’s students went on to create their own dance companies. Karole Armitage—company member from 1976-1981--company name is Armitage Gone! Dance. Paul Taylor--company name is Paul Taylor Dance Company. Viola Farber--Viola Farber Dance Company. Robert Kovich--The Estate Project—for artists with aids. Kimberly Bartosik--Daela. Floanne Ankah--SIMPLE [production]. And finally, Jonah Bokaer.
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