Heidi Anne Heiner's Blog, page 176

Kiki Smith in Fairy Tales, Monsters, and the Genetic Imagination

Born by Kiki Smith
The Fairy Tales, Monsters, and the Genetic Imagination exhibit offers two works by Kiki Smith. I'm going to share the same images from yesterday's post of the works, published by the Nashville Scene. Multiple images of both of these works can be found around the web. For fairy tale devotees, they are perhaps the most well-known images in the exhibit.

I am not an expert on Smith's work, but have admired it for a long time now. One of the best websites about her work is MoMA's site dedicated to an exhibition of her work at Kiki Smith: Prints, Books & Things. You can read about Smith's Little Red Riding Hood works in the section labeled Feminine Contexts. From the MoMA site:

Smith's most recent print on the subject of "Little Red Riding Hood," Born, is a more violent reading of the story, depicting the wolf with blood dripping from its mouth. It is based on the ending of some versions of the story, in which the little girl and her grandmother emerge from the wolf's stomach after being eaten. This interpretation implies salvation and rebirth; and is fused with Biblical overtones and Virgin Mary symbolism; as well as Smith's simultaneous explorations into the figure of Sainte Genevieve (see "Rapture" below). The monumental lithograph; which took over three years to complete; went through a dynamic series of stages before Smith settled on the final version.

Rapture by Kiki Smith
Rapture, while it certainly draws upon Little Red Riding Hood, too, is primarily inspired by St. Genevieve.

From Art21 at PBS:

In several of her pieces, including "Lying with the Wolf, Wearing the Skin," and "Rapture," Smith takes as her inspiration the life of St. Genevieve, the patron saint of Paris. Portrayed communing with a wolf, taking shelter with its pelt, and being born from its womb, Smith's character of Genevieve embodies the complex, symbolic relationships between humans and animals.

The following is a segment from PBS's Art 21 on Kiki Smith's work in her own words.


Watch Stories on PBS. See more from ART:21.
And, as always, here is the exhibition catalog:

Castle's Once Upon a Crime Airs Tonight

That's a clip from tonight's episode of Castle, Once Upon a Crime. Do watch that one. It's better than I usually expect from tv dramas when discussing fairy tales. So we start with Red Riding Hood but Snow White gets murdered, too, from the previews. And, yes, these clips are the average TV level of dead bodies and wounds so watch at your own risk. Nothing nearly as graphic as Grimm on NBC.

I'm curious, so I'll be watching.

And here's another preview:

Fairy Tales, Monsters, and the Genetic Imagination Exhibit Preview

I have the opportunity to attend the media preview of Fairy Tales, Monsters, and the Genetic Imagination this past week. The exhibit opened here in Nashville on Friday at the Frist Center. This week I plan to highlight the work of several of the artists represented in the exhibit, but that begins tomorrow. Today I wanted to share a link and a few of the images from the Nashville Scene's preview of the exhibit installed to entice you to go over there and look.
Go to Installation View: Fairy Tales, Monsters and the Genetic Imagination at The Frist by Laura Hutson to see many more pictures than these. The three I share here are borrowed from the article and all rights belong to the photographer and Nashville Scene. I was there when these were take and managed to only get half photographed in one. (So, nothing for Pinterest, Gypsy. Grin. I like it that way.)

The exhibition catalog is already temporarily out of stock at Amazon which I hope means there was a demand for it since I know it shipped to at least one friend this week. (It also was probably fairly low inventory since Amazon had bumped the original ship date to late March and then shipped copies this week when they became available to those who preordered.) The catalog has two great essays by Jack Zipes and Marina Warner which will be of particular interest to readers here.


The exhibit moves to Winnipeg this summer and then on to Calgary. Here in Nashville, however, one can still attend a few curator tours which expand upon the collection even more. Mark Scala brings out nuances and details in the collection that I may have missed after several visits.



For those only interested in the fairy tale aspect of the exhibit, the out right fairy tale interpretations are limited to the first room and then the exhibit expands to fairy tale and folklore inspired themes and moves on to monsters, etc. I think it is still worth the price of admission to you, too. Here in Nashville, the fairy tales are in a cave like room, with trees surrounding the doorway. The forest theme is perfect and the exhibit's designers did a great job with colors and displays. (I'm always impressed with the Frist's display decisions in exhibits like these.)

Barbie and Fairy Tales

Rapunzel (1995)
Barbie has a varied history with fairy tales, but one of the more recent adventures included a Children's Story collector series from 1995-2000, with a doll released each year. While Barbie also has a long history of Disney fairy tale tie-ins, this line of dolls carefully--and often successfully--navigated away from the Disney designs for these characters. Today I am sharing images of each for a lighthearted Saturday post. The only oddity is Little Bo Peep but the rest are all romantic fairy tale heroines.
All of these images were borrowed from the Barbie Collector website. Descriptions of the dolls are provided there, mostly concentrating on the clothing.
Little Bo Peep (1996)
Cinderella (1997)
Sleeping Beauty (1998)
Snow White (1999)
Beauty (2000) I think this one channels Disney more than the others.

Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella on Broadway 2012-3 Season

  I'm a little late on this since the buzz started around December--I frankly forgot it during the holidays--but there hasn't been much news about it yet anyway, mostly the initial announcement. So here are clips from various articles to get the fullest news. I am rather happy about it since the reworking could make it interesting and this musical is the type to go on tour if it does well on Broadway so I have a better chance of seeing it. My life doesn't lend itself to Broadway trips to New York very often. Not ever, actually, although I have seen things in LA and London come to think of it. And it might lead to another TV production or at least a PBS taping. The Andrews version is my favorite or perhaps due to its age.

From Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella Eyes Broadway Run with New Book From Douglas Carter Beane by Broadway.com Staff:

The first Broadway production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella is eyeing a run during the 2012-13 season, according to the New York Times. The show, which was first produced as a made-for-television film in 1957, will feature a new book by Douglas Carter Beane (Sister Act, Lysistrata Jones). A workshop of the musical is expected to take place in April. While producers have an actress in mind for the title role, no potential casting has been revealed.

The production is expected to feature several songs that were cut from other Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals including South Pacific ("Now is the Time") and The Sound of Music ("I've Lived and I've Loved"). It would also feature several changes to the book including eliminating the characters of Cinderella's birth mother and father, as well as the King and Queen (who will be replaced by one character who oversees the Prince and the kingdom).

From Douglas Carter Beane Is Godfather of Broadway-Aimed Production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella by Adam Hetrick:

The property's closest brush with Broadway was a national tour that played The Theatre at Madison Square Garden in 2001. It starred Eartha Kitt as the Fairy Godmother and Jamie-Lynn Sigler in the title role. That production drew on several versions of Cinderella, including the original 1957 teleplay and the 1997 "Wonderful World of Disney" version.

Beane (Xanadu, Lysistrata Jones, The Little Dog Laughed), who also delivered a fresh book for the Broadway production of Sister Act, will "re-chart" the journey of the classic tale in a new way. Retaining all classic elements of the fairytale, it will now be Cinderella's turn to rescue the Prince.

Beane's treatment will also incorporate songs from the Rodgers and Hammerstein catalogue, as well as songs from the original television version, including "In My Own Little Corner," "Impossible/It's Possible," "Ten Minutes Ago" and "Do I Love You Because You're Beautiful?"

Various stage and film productions of Cinderella have been studded with rarities from the Rodgers and Hammerstein trunk, including cut songs from South Pacific and Oklahoma! Through the years, such hits as "The Sweetest Sounds" and "Falling in Love With Love" have also found their way into Cinderella.

Cinderella was written for television and had its premiere in 1957 with Julie Andrews in the title role. A 1965 made-for-television version starred Lesley Ann Warren, Celeste Holm and Ginger Rogers. The 1997 television remake featured Brandy and Whitney Houston. It has been licensed as a stage property since 1958.

From Could a Reconceived 'Cinderella' Get Invited to a Broadway Ball?
by PATRICK HEALY:

Calling Mr. Beane's book "somewhat revisionist," Ms. Goodman said that the biggest twist was having Cinderella "rescue the prince by teaching him good values." She described the plot as blending political satire (to interest adult theater-goers) with slapstick humor and the familiar story of cruel stepsisters, a fairy godmother, and a magic pumpkin (to appeal to children and teenagers). Mr. Beane also sought inspiration from various literary adaptation of the tale.

Mr. Chapin said that Mr. Beane was given plenty of latitude to reconceive the story for modern audiences. He added that the playwright had expanded the score to include a few songs from the Rodgers and Hammerstein trunk that had been cut from some of their other musicals, such as a song called "Now Is the Time" that was written for "South Pacific" and "I've Lived and I've Loved" from "The Sound of Music." No classic songs from other shows will be interpolated for "Cinderella," Mr. Chapin said.

The new story does not include Cinderella's mother and father (but fear not, the step-mother lives), Ms. Goodman said, nor is there a king and queen living in the castle with the prince. "Instead there is a guy who oversees the kingdom for the prince," she said, described this regent figure as "a kind of Dick Cheney character."

And finally because a director brings us one major step closer to the stage:

From New Broadway Cinderella Will Reunite Director Mark Brokaw With Writer Douglas Carter Beane by Kenneth Jones:

Mark Brokaw, the director who gave shape to productions of Paul Vogel's How I Learned to Drive and Douglas Carter Beane's As Bees in Honey Drown, will direct the first Broadway production of Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella, producer Robyn Goodman announced on Jan. 12. Tony Award nominee Beane was previously announced as the adapter of the script for the new version.

New Brave (2012) Trailer

It's definitely using folklore. And I so want this one to be good.

And in case you haven't seen the older trailer.

Syfy's New Fairy Tale Film: Witchslayer Gretl and Black Forest

The Syfy (Silly*) Channel is having an enchanted Saturday this week on 2/25/2012. They are re-airing Red: Werewolf Hunter which premiered last year starring Felicia Day as well as two new films in one night, Black Forest and Witchslayer Gretl (also titled Gretl: Witch Hunter on the SyFy site, great way to simplify the branding, Syfy, it's not clear which title is preferred). Beauty and the Beast (2010) is not on the schedule but two premieres in one day is impressive.

And the campiness will be thick across your screen, so be warned.

From the SyFy press release at the Examiner:

Tinsel Korey (The Twilight Saga) and Shannen Doherty (90210) become embroiled in two dark takes on the increasingly popular fairy tale genre – the first ever Syfy Original Movie Double Feature.

Black Forest, starring Tinsel Korey and Ben Cross (Chariots of Fire), tells the chilling story of tourists lost in a magical forest, who battle evil fairy tale creatures plotting to kidnap one of their babies and slaughter the rest of them. A production of UFO Films, Black Forest airs Saturday, February 25 at 7PM (ET/PT).

Shannen Doherty and Paul McGillion (Stargate Atlantis) star in Gretl: Witch Hunter, premiering Saturday, February 25 at 9PM (ET/PT). Twenty years after his encounter with the witch, a grown-up Hansel returns to the haunted forest, seeking revenge. But there's a surprise waiting -- his sister Gretl (who he thought had been killed) is the witch's protégée. Gretl: Witch Hunter is a production of Vesuvius Productions and distributed by Sony Pictures Television.

Here is a promo for both movies, very short:



Here is the official promo for Witchslayer Gretl:



Here is a longer preview for Gretl:



There was a longer promo video on Syfy.com but I couldn't find a version to embed here. Be warned that Snow White doesn't make it after meeting the dwarves....

*I am NOT calling science fiction and fantasy silly here. I am still protesting SciFi Channel's rebranding into a silly name as well as logo design that now looks like Silly whenever I first look at it. I know there's a long standing debate over the diminuitive term 'sci-fi' which never much mattered to me but I find syfy rather insulting myself for some reason.

And then one sees movies like these and begins to wonder anyway... But I never miss Merlin (even if it is BBC) and Face Off can be fun.

Tools of Change: LeVar Burton's Address

No, not really fairy tale related, but I enjoyed and thought I would share since many readers here are very interested in this topic. LeVar Burton and Fred Rogers are some of my personal heroes with their work with children as well as literacy. I'm too old to have benefited from Reading Rainbow directly, but its resonance has touched my work many times over. This was filmed at the Tools of Change conference in January 2012 where the future of publishing was discussed and explored.

And, yes, now I want to go watch some Star Trek, too.

Win a Copy of The Next Full Moon by Carolyn Turgeon

The Next Full Moon by Carolyn Turgeon will be released on March 13th and Carolyn has offered up a copy for a giveaway here on SurLaLune.

She and I have been trying to come up with a fun giveaway idea--I like to make you work for it a little--by providing a question to answer.

Carolyn's thoughts:

Well the book's about a 12-year-old girl who, to her extreme embarrassment, begins growing feathers, and eventually a feathered robe, and then discovers that her mother (whom she thought died when she was a child) was (and is) a swan maiden... It's based on the old swan maiden stories but here's the child left behind... So it could be something like "what do you imagine happened to the swan maiden's children?" (after recounting some old tales...) Or "what would you do if YOU started growing feathers?" Or maybe something about the magical feathered robe and/or magical objects generally..???

And I am not sure how familiar many of the readers here are with Swan Maiden tales. I have the tale up on SurLaLune for annotation, but it's not annotated although variants and interpretations are listed there. And, for full disclosure, a Swan Maiden collection from SurLaLune is slated for release in 2013. I have so MANY variants collected now, but I need to edit, translate and gloss to produce a worthy book. But that's a while off. Until I started reading so much about fairy tales, I myself was most familiar with the Swan Lake ballet more than any other version of Swan Maiden stories. The ballet is a derivative of the ATU 400 Swan Maiden tales that are quite abundant in parts of the world.

So I will leave it open--share your thoughts on Swan Maidens, from your lack of familiarity to a favorite version to how you would reimagine it. Comment here or send me an email to share. I will draw a name from the entries to win a copy of the book. Deadline is March 9, 2012.

Book description:

This thoroughly compelling, gorgeously told tale, begins as the weather turns warm enough to swim in the local lake, twelve-year-old Ava is looking forward to a lazy summer, and her crush, Jeff is most definitely taking notice of her. Everything is going beautifully. Until Ava starts to grow feathers—all over her shoulders, arms, and back. Horrified, mortified, and clad in a hoodie, she hides out in her bedroom missing her dead mother and worrying about the summer, and the rest of her freakish life... Carolyn Turgeon has a gift for imagining magical worlds. In Ava's case, this other-worldly place belongs to the Swan Maidens, one of whom is Ava's mother. Ava goes back and forth between middle school and this magical realm taking the reader along for an exhilarating, extraordinary ride.

The Truth About Germany: Fairy Tales

No, I haven't forgotten that I have not finished my Grimm Legacies coverage. I have a few papers yet to cover and hope to do that in the next few days. (I have been swamped with some other projects the last few weeks since I returned.) However, I wanted to share this video about fairy tales in Germany that Jack Zipes shared during his keynote at Grimm Legacies, demonstrating both the kitsch and ongoing legacy of the tales in Germany.

Here's a description, too:

In this installment of roving reporter Michael Wigge's quest for the truth about Germany, he explores why Germans are so good at fairy tales. Just look at the Brothers Grimm whose book on fairy tales is the most widely read German cultural book in the world and translated into more than 160 languages and dialects. Wigge visits the Fairy Tale Park "Frau Holleland", and goes to Polle, the alleged home of Cinderella.