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(04/25/11 2:01am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Joe Masek’s senior exhibition, “Candy Coated Chaos,” on Friday and Saturday at The Lodge was more than a senior art show. It was a combination concert and exhibit for charity. About a month ago, Masek decided to turn his senior exhibit into a benefit for Middle Way House and Committed to Freedom Ministries. Middle Way House is a local organization that provides shelter for abused women and children. Committed to Freedom Ministries is an organization in Hot Springs, Ark., that provides spiritual healing for abuse survivors.The benefit was the first Masek had ever organized. “It’s nice to work with a bunch of artists who are just doing it for the good cause,” Masek said. “I feel like I’m part of a giving team now.”Masek has an individualized major in pre-art therapy major at IU, but he has lived in Bloomington for 13 years. The two-day exhibit, silent auction and benefit show featured pieces from local artists as well as IU art students and faculty. All of the proceeds generated by the silent auction will go to the two organizations.At The Lodge, the entire gallery space was covered with artwork from 30 to 40 artists, including the art created by foster kids who Masek has worked with in the past. Masek’s inspiration for the “Candy Coated Chaos” theme comes in part from his love for the chaos star icon. He explained the “Candy Coated” part as something that gives balance to the chaos. At the show, hundreds of pieces of candy were strewn everywhere — all over the ground and on top of the display tables that held the sculptures. The show also featured music by DJ Spikes on Friday, eight different bands Saturday and beer and wine from local establishments.Although Masek’s work was a central part of the exhibit, the diverse range of subject matter, mediums, styles and perspectives made “Candy Coated Chaos” a show that had something for everyone. The collection included bright paintings of pop culture icons, metal sunflower wall sculptures, collages made from paper and cardboard and steel guitar sculptures. Local artist Adam Nahas showed a series of hand sculptures with different meanings, including one made out of bronze and maple that signaled, “Cowabunga!” One sculpture was of a life-size human form completely covered in cigarettes.Sophomore Caitlin Pond came because her sculpture teacher recommended it to her. “I was expecting it to be all sculpture,” Pond said. “I’m a painter, and I was surprised to see all of these paintings.”Pond said she really enjoyed the pieces with nature as a theme. “I like the orange squid one and the giant bee,” Pond said. “I like the way the paint was handled.”Bloomington resident Nora Liell attended the benefit to support her daughter Avery Liell-Kok, whose artwork was featured in the show. Liell said she appreciated the eclectic vibes of the illustrative work that she saw in the exhibit.“I was intrigued to see younger artists,” Liell said. “I think a lot of these younger artists are sometimes not that well thought of in the larger art community, but I love them.” Local artist Michael Burchfield’s acrylic and spray paint pieces were showcased at the exhibit. He said his paintings, which use graphic elements and are usually accompanied by strange, catchy titles, are about the life lessons he’s learned. Burchfield has known Masek for years and said he was happy to contribute a painting for the show’s silent auction. “Any time I get a chance to be part of a greater good, I’m in,” Burchfield said.Masek said the benefit was definitely a lesson in philanthropy. “It was very humbling in a lot of ways,” Masek said. “I feel blessed, and I’m glad to bless back.”
(04/25/11 1:58am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The first thing Joe Masek drew obsessively was the Mötley Crüe logo. He was 12 at the time, living in Cleveland, and had just been dropped off at the runaway shelter by his parents. Now 34 and a senior majoring in pre-art therapy through the Individualized Major Program, Masek has produced a body of work that has progressed quite a ways from simple drawings of rock ’n’ roll symbols. His favorite symbol now is the chaos star. But the thing that hasn’t changed is his belief that art can be much more than just art, and that’s where art therapy comes in.“It’s self-reflection,” Masek said. “You create something, you’re making it, then you finish, and you’re just blown away by the emotion behind it.”Masek is majoring in pre-art therapy because a master’s degree in art therapy is required to be able to practice professionally. Masek said art therapy takes a different route from more traditional therapy because dialogue isn’t the main form of expression and means to understanding.Masek said his path to understanding took awhile. “My biological family couldn’t take care of me,” Masek said. “I was an orphan kid, a street kid. I bounced around group homes and stuff for a long time.” Alcohol and drugs were huge obstacles for Maske, but he said he’s clean now. And after struggling through a few messy relationships, resolving conflicts with his family and figuring out how he feels about religion, Masek decided six years ago that he wanted to be able to help foster kids like himself. So he went to college.He credits Sallie Culbreth, the founder of an organization based in Hot Springs, Ark., called Committed to Freedom Ministries, with helping him straighten out his life and setting him on a mission. “It wasn’t a straight shot, and I messed up a lot,” Masek said about his college years. “It was scary as hell. I never really went to any one school ever in my life, and academically, it was very intimidating.”For his degree in art therapy, he’s taken courses in art, psychology and religion, which is a theme in his artwork. Formal art training at IU was an adjustment for Masek. “I fought it,” Masek said. “I even threw a radio at Todd Frahm (a lecturer in the sculpture department), but we’re cool now.”Frahm admitted that it took him a couple of years to get a handle on Masek’s personality and his way of working.“He was very resistant to any sense of academia,” Frahm said. “He worked so intuitively, which is good, but he struggled to take a step back and look at things conceptually. He’s gone from being this chaotic, abrasive, crappy welder to someone who’s got a very sensitive eye on his work. A lot of people are artistic and lazy, and he’s not. He’s very driven.”Much of Masek’s art is sculpture. He works with bronze cast, steel, limestone, oil paints and wood. He said his favorite is steel. “I’m a cheese ball,” Masek said. “I really love metal and heavy metal together.” This heavy metal affection filters into Masek’s steel guitar sculptures. The movement in the steel lines of the guitars is as close to musical rhythm as art can get. Heavy metal music is a passion, but so is Prada. “Prada Needle Jesus” is a sort of altar that spells out Prada in graphic letters and has many injection needles spiking out of the top. “It means that God loves everybody on both sides of Sample Gates,” Masek said. “God loves everyone, whether you’re a rich white kid or a dirty street kid or if you’re a schizophrenic.”Religious icons pop up in Masek’s work everywhere. His sculpture “Magdalene’s Addiction,” a limestone relief, depicts Magdalene framed with a crown of injection needles around her head. Masek said Magdalene did sin, but she loved much too, and her sins were forgiven because of that. In the steel sculpture “Lucifer’s Redemption,” he said he wanted to convey the idea of redemption through suffering. Sophomore Caitlin Taylor met Masek about a year ago and has become one of his close friends. “I think his artwork is really wonderful,” Taylor said. “Most of his artwork has a very obvious story behind it. There’s a very obvious emotion there. I love that he uses such bright colors, and he always uses up all of the negative space.”Friday and Saturday at The Lodge, Masek put on his senior show “Candy Coated Chaos.” About a month ago, he decided to turn his show into a three-way exhibit, silent auction and benefit concert for two different organizations that provide support for abuse survivors. Since Masek moved here 13 years ago when he was 21, he’s become a part of Bloomington’s local artist community. The two-day show featured pieces from local artists as well as IU students and faculty.“He’s a very thoughtful, sensitive person,” Frahm said. “He’s had a really difficult life. It’s great to see him give back to the community that saw him through a lot of hard times.”Taylor said she was surprised that he could organize such a huge event so well without any past experience. “Just watching all the things that he’s capable of,” Taylor said. “He organized everything. He got all the artwork, he got all the sponsors, he got the space,” Taylor said. “He really busted his ass.”The inspiration for the show’s theme comes from Masek’s love for the chaos star. It’s tattooed on his right arm, and he wears a necklace he made with the chaos symbol as the pendant. “I’ve always been drawn to that icon,” Masek said. “Life seems chaotic, but it always falls into place.”When he finishes graduate school, Masek plans to work with foster kids. He wants to open an art therapy facility designed especially to help kids who have gone through the same things he did. “It’s not a dream,” Masek said. “I’m going to do it.”
(03/31/11 4:34am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>It has been nearly three weeks since the devastating earthquake, tsunami and nuclear crisis hit Japan. These three intertwined disasters have been hard to sort out from an explosion of media coverage. IU students and Bloomington citizens gathered together Wednesday in the Indiana Memorial Union to try to make sense of what has happened, why it has happened and what’s being done now to help.Japanese music played before the presentation, and Hutton Honors College Dean Matthew Auer opened the event with a moment of silence for those afflicted by the crisis. “Japan is resilient, even in the face of the violence of the sea and the earth,” Auer said. “The citizens of Japan know their geographical challenges, and they will come back stronger than ever from them.” Geological sciences professor Gary Pavlis explained that the earthquake radiated seismic waves for nearly three minutes, and the earthquake’s epicenter is meaningless because of its size.Pavlis discredited foreign criticism about Japan’s preparedness for potential natural disasters. “There’s no country on earth, hands down, that was better equipped for an earthquake — no question,” Pavlis said.Physics professor Chuck Horowitz broke down exactly what happened at the Fukushima power plant. One major question Horowitz answered is why the nuclear crisis is taking so long to control. “It’s extraordinarily hard to work in a radioactive environment,” Horowitz said. “The workers can’t work if the radiation is too high; they have to be sent home. They have to wear protective gear, and their time on the job is limited. Workers always need to be replaced when they reach their limit of radiation exposure.”Journalism professor Joe Coleman reported in Japan for 11 years for the Associated Press. He attempted to explain why the nuclear crisis, which has killed no one yet, has overridden the devastation of both the earthquake and the tsunami, which have killed thousands, in terms of media coverage. He cited the unusualness of the nuclear crisis as a major draw for reporters in the United States. He also discussed unfortunate tendency of the media coverage to air on the side of sensationalism.“The potential dangers of the nuclear crisis in Japan have made us fearful,” Coleman said. “They’re not happening yet, but they have potential to happen, and the media often acts as a mirror of what readers are thinking and feeling.”Gregory Kasza, a professor in the Department of Political Science and East Asian Languages and Cultures, addressed the Japanese public’s distrust of its government, which Kasza said was already happening before the March 11 disasters. Kasza said the Japanese people won’t believe anything their government tells them about nuclear power in the future. “I can see no way that the Japanese government is going to dodge this bullet,” Kasza said.Senior Niki Iwasaki, whose family is from Tokyo, will graduate in May and return to Japan in two months. She said she is not afraid to go back.“As I’m Japanese, I’m glad to,” Iwasaki said. “I’m proud of my heritage, and my concern and my family’s concern is for those in Eastern Japan. I’ll be happy to go back and contribute to the growth of the area.”Iwasaki said she appreciated the event’s unique attempt to educate. “It’s not just talking about donations,” Iwasaki said. “It’s about teaching people about the real problems over there.”The event also included a short performance by four Jacobs School of Music students and a speech by Jacobs student Mikela Asano.“What you see in the news, it’s just numbers, but they are all human beings just like you,” Asano said. “There are babies still waiting for milk, some of them without their mothers. The people in Tohoku are incredibly patient. In this situation, gratitude is so important. Thank you to all of you who are willing to help Japan.”
(03/30/11 3:52am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The IU and Bloomington communities are sponsoring a teaching event and benefit 7 p.m. today in the Whittenberger Auditorium in the Indiana Memorial Union to show support for Japan during its current crisis. This is a chance for students and Bloomington community members to learn more about the complex issues surrounding the crisis in Japan. A few IU faculty members will speak on several topics, including the nuclear power plant issue, Japanese and world media reactions, giving and volunteering and government issues currently at play. Representatives from several local organizations will present their relief efforts, and students from the affected regions as well as musicians from the Jacobs School of Music will also participate. A question-and-answer period will follow the event.
(03/03/11 2:43am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Students attending this year’s Health Programs Fair learned about dozens of different health care-related schools and organizations. The fair included laboratory science careers like the ones in “House” and “CSI” and volunteer programs in the Bloomington area. The Health Professions and Prelaw Center sponsored the event Wednesday in the Indiana Memorial Union Alumni Hall.Junior Deepa Saha said she wants to go into pediatric medicine, and she attended the fair to have some time for one-on-one conversations with people from admissions. “It really broadens the idea of how many schools are out there that I can apply to,” Saha said. “The information was really helpful, and I filled out a lot of forms, so they could send me more information.”Schools from all over the country gathered at the fair to give students as much information about the careers they offer. Radiation Therapy Program Director Donna Dunn has been coming to the Health Programs Fair for several years and said since then, the number of students from the Bloomington campus has been increasing. “It’s been very helpful,” Dunn said. “We get to introduce ourselves to students. We can encourage people who want to get into our program to do as much observation and job shadowing as possible.”Admissions representatives said they fielded questions about prerequisites, the importance of volunteering, GPA significance, salary range, information about their campuses and the time commitment of each degree. They also clarified what exactly each profession does.“I think I’d really like cytotechnology,” freshman attendee Gabrielle Ryan said, referring to the microscopic study of cells for evidence of disease, such as cancer. “I didn’t really know that even existed before, but I found out that they could be researching cancer cells and how they affect the body. I’ve gotten a lot of information.”Barbara McGahey Frain, clinical assistant professor in the IU School of Medicine’s Cytotechnology Program, said while many students don’t think about cytotechnology as a profession right away or don’t even know what it is, their graduates have a 100 percent employment rate.“They call us the hidden profession,” McGahey said. “The laboratory is so critically important. 70 percent of a physician’s treatment decisions come from the laboratory.”Students also found out about volunteer and internship opportunities at several booths. Bloomington Hospital’s Community Health department offers about 10 internships each semester in concentrations such as obesity prevention, Alzheimer’s support and HIV prevention and care. Community Health Educator Hannah Laughlin talked to students about what types of programs her department runs as well as how students can get involved. “It’s not just doctors and nurses. There are so many outside fields that work in health care to connect each part of the system,” Laughlin said. “We’re the link between the hospital and the community.”Another way students learned they could get involved was through student-run clubs and organizations on campus. Members from the IU Occupational Therapy Club talked to fair attendees about the activities and events their club participates in, what occupational therapy is and what students should expect in terms of the profession’s salary average. “We volunteer at many different organizations that help kids with special needs, so we talked to people about that and other stuff like what to expect in graduate school,” club member and sophomore Rachel Rapsinski said.More unconventional forms of medicine were also represented at the fair. Northwestern Health Sciences University in Minneapolis specializes in chiropractic studies, acupuncture and oriental medicine and massage therapy. “These aren’t areas everyone thinks of,” Northwestern Admissions Representative Robert Smith said. “A lot of times students who want to go into one of these fields have had a very good experience with it in the past that piqued their interest.”
(03/02/11 12:53am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The field of health care involves more than just doctors and nurses. The ninth annual Health Programs Fair, sponsored by the Health Professions and Prelaw Center, will give students a chance to learn how to become part of that career field.The fair is from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. today in the Indiana Memorial Union Alumni Hall. The event is free and open to the public, and freshmen students through alumni are encouraged to attend.This event is great for students who know that they want to work in health care but don’t know exactly what field they want to go into, said Rachel Tolen, assistant director and premedical adviser in the HPPLC.“Many students are familiar with only the very visible health care careers like doctor, nurse, physical therapy,” Tolen said. “But there are so many health care fields people just don’t know about, and many of those less well-known professions will be represented.”Tolen said the fair expects its biggest turnout thus far, with more than 900 students attending last year. More than 100 different health-related programs will be represented, including several school admissions offices, volunteer programs and student organizations. Students will be able to find out how and where they can start gathering volunteer hours in the field, as well as what admissions offices look for in successful applicants.“This is a wonderful opportunity for students to have personal contact with admissions representatives from schools,” Tolen said. “Many representatives will keep track of who they spoke to during the fair, which can help when your résumé comes across their desk in the future.”
(12/09/09 5:47am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>New nonprofit group Bloomington Area Music aims to connect people involved in the Bloomington music scene into a network that can support and promote local music efforts together.“There are organizations for classical music and for jazz music,” BAM board member Sarah Flint said. “It makes sense if all the other genres could get together and help each other out in the same way.” Flint is a guitar and voice instructor based in Bloomington.The organization was founded earlier this year by a group of area musicians, including Flint, Emily Brown, Marc Tschida, Ron Kadish, Skip Daley and Scott Kellogg.BAM is still in the grassroots stage – their most current project involves preparing their Web site, which will offer a complete listing of musicians, venues, music instructors and local media in Bloomington. Listeners will be able to find local bands and musicians, concert dates and music instructors.“When I go places, I want to know where to go to see the hot local talent,” BAM Marketing Director Steev Wisher said. “We want something where you can find out what’s going on in Bloomington for entertainment.”Wisher said that musicians will have the chance to easily connect with other musicians in the area. “It’s always been like sticking something on a bulletin board if you’re looking for a bass player,” Wisher said. “It doesn’t work.”Musicians will also be able to find local venues to perform at, which Wisher said can be a difficult situation.“We want acts to get to the right venue for them,” Wisher said. On the future Web site, Wisher said that both venues and interested listeners will hopefully be able to use links to sample local performers’ music.BAM also hopes to offer a complete calendar of events for music in Bloomington. A major venue already on board with their efforts is the Buskirk-Chumley Theater. “We’re just finding out about all of the venues,” BAM Chairwoman Emily Brown said. “We’ve been meeting with a lot of different venues to see what they need.”BAM puts on monthly socials at 7 p.m. on the last Sunday of every month at Crazy Horse. The socials offer a place where anyone interested in getting involved in the local music scene can socialize and network with other music-related people. “What we need right now is as many people involved as possible,” Wisher said. “We’re very new.”Musician Robyn Rutar from Martinsville recently joined BAM on Sunday.“I only really joined because I love music and I thought I may be able to meet some people with the same interest and hopefully find someone to help me with the guitar/bass part on the songs I’ve written,” Rutar said in an e-mail interview.BAM’s future ambitions include increasing their funding, throwing an annual BAM concert and sponsoring monthly concerts around town. “Right now, we’re focusing heavily on getting the funding and getting local people behind us,” Wisher said.Flint said that BAM also hopes to provide workshops on different topics for interested local musicians who want help with things like technology and knowing how to present yourself correctly to a venue.Wisher, who performs his music with two different groups in Bloomington, said that past efforts to unite local musicians were unsuccessful because they tried to focus on too many different forms of entertainment at once. “I’ve been involved in the scene for about 20 years, and there’s never been a cohesive effort to elevate the music community,” he said. “The board of BAM is almost entirely performance musicians. Previous attempts didn’t have that.”There are plenty of opportunities to get involved in BAM. Wisher said they are looking for people who want to help plan events, contact new, unknown performers and contribute to and hand out BAM’s bi-monthly newsletter, Siren. Brown recognized that BAM seems to be attracting many middle-aged singer-songwriters, so they want to balance that by appealing to younger musicians, too. “We need volunteers, and we really need Jacobs School of Music students,” Wisher said. “Right now, the organization is entirely the community.”
(09/30/09 4:21am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The headliner at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater on Tuesday called it the “Sufjan Stevens Live Workshop Performance,” and fans in the audience weren’t disappointed to hear new material from Sufjan Stevens himself. “I want to hopefully hear something new, something off of the new record,” senior John Spotts said shortly before the show. After opening act Cryptacize, which featured lead vocals from Nedelle Torrisi, Stevens kicked off the show with a short, mellow tune on banjo. “We’re using this event to play a few new songs,” Stevens said. “Be patient with us if we read some chord charts ... maybe fumble around a bit.” His second song, a new composition entitled “Impossible Soul” featured the French horn, trombone, keyboards and vocals from Torrisi in a 10-minute jam that leaned toward electronica. The crowd cheered in approval at his new ventures, and Stevens, adorned in a cowboy-shaped camouflage hat, followed with an announcement to the audience: “This song is yours. This is your song.” He followed that statement with a performance of “Jacksonville,” a track off of his most popular record “Illinois,” a concept album he wrote about the influential people, places and events to come out of that state. Junior Hannah Calvert said she hoped Stevens would play songs from that album, her favorite. “You can tell he put a lot of research into that record,” Calvert said. “I feel like he doesn’t try to fit into any categories.” After “Jacksonville,” Stevens joked about the experimental atmosphere. “It’s getting a little jammy up here ... that’s maybe a bad sign,” he said. The band then performed another new tune called “All Delighted People.” The song opened with delicate vocals from Stevens accompanied by a French horn and trombone and then developed into an eerie sound with strong background drums. The concert continued with a mix of old and new that entertained the audience until the show’s end. Although a wide range of fans attended, the show attracted a majority of young people who are attracted to Stevens’ distinguished point of view. For instance, 22-year-old Hilarie Dobbs came from Salisbury, Md. to see the show.“The way he speaks is very spiritual,” she said. “You can tell he has a beautiful soul.”
(09/28/09 3:55am)
IU’s student-run radio station WIUX and Spirit of ’68 Promotions will present American singer and songwriter Sufjan Stevens at 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater.
(04/27/09 3:48am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Kiwi duo Flight of the Conchords maintained their wit Saturday in front of a lively IU Auditorium crowd to close out the Little 500 weekend. The weekend’s celebrations weren’t lost on the New Zealand comedy musicians. “I made an observation walking around the campus today,” singer Jemaine Clement said. “Everyone was drunk.” To which one male concert-goer replied, “I’m fucking hammered!”The band, consisting of Clement and Bret McKenzie, performed a sold-out show for IU students and dedicated fans of HBO’s hit show “Flight of the Conchords.” The night was met with high expectations from many IU students and avid “Flight” fans.“People wonder what art is,” freshman Jasper Smith said. “When I look into the eyes of those two men on the stage, my night will be complete.”Though the group does perform music, primarily with guitar and vocals, Flight also captures an audience with witty banter and interplay with each other and the crowd. “In this song, Bret sings the part of the woman, but it’s quite a large role to play,” Clement said. Clement then asked the women in the audience to help sing, which was met by a meager response. “I guess you’re just not a music school,” Clement said, poking fun at IU’s Jacobs School of Music. Flight’s music cannot easily be described in a few words. McKenzie and Clement described themselves as “New Zealand’s fourth-most popular guitar-based digi-bongo acapella-rap-funk-comedy folk duo.” “Their comedic timing is excellent,” Noblesville, Ind., resident Courtney Gray said. “They’re pretty tongue-in-cheek.” Saturday’s show started with McKenzie and Clement decked out in space gear, including aluminum-covered boxes on top of their heads. The show featured hits like “Mutha Uckers,” “I Told You I Was Freekie” and “Epileptic Dogs.” The duo proved they did their homework on Indiana when they impersonated singer John Mellencamp. Flight’s comedic performance provided an alternative to the usual race-day festivities. McKenzie and Clement dabbled with keyboards, drums, human-produced echoes and dance moves that nodded to the 1970s disco era.While Clement was busy pelvic-thrusting during one of their last songs, McKenzie dove into the crowd, hopping from the tops of the seats. “I’d like to apologize for whatever I did to any of you during the show,” McKenzie joked at the end. The performance concluded with the duo singing an encore of two songs, the last of which McKenzie prefaced with the statement, “Love is the very strongest adhesive thing.” McKenzie then invited his friend to come onstage to talk about love. His friend ended up asking his girlfriend to marry him.The concert ended with roaring applause from the audience, but a few students were disappointed with the content of the show. “They spent half of the time talking,” IU student Stephanie Hines said. “I really wanted to hear a lot more of their songs.”
(03/03/09 5:37am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Grammy Award-winning Ladysmith Black Mambazo performed for its third time in Bloomington on Monday at the IU Auditorium to cap off Black History Month.“They’re world-renowned, and I haven’t been to see them yet,” said Atieno Adala, managing editor of Africa Today, a popular African news magazine. “I decided I had to come and watch them this time.” The a cappella group, which had eight members during Monday’s performance, originated in South Africa. Ladysmith performed a set of songs that mixed its traditional African sounds with Christian gospel music. Although some of the songs are laced with English, the majority of the group’s material is in Zulu. It is crucial to the group that they connect with every kind of person who listens to them, said group leader Joseph Shabalala, during the concert.“I don’t understand the language, but it doesn’t matter,” Adala said. “I still just really enjoy the music.”Ladysmith reached international acclaim when it collaborated with Paul Simon on his 1986 album “Graceland.” Since then, the group has performed all around the United States and plans to perform on its current tour in New Zealand, Australia and the UK.Ladysmith’s man-made, percussive sounds and rhythmic, synchronized dance moves accompanied the harmonic vocals for which it is known. The group created a relaxed atmosphere for the audience by joking with both the crowd and each other during performances.“It’s sheer pleasure. They’re really having a good time up there,” Jennie Schurman, an audience member, said. “If you grew up with Paul Simon, you pretty much know who these guys are.”Sophomore Austin Gibson said he went to the performance to try something new.“One of my professors recommended this concert to me, and I researched it a bit,” Gibson said. “I didn’t know what to expect, but I really just wanted to branch out into some new music.” Shabalala playfully scolded the other singers for their improvised antics, such as trying to pull each other’s pants down in the middle of a song. He also conversed with the audience between songs, telling them of Ladysmith’s successes and its future.“Ladysmith Black Mambazo is a family,” Shabalala said. “In my group, I have four sons. They are the next generation. They are the future.” The songs touched on numerous themes, including equality, the struggles of Africa and even romance. Shabalala acknowledged Africa and the world’s history of discrimination.“Indigenous music is like a mirror,” Shabalala said. “It tells us who we are.”
(03/02/09 3:20am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The opening reception of Jeremy Kennedy’s exhibition “4 Cell” on Friday night at the Fuller Projects showed off his amusement with cell phones and the way people interact with them.“I hope everyone enjoys themselves,” Kennedy said.The show consisted of many different cell phones that had been mutilated in some way. Some were in fish tanks and microwaves while others had bullet holes or had been run over by a vehicle. “Except for the one where a bow and arrow is going through the phone, I really did destroy all of them how they said they were destroyed,” Kennedy said. Each cell phone was placed in a background that showed the way it was ruined. A cell phone and a bread knife, which Kennedy used to cut the phone in half, were mounted on a cutting board. A phone that was crushed by a bowling ball was carefully placed on the ground, slightly underneath the bowling ball.“I love all of them because they’re all puns,” freshman Stephanie Halsted said of the cell phones. “I’m glad that we have them, but they aren’t something I actually love.”Although he works with painting and sculpture, Kennedy has worked with music in the past as well. The show also featured cell phone ringtones he created to play as background music. “I downloaded all of these ringtones from my friends and anything else I liked, and then mixed them myself,” Kennedy said.A unique feature of the show was the do-it-yourself chance to smash a cell phone. A few cell phones were centered in the middle of the room atop a piece of plywood. At a fee of 50 cents per hit, guests could use a hammer or screwdriver to destroy a cell phone. “My favorite is the one that’s being microwaved,” guest Eric Woodworth said. “It’s sort of like a conflict between machines. Jeremy is like a tourist in his own world.”Kennedy also included repeating prints of a picture of him shooting a cell phone in each of the windowpanes of the Fuller Project space.“It’s just all the ways I interact with my cell phone,” Kennedy said.Another piece featured a cell phone being pierced by a pen at a 90-degree angle. “The one with the pen was so cool,” guest Sara Ornelas said. “I feel like for me, it’s about the war between old and new communication. It’s the power of the pen versus the instant connection of the cell phone.”In the spring, Kennedy plans to continue his work, which includes a publicity stunt currently titled “Parking Permit II.” The event will feature three to five people being judged while they parallel park their cars in Bloomington.“It’s the drama of watching someone parallel park, and just waiting to see if they’re going to mess up, that I’m aiming for,” Kennedy said.
(02/23/09 3:23am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Indie-folk-country duo The Watson Twins, who recently performed at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater, are remarkable in more ways than one.Yes, they are unusually tall identical female twins from Louisville, Ky., who have the ability to produce flawless harmonies. And yes, they achieved national acclaim when they collaborated with singer Jenny Lewis of indie-rock band Rilo Kiley on Lewis’s first solo album “Rabbit Fur Coat,” which was met with great response from indie-rock and folk fans alike.But what makes The Watson Twins able to push past the identical-twin act persona and deliver a more meaningful performance to the national music scene is that they truly are skilled.The Watson Twins mirror their voices in a lovely and natural harmony, even sounding as if they were singing as they calmly joked with the crowd between numbers. The twins howled soft soprano vocals, but their unique harmony is what sets them apart from other singers.A comfortable dynamic existed between The Watson Twins and their onlookers throughout the set.“Between the audience and The Watson Twins, there seemed to be an enthusiastic energy,” said junior Bradley Steinman.Red and pink lights set the mood along with the rockabilly keyboard, staggered drum beat and the confident duo on the microphone. The crowd seemed to have a connected rapport with the opening performance of Chandra and Leigh backed by their band. The girls and their band performed passionately and certainly made a statement before they were followed by tour mate, Ben Kweller.The twins said that besides feeling happy, it felt great to play in Bloomington for such a warm audience that included their mom and close friends.Their indie-alternative sound was weaved with a country twang and enhanced by Chandra on the harmonica. A guitar, a trumpet and a tambourine also snuck their way into the groove.Perhaps their versatile range of instruments can attribute to the twins’ unique sound.“The random trumpet definitely spiced it up and made the songs really interesting,” said freshman Drew Snyder.The audience appeared most involved with their renditions of Bill Wither’s 1971 song “Ain’t No Sunshine” and The Cure’s 1987 hit “Just Like Heaven,” when The Watson Twins invited the crowd to sing along.Complimentary to the twins’ sound was their sense of style. If one wasn’t absorbed in listening to these girls, one is eyeing all six feet of these beautiful twins up and down. Leigh suitably aligned their country music feel with a rural vintage outfit, dressed in a high-waisted, small-patterned skirt, into which a well-contrasted black shirt was tucked. All of it was tied together with a chunky belt. The red tights and lace-up boots were what made the getup pop. Chandra had a glam vibe but kept her country roots intact with her black high-wasited jeans. A silky, dark blue blouse tucked into her pants flattered her long legs. The glam came into play on her neck, which dripped with dazzling necklaces.Alongside their vocal talent and wicked fashion sense is their confident onstage stance. While singing and playing several instruments, the musicians were dancing to the beat and enjoying the entirety of the performance. They seem truly bonded to the melody and the lights and in tune with the audience.2006 marked the release of their debut EP “Southern Manners” followed by the 2008 album “Fire Songs.” Eager to keep moving, their steady growth from providing backing vocals to existing as musicians in their own right, The Watson Twins won’t soon be forgotten.
(12/10/08 2:42am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Visiting professor of law and political sociology Saad Eddin Ibrahim received the Danish Pundik Freedom Prize in Copenhagen, Denmark, for his international work in human rights.One of Egypt’s leading human rights and democracy activists, Ibrahim, 69, came into the international eye as a result of his strong criticism of Egypt’s current president Hosni Mubarak and his administration.Ibrahim is the founder of the Ibn Khaldun Center for Development Studies in Cairo, an institution that works to further the civil society and democratization of the Arab world. This includes holding the government accountable and focusing on gaining more rights for minorities and women.Ibrahim said two of the biggest challenges facing Egypt today are development and democracy.“The deficit of both of these has left most Egyptians upset and angry,” Ibrahim said.As a result of his criticisms and attempts to secure a more democracy-oriented society through fairer election practices and several organizations, Ibrahim and 27 of his researchers and associates at the center were imprisoned from 2000 through 2003 on charges of defamation of Egypt’s image abroad.Though later acquitted of all charges, Ibrahim was then sentenced on similar charges in August 2008 to two more years in prison with hard labor. Now living in Bloomington, he is considered a fugitive in his native country.Ibrahim reasons that although Egypt’s internal attempts at a fair democracy in the past have not gone well, it is not the only country at fault for where it is now. He argues countries including the U.S. have been supporting President Mubarak’s regime by extending aid to it, yet not requiring any specific democratic conditions Mubarak’s government must adhere to.Because the United States cannot seem to do this, Ibrahim said he feels strongly that the best thing would be for the U.S. to back away and let Egypt fight its own battle.“The greatest challenge is how to make a peaceful transition without bloodshed,” Ibrahim said.Ibrahim is the second person to receive the Danish Pundik Freedom Prize, which is given out annually by the Danish newspaper Politiken. According to Humanity in Action, an organization co-founded by Herbert Pundik, the award is given to a person “who courageously takes responsibility in the fight for fundamental liberties and human rights.”Jeffrey Isaac, the James H. Rudy professor and chair of the IU Department of Political Science and director of the Indiana Democracy Consortium, described the unique qualities Ibrahim possesses.“He is brave, and he is brilliant. But most important is his human warmth and integrity,” Isaac said in an e-mail interview. “He has not yet really ‘succeeded’ in his vocation. Yet he endures and, just as important, he persists with real humanity. I would guess it would be easy for someone in his situation to become either pessimistic or embittered. But he is neither. He is a special person.”When asked how long Egypt and the Arab world will take to right itself, Ibrahim is very optimistic.“If you are an activist – someone who both believes in change and believes he is an agent of change – then it can happen any time,” Ibrahim said.