A&E

Around The Arts

The Asian American Association will present the annual Taste of Asia Friday. The event is divided into two parts -- a talent show featuring performances by numerous student and community groups and the tasting of Asian cuisine from various restaurants in Bloomington. Doors open at 4:30 p.m.; the program begins at 5:30 p.m.

Music instruction offered to low-income students

CHICAGO -- The narrow hallway of The People's Music School was cluttered with musical instruments, but it didn't slow the children noisily making their way to lessons.

Cannes Film Festival includes Iraqi film

PARIS -- An Iraqi film will compete at the Cannes Film Festival for the first time, vying for the top prize against veteran directors and past winners such as Gus Van Sant. The United States accounts for four of the 20 movies (from 13 countries) selected to compete at the festival running May 11-22, organizers announced Tuesday. The awards will be announced May 21.

Film salvaged from house fire gets cut to needed length

After spending Easter weekend with his family in New Albany, Ind., Adam Carroll returned to Bloomington to find every homeowner's nightmare: His house caught fire. "I should be really upset," Carroll said. "But what does being upset get me?"

Cherry blossoms ring in spring

The Annual Cherry Blossom Festival takes place in the heart of D.C., around the title basin of the Potomac River.

'Buffet' gives sculpture students opportunity to showcase work

It took them a while to set up and a while to take it down, but the event itself only lasted a few hours.

New gallery puts works into historical, stylistic context

CHICAGO -- There's nothing new in the new American Art galleries at the Art Institute of Chicago, at least in the sense of something never before seen. All the old favorites are there: Edward Hopper's "Nighthawks," Grant Wood's "American Gothic" and Georgia O'Keeffe's "Black Cross, New Mexico," to name just a few of the most familiar.

Collection made public at Kinsey Institute

In the small art gallery in the Kinsey Institute early Friday evening, a crowd of people gathered for the opening reception of the "Identity -- Sexuality -- Gender: Contemporary Art from the Collection of Thomas Robertello" exhibit.

Eastern hip-hop comes to campus

Although many people do not often associate Asian-Americans with hip-hop, senior Aaron Berkowitz of the IU Hip Hop Congress said people should let go of their preconceived notions of hip-hop artists when the IU Asian Culture Center and IU Hip Hop Congress presents "The Rise of Asian Hip-Hop" at 7 p.m. today at the Asian Culture Center, 807 E. 10th St.

Around The Arts

National Society of Arts & Letters gives 2005 awards The Bloomington Chapter of the National Society of Arts & Letters presents the 2005 Visual Arts and Performance Competition and Exhibition through April 18 in the Rosemary P. Miller Gallery at the John Waldron Arts Center, 122 S. Walnut St. IU students represented in the exhibition will showcase their work at 2 p.m. Sunday.

Warner Music Group gets new 'Bad Boy'

LOS ANGELES -- Sean "P. Diddy" Combs and Warner Music Group inked a joint venture deal that gives the record company a 50 percent stake in the hip-hop mogul's Bad Boy Records label. Under the deal announced Thursday, Warner will market and handle digital and physical distribution of Bad Boy's new and catalog releases worldwide. The label's roster of current and former artists includes Mase, Mario Winans, Notorious B.I.G. and P. Diddy himself.

Israeli theater owner might showcase film about Hitler

JERUSALEM -- An Israeli film distributor will show an Academy Award-nominated movie about Hitler to general audiences after the film received positive feedback from viewers during a test screening, the company's owner said Wednesday.

Harpists find their place in the School of Music with reputation, festival, faculty

Opera lovers, ballet seekers and orchestra attendees are often familiar with the sound of the harp. But occasionally, the string instrument can be as relevant to daily life as the background of a Bjork song rotating on an iTunes playlist.

Bloomington Playwrights Project named 'hot spot' by travel agency

Sonja Johnson, developmental director of the Bloomington Playwrights Project, beamed as she proudly displayed a certificate and letter of congratulations that the theater company received in early March.

Modern Art museum rebuilds with $100 million pledge

NEW YORK -- The rebuilt MoMA is packing 'em in. Four months after unveiling its spectacular new quarters in midtown and taking heat for sharply higher entry fees, the Museum of Modern Art has already registered more than 1 million visitors.

Around The Arts

IU professor of music composer Don Freund received a 2005 Guggenheim Fellowship, which is a prestigious award affirming commitment to research among artists, humanists and scientists.

The art of champagne brunch

Secret Service looks into art exhibit with political views

CHICAGO -- The Secret Service sent agents to investigate a college art gallery exhibit of mock postage stamps, one depicting President Bush with a gun pointed at his head, to guarantee "this is nothing more than artwork with a political statement," a spokesman said Tuesday. The exhibit, called "Axis of Evil: The Secret History of Sin," opened last week at Columbia College's Glass Curtain Gallery in Chicago. The 47 artists designed fake postage stamps addressing issues such as the clergy sex abuse scandal in the Catholic Church, racism, and the war in Iraq.

North Carolina native crowned Miss USA

BALTIMORE -- Fashion marketing student Chelsea Cooley, 21, from Charlotte, N.C., got into pageants for the scholarships. "I fell in love with them, and it snowballed," she said. "And here I am, Miss USA." Cooley, the reigning Miss North Carolina, was crowned Miss USA in the 54th annual pageant Monday night. The new titleholder will compete May 30 in the Miss Universe competition in Bangkok, Thailand.

Late night shots test directors' ingenuity

God stands outside Dagwood's at 1799 E. 10th St. on a late snowy night, smoking a cigarette. God, played by senior Christian Schmitt, then enters the restaurant to join the Son and Holy Ghost in front of the camera.