Hall and Langford

       “I believe in hard work as much as I do inspiration,” says Jon Langford while talking to the Reviewing the Arts class at Columbia College Chicago. Along with Richard Hall, they are both guests of Lloyd Sachs and are there to talk about art, music, and their experiences of working as artists.

       Wearing jeans and a jacket, Richard Hall looks, quite frankly, bored at first as he looks at the students while entering the room and then shortly after discusses his life story. Hall was in raised in Oklahoma City but traveled all the way to Kansas to attend college at the Kansas City Art Institute. He now is an instructor at the local Art Institute of Chicago where he teaches painting. When Hall is not teaching, his artistic career is focused on a unique way of painting and drawing, to which Hall’s work has made him be called a “post- imagist.” With a calm, but playful tone he remarks to the category by saying, “I don’t mind, but the imagist might.”

       Indeed, Hall’s work may be vivid in color and have shapes that pop out of the frames, but the art work reminded me more of an abstract nature. He decided to show the students one of his recent works of art called, “Horses Ass and Tail.” Made from oil and wax, there are two distinct shapes that form the outside structure. The “ass” end is light orange and it is plain compared to the tail that has many half circles and other figures within the boundaries. Hall explains that he, “tries to make the tail something more… the ass is going into tail, shapes are coming out and it makes it seem like highways.” The shapes within the tail reminds me of wax flowing onto a table.

       Hall also shows the students an example of his charcoal work. With a white background, very dark circles are etched crazily together. Swooping together as if they were stirred by the wind, the circles are all within a pour pattern on one side of the canvas. Jon Langford says jokingly to Hall that the circles are close to doodles, which seems to be the case since Hall said earlier that he uses either charcoal or crayons for these particular patterns. When I first saw the work, it reminded me of my young cousins coloring on a blank piece of paper. However, for Hall I am sure it is a whole different process since he described the canvases as being as big as five foot by seven foot or sometimes even larger.

       Wearing a dark grey jacket and cargo pants, Jon Langford does not appear to be nervous at all talking to the group of students. Kind of surprising since Langford isn’t a teacher, but then again he is probably used to crowds. Originally from Wales, England, he has been lucky enough to travel all over the place. He talks about music as much as he does his art since his work depicts mostly musicians. A trail of envy goes down my spine as he tells the students that he was in England and he got to see the Sex Pistols during the late 1970s. I would give anything to live during that time period and to be in England during the punk revolution.

       Langford was a drummer in the punk band “The Mekons” while in Wales, though he commented that he now plays the guitar since he came to Chicago in 1992. It was then that he decided to focus more on art. Langford’s art is really different than Hall’s in many ways. While Hall uses the old style of canvases and is an abstract/imagist, Langford uses plywood and depicts picturesque versions of the musicians he respects and has met. The first piece of art he shows to the class is a painting called “Bible Black.” With many shades of blue and green for a background, it portrays Dylan Thomas and Johnny Cash.

       He shows the class the many depictions he has done of Johnny Cash. Some are when Cash was young, then middle-aged, but then when he shows the one where he was older, Langford told a story of how Cash kissed his mother on the lips after talking to her backstage for a long time. He said that he was shocked that Cash did so while June Carter was in the same room. One of the last pictures Langford showed the class was of Joey Ramone and he told another story of how Joey Ramone asked him and a group of his friends if they wanted to join him for a beer. Of course they said yes, who wouldn’t? At the end of the Reviewing the Arts class, Langford and Hall gave advice, saying that artists shouldn’t listen to what they are being told, but at the same time reviews/ advice could be useful.

Amadeus

       “Goodness is nothing in the furnace of art,” says the character of Antonio Salieri and no better quote can summarize the motivation and vengeful actions of Salieri against Mozart in the powerful theater play of “Amadeus.” Directed by Gary Griffin and written by Peter Shaffer, the play demonstrates how anyone with both envy and lust for fame can destroy not only another person, but ultimately themselves.

       The Shakespeare Theater at Chicago’s Navy Pier may not have the biggest or best stage (which is only a few feet above the ground with the audience sitting around three sides), however with all the actors dressed in late eighteenth century attire accompanied by powdered faces and embellishing wigs made me feel as if I was an observer in a European home. The performers are very talented and have the ability to engulf the audience into believing their character by giving all their vigorous energy into the witty remarks and influential speeches.

       The narrative of “Amadeus” is told by Antonio Salieri (Robert Sella) and the first scene portrays him in a chair dressed in a raggedy brown cloak. After the Venticelli leave the stage after saying they do not believe Salieri poisoned Mozart thirty four years ago, Salieri informs the audience that he is on the eve of his death bed and he wants to tell the story of the “relationship” he had with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Salieri also wants to confess his devious behavior towards his competitor. “In other words, did I do it?” Sella smirks before he takes off the cloak (revealing a red velvet jacket and stockings) and the stage is set up for the net scene.

       The Royal Chamberlain and the Emperor of Austria’s approval of Salieri makes him known as the best composer within his time. In the play and also in real life, he served as Court Composer and later he was the Conductor of the Italian Opera. However, Salieri’s work was only liked by the Chamberlain and Emperor because his compositions were familiar and simple. Before Salieri met his rival his Venticelli informed him that Mozart was well known for being a prodigy and the son of Leopold Mozart.

       Played by Robbie Collier Sublett, Mozart is an immature composer, which is expressed perfectly by Sublett who makes fart noises with his mouth throughout the whole production. Mozart shows off his talent by one-upping Salieri’s entrance music by memorizing it as he walks in the door and by adding complicated, but beautiful, notes to the piece. Salieri slyly remarks to the audience afterward, “Was it that early I thought of murder?” Salieri becomes extremely envious of Mozart and he denounces God for giving Mozart the gift.

       The first act is ended with an emotional and strong soliloquy by Salieri, within it he says, “Him You have chosen to be Your sole conduct… So be it! From this time we are enemies, You and I!” By telling lies and by manipulating the Chamberlain and the Emperor, Salieri destroys Mozart little by little. I highly recommend anyone to view this show to grasp the full effect of deceitfulness. “Amadeus” is playing in the Shakespeare Theater at Chicago’s Navy Pier from September 6^th to November 9^th.

I’m Coming Out

       “Gays, lesbians, bisexuals, queers or whatever you want to call us, don’t fit in anywhere just because we don’t fuck the way everybody else does. We don’t love like everybody else does so we are isolated from the rest of the world… In the end, it is up to us to change these perceptions,” stated Nikki Patin in the opening speech of Columbia’s GLBTQIA Coming Out Party. The luncheon was on Friday, October 10, 2008 had a welcoming atmosphere filled with serious and fun discussions among friends both on and off stage.

       The event started at noon and was held in the Conaway Center at 1104 South Wabash. With five chairs a piece around the twenty-four tables spread across the room and with plenty of people standing next to the walls, there are easily 150 people present. Marsha Morris, a staff therapist at the counseling center, explained to me that the, “GLBTQ Community is one of Columbia’s largest and most popular support groups.” Indeed, with so many students participating, how can anyone not feel connected?

       As soon as you enter through the doors, you are warmly greeted as you sign your name on the guest list. One of the tables next to the entrance are covered with broachers and flyers about the up-and-coming queer events sponsored by other groups and businesses. The other table has multi-colored, small gift bags filled with a couple of Durex condoms (along with the instructions), a beaded necklace, and a Common Ground flyer which states the weekly meeting days and times.

       The Conaway Center has almost too much to absorb: the stage is only a couple of feet above the ground with only a few decorations and a microphone. Beside the stage is a very large screen which shows the performers and it was then that I noticed across the room that there was a camera crew recording all the action. The columns had taped against its surface balloons, which were bunched together to form the colors that represent gay pride: purple, blue, green, orange, yellow, and red.

       There is a booth in a corner with a binder of tattoo designs and a woman drawing the designs on students who wish to have one. The buffet is five or six tables long and they are placed together in the shape of an incomplete square. While the food is being served, people start up conversations in line. There is a lot of laughter and many students are hugging each other. When most of the people are done eating and have settled down back to their sits, students are welcomed to the microphone and tell their Coming Out story or to tell the crowd their sexual orientation.

       Most of the stories were about how the individual came out to their family and/or friends. One student talked about how his father is a very religious man who refused to see him, much less talk to him, for three years. They are finally on speaking terms. Another student discussed how her mother simply shrugged her shoulders and jokingly said, “Well, I’ve known for quite a while.” Everyone who decided to go on stage was welcomed and departed by applause, and I overheard one of the students say to his friend that he “finally felt free.”

The Coming Out Party was a very energetic and vibrant event and I highly recommend anyone to attend the meetings. Common Ground meets on Mondays at 1:00 p.m. and Fridays at 2 p.m. at the Underground Café 600 South Michigan Ave.

Rough Beauty

       Poverty has the ability to charm and fascinate anyone who does not have to live in such conditions. In Dave Anderson‘s black and white photography exhibit “Rough Beauty,” he documents specific moments of people living in poor conditions within modern day America. Anderson’s compositions do have impressive qualities such as capturing the tired facial expressions that make you instantly understand the hardship they each face, however the collection is only eye-opening if you have never traveled below the state of Kentucky.

       The photographer shares his view and experience on the art work by stating: “What I quickly realized was that I was fast becoming enamored of this flawed place: its poverty, its psychological isolation, and its fierce — sometimes dueling — sense of individuality and community.” Coming from a small town almost like Vidor, Texas (where the photographs were taken) and seeing the single and family portraits depicted in the gallery, that yes, there is a strong sense of isolation because of their community. David Anderson comments that he first went to the town to look for evidence of the Ku Klux Klan after a rural man suggested Vidor for it had “no black people.” It seems that long before an economic separation occurred, the community decided to that they would be racially divided from the rest of the country. The only real sense of individuality portrayed in the photographs is the feeling that this people must depend on themselves to survive because nobody else is going to help them.

       One photo titled “Ray Wilson” shows a shirtless, older man who has that ultimate presence of survival. He is sitting behind a simple desk, which has on the surface two packs of Marlboro Reds, two cans of Miller High Life, and a few undistinguishable papers. Ray has a buzz cut with faded out tattoos on each arm and his eyes are surrounded by wrinkles. His appearance alone reminds me of any man who served in the military during the Vietnam War and the image is enforced more by the picture of Marilyn Monroe hanging on the wall behind his left side and an Army propaganda poster that says, “Shut the fuck up! Let us do our job!” Ray has a undemanding look on his face in which he is not happy or sad and does not wish to be judged from an outsider.

       Another photograph called “Bobby and His Boys” shows a heavily-bearded, middle-aged man standing beside his two sons. Bobby is dressed in a mechanic’s uniform consisting of dark pants and a buttoned, collared shirt with thick patches in cursive lettering stating his name and the place where he works. Bobby’s sons are both overweight and are wearing blue jeans in which they have become too tall to have on their bodies. The three look as though they were thinking, “Are you done yet?” as Anderson took the picture. There is an admirable closeness between them and also a sense of normalcy even though right behind them are stacks of compressed cars.

       Lastly, the photograph “Preacher’s Family” is worth viewing because of how it stands out among the rest of the collection. “Rough Beauty” shows us image after image of poor conditions were most of the people are wearing raggedy clothes and are dirty from having to stay outside, however that does not appear to be the case in the “Preacher’s Family.” The man has a nice suit on with the jacket thrown over his arm with The Bible clutched in one hand. The preacher has a cell phone clipped to his belt and a slightly pissed-off look on his face. At his side, he has two preteen daughters with one holding a toddler and they are both wearing nice dresses. The family must have just gotten back home because the truck door is open and they are standing in the driveway in front of their home. The preacher’s family is in no way wealthy according to our standards, but compared to the rest of Vidor they must be viewed as royalty.

       The whole exhibit of “Rough Beauty” has many more photographs on display and they are all worth taking the time to unveil the meaning behind each of them. Although the works of art are beautiful, it bothers me that Anderson wanted his audience to perceive poverty in such a way. The mood of the people may not have been “good or bad, happy or sad,” because they do not have any other choice but to simply live in those conditions.