Community Art is Sexy

"Community Bridge" by William and Teresa Cochran, and the entire town of Frederick, MD.

William Cochran, who has worked with his wife Teresa on many community art projects--most notably "Community Bridge" --spoke at NAU's Ashurst Hall last Thursday night.

For eight months now, I've been trying to formulate and articulate my burgeoning thoughts about how Americans should attend more art events, how art helps make us better people, and how art plays a huge role in a sense of community.

But on Thursday, I heard the PREACHER of art and community (and even though he was preaching to the choir, it was a very loud, responsive choir.)

Right away, William made clear his thoughts that "Culture becomes a lubrication for living together" (which makes art sound really sexy,) and talked about how public art can help ease the friction of living in close quarters with other people (it's basically the macro equivalent of manners).  It unites people across divisions.  "The power of culture derives from its social networks," Cochran said.  Meaning that public art is powerful and successful when many different networks and groups are involved, listened to and engaged. 

Cochran also talked about the 'danger' of gentrification, and warned that diversity, revitalization and involvement all need to be present to prevent displacement of lower-income residents. Although every public art project is risky business (gentrification being one of those risks,) art can also leverage a community for engagement and change. "It can be a powerful catalyst," said Cochran.

I thought it was perfect timing, and appropriate knowledge for our own Flagstaff community projects--especially the most recent revitalization project in Southside.  In last Thursday's FlagLive's article "Southside Rising", Eric Betz, the author, posed the question, "The Southside is seeing the most revitalization in its history, (such as the city's street projects, new artistic bike racks and street furniture) but can it keep developing without losing its soul?"

Questions like that make me remember what I love about Flagstaff.  We're always asking ourselves "Yes, but does it have soul?"  Large budgets can never replace "style", and community art projects must reflect the distinctive styles of many people.  People of Flagstaff seem to innately know this.

And so I leave you, Flagstaff citizens, with a paraphrase of William Cochran's hypothetical question.  "If it were possible to create any kind of public art at all in Flagstaff, what would you create?"

The possibilities are endless.

You can  see The Story of Community Bridge, a 30 minute video produced by Perspectives Group Media here

Opera: the music equivalent of "slow food"

  I had a great weekend.  I got to help out at the Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra Gala event.  I got to celebrate an early birthday with two other Aries friends at the Flagstaff Photography Center (always a good time to be had in THAT place.)  And I'm getting excited for April, a.k.a. "Event Season" here at the university.

  The first big event of April is the NAU Opera.  This is your only chance this year to experience a full-length, full-orchestra opera in Northern Arizona.  You can read all about the opera performance of "The Elixir of Love" in Charles Spining's article for the AZ Daily Sun here.  But what I want to talk about is why opera is such an enduring art form.  (Disclaimer:  I am certainly no opera expert.  That would be Nando Schellen, but he's busy getting ready for "The Elixir of Love.") 

  Let me put it like this.  Opera is the musical equivalent of slow food.

  My first professional opera performance was the LA Opera's performance of Madame Butterfly.  I was warned by my date to prepare myself--opera was much slower than anything I was used to.

  And so I received my first clue to understanding opera; an opera story is slow to unfold.  It takes its time.  Every angle of a lover's quarrel/dilemma/and scheme is expressed; emotions are more deeply explored. It is cooked with care and attention to detail.  It's much different than our television world, where every week we watch a drama reach denouement in 30 minutes.  In contrast, opera encourages you to savor each moment, each bite, of drama.  

  My second clue in opera appreciation; it's a sensory artform.  It doesn't use any new tricks or technologies, just good solid singing and expressive body language.  You don't need to understand Italian (or French, or German)--you can understand a lot of the story through reading the posture of the actor/singers.  You don't have to read all of the supertitles!  Just read the program notes beforehand (or better yet, fully research the opera before you even go) and watch the singers' expressions.  There's a reason love is called the "universal language." 

  And that leads me to my last observation; opera is traditionally about love.  (Read my blog posting about Nando Schellen here.)   It seems to me that opera seeks to preserve and immortalize the "ingredients" of love, ingredients that stay pretty much the same throughout the centuries.  Love stories are pretty universal, and the elements don't really change much.  Who couldn't use some instruction in love?  

  Just as you would probably enjoy a traditional meal cooked with care, and eaten with appreciation, you also might enjoy this upcoming opera like the gourmet meal that it is.  So I encourage you to sit down to the table  and order up some opera. 

  The opera will be performed April 1 and 2 at 7:30 and April 3 at 2 p.m.  You can order tickets from Ticketmaster at 928-523-5661. 

 
 

Go with the Flow

Zuill Bailey; A Triple Threat

Oops, I missed a week.  (My goal is to attend at least one cultural event per week and write about it every Monday.)

I was on Spring Break, working on other projects, things that don't have anything to do with art and culture.  But before I drove 12 hours to visit my parents in Colorado, I attended the Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra's performance on the 11th, "Colored by Bohemia."  Cellist Zuill Bailey was the soloist.  Everyone who saw and heard him play fell in love with Zuill, he was that beautiful and that talented.

So afterwards, I waited my turn after all the pretty women (and men) had their say, and eventually talked to Zuill myself.

I told him that it was nice to watch him play, and that I wondered how he felt when he played, since he was so obviously moved by the music himself.  Because I had just finished reading "Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience" I was sure that he was in a flow experience while playing.

Here's where it gets a little strange.  Zuill told me that once he gets immersed in the music, he actually floats above himself and can watch himself playing.  HUH?

But that totally fits with flow.  Other people, in the book, say that their particular activities feel the same way.  They say "It felt like floating." It's when you have no concept of time, and your activity is appropriately challenging your self, and helps you achieve goals that innately make you happy.  It is purposeful work.

Zuill doesn't get there right away--he says it's like running.  The first two miles are awkward and hunkering, but then all of a sudden, it clicks. 

And so, my mini-psychology session over, I was delighted to discover that it's really true for people of all levels of skill.  When you are doing something you love, and continuing to grow, you can reach an almost meditative, spiritual state.

That it happens to be with music for some people is all the better for the rest of us civilians. 

Weird and Wonderful; Viola Awards

NAU represents.  Me and Michael Vincent, Dean of the College of Arts and Letters.

I went to a lot of cultural events this week.  On Tuesday, I decided it was "fine-culture appreciation day" for my 14-year-old, so we went to the College of Arts and Letters Film Series's screening of the ever-classic "The Big Lebowski".  On Wednesday, I went to Danny Lyon's rambling talk about his striking photography of convicts, motorcycle gangs and the Civil Right Movement, sponsored by the School of Communication.  On Friday I was at First Friday and got to see Darcy Falk's beautiful new exhibit at West of the Moon Gallery.

But my favorite event was the 3rd Annual Viola Awards Banquet on Saturday, a gala event honoring Flagstaff's artists, musicians, and cultural leaders. (A full list of winners is on the Flagstaff Cultural Partners website.)

Some of my favorite things.  Jason Hasenbank from Flagstaff Photography Center.

I loved it because everyone dressed up to the nines.  I saw most of my favorite people in Flagstaff.  I got to celebrate all the honorees, and all the hard work they do to put on events, create works of art, and making music.  And I also got to talk to many, many people about planning for even more exciting things for the Flagstaff arts scene.

Basically, I felt like part of one big, happy, creative and playful family!

That's one of the great parts of Flagstaff arts, is that people feel connected to one another.  We promote each other's events, we collaborate, we share many of the same audiences.  And most importantly, we all help each other out. Once you get a bunch of Flagstaff artist types together, the ideas will start flowing like wine.

As honoree, Anne Doyle who organizes the Hopi Festival and the Museum of Northern Arizona said, "It takes a village to raise a festival!" 

The Flagstaff cultural leaders work HARD at achieving their goals, too.  Bruce Aiken, winner of the Visual Arts Award, said "for every painting, there's a pool of sweat".  I admire the energy of this town.

John Running and Laura Kelly, Executive Director of Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra.

And finally, we are so blessed to live in such a beautiful geographical setting, one that inspires all of us to create our own beauty.  John Running, winner of the Mayor's Award for Lifetime Contribution to the Arts, said "I give thanks to the muse of 'place'."

Me too.

I loved what Matt Lehrman from Showup.com had to say about it in his blog, "Upwords."  At the Viola Awards "everyone took home a very tangible connection to their being part a large, weird & wonderful collection of people who ARE the vibrancy of Flagstaff’s arts & cultural community."

And I think that's a pretty special thing, something that isn't apparent in other, bigger cities.  What a weird, wonderful world we are!

Progeny discretion advised

Mom and Dad,  good sports throughout everything.

I took my mom and dad to NAU Theatre's "The Last Days of Judas Iscariot" on Saturday night.  At dinner, I tried to prepare them at by telling them that it was a racy enactment of a court-room trial for Judas Iscariot. But as soon as the play started, I realized I hadn't done my job very well at all.

  My mom and dad are kind of conservative Lutherans.  So, when an actor dropped the f-bomb in the first line of the play, I could feel my mom stiffen up beside me.  It went from bad to worse during the litany by Saint Monica, where she drops "mo-fo" like a conversation filler.  I could see mum giving it a mental thumbs-down in her G-rated internal world.  It was kind of hard to enjoy the play when Moms was so disturbed.

  On the other side of me, Dad couldn't hear anything (he wears a hearing aid--I have to speak real loud.)  So I had to re-speak every other line, after the actors.  I think my favorite part was when I had to re-say Prosecution Attorney El-Fayoumy's line "That woman makes my organs quiver."  Real loud. (Seriously, if that line doesn't make you want to see the play, I don't know what will.)

  Sorry, neighbors.

  It was kind of funny, in a comedy-tragedy sort of way.
  At intermission, I was ready to hear my mom say that she wanted to leave.  But she didn't!  She stuck it out-- she wanted to see what Jesus would do.  (WWJD?)

   My dad laughed a lot after I told him what everyone was saying.  My mom started to relax a little, especially when Jesus started to speak.  It turned out that their boundaries were pushed open in a really positive way.  
  NAU Theatre has really been pushing the bar, in their ever-tasteful/win-you-over kind of way.  "Judas" is fresh on the heels of their summer Town and Gown production, "Psychopathia Sexualis," (all about a sock fetish) and then "Equus" (with onstage nudity) earlier this academic year. For their efforts, they were nominated for a Viola Award in Performing Arts this year.  ("Equus" also received the ever-prestigious Flag Live Editor's Choice 2010 award for "Best challenging theatrical production".)

  I think you should definitely go see the play before it ends, be prepared to be challenged, and come away with a new perspective. 

  And my parents...well, I'm glad I took the them, but hoo-boy.  It might take them awhile to recover, but I think they'll be okay.  

"When I was your age, I had to drive through 18 inches of snow just to see a French film!"

Me and the family at the 5th annual Tournees French Film Festival.  Photo by Hanna Smolan.

 Last weekend I sat with my dear friend Janna Jones in the Wettaw building on campus to watch five french films.  Over 400 people braved the 18 inches of snow to watch them with us!!

  It was our fifth and final year for the Tournees French Film Festival.  I was really happy to have my mom and dad in town to watch a couple of films with me.  And it was fun that my son enjoyed the animated film (A Town Called Panic) so much that he came--to watch it again for the 3rd time! (It's somewhat gratifying that my offspring likes subtitled movies, even though they are animated.)

  So after trekking through the snow to get to the films, and driving adventurously to get home after it had been coming down for awhile, I felt like I needed to relax.  What did I do?  I poured myself a glass of wine and...turned on a film!

  For some reason, I appreciate film while I can't really stand television.  I think it's because film viewing is more interactive for me--I can start to appreciate the nuances of the work.  And even more than Hollywood, I really, really like foreign film.  I've gone through a Spanish horror movie phase, black and white French phase, Swedish-anything phase, and a Bollywood phase.  I also like shorts and animated films, and I think Europe is really good at both of these genres.

  A good film is challenging, like a good piece of art work, one that you can look at again and again and not get bored.  There's a sense of achievement when you "get" it, especially when you get it in another language and another culture. Jokes are funnier when you get them in another language, because you have to work a little bit harder to understand it all! Foreign films take me out of my everyday experience without having to travel.  I know that I will come away with a new understanding of another culture.  And I certainly know how to read subtitles, (it's easier than you think for those who criticize it!) 

  As I come to know myself better, I realize that what activities produce a good feeling in me, which things I will go to great lengths to be able to accomplish. Call me crazy, but an 18-inch snowstorm is no match for the good vibes I get from seeing good french film. 

 

Me and Hanna, student photog. extraordinaire

  

 

Lessons on love from NAU's opera director

  I sat down to talk with Nando Schellen, director of NAU Opera, last week.  Nando was recently nominated for the Governor's Art Award for an outstanding individual in Arts Education.  We were discussing his upcoming opera, "L'elisir d'amore" (The Elixir of Love) that he is preparing for the first weekend of April. "The Elixir of Love" is a comedy done by the Bel Canto composer Gaetano Donizetti.  (Bel Canto simply means "beautiful singing.")

  When Nando and I talk about his operas, we often end up talking about love.  As an opera afficionado, Nando is very philosophical about the human emotion.

  The Elixir of Love is a tale that touches on unrequited love. It involves a love potion and a love triangle between a wealthy woman, a peasant man, and a soldier.  It is, Nando tells me almost immediately, a love story.

  So my prompt reply was "Does opera deal with anything else besides love?"

  His answer?  "Nothing in the world deals with anything else but love."

 (What else could he have said?  Nando is in love with love.)

So then we talked about love.  "Love is a very small word that encompasses a lot of sides.  We've all had our parts," said Nando. Why doesn't love work sometimes?  "I think the mistake is that the partners are not equal."

  Take Jerry Seinfeld, he proposes.  All the girls Jerry likes aren't equal to him.  Or (I would add) they are way out of his league.  These situations inevitably lead to humor.  "A good comedy doesn't deny that we still have a lot of problems," said Nando.

  And if you are a man looking to attract a woman?  Perhaps you should become a soldier.  "Soldiers attract women like honey to a fly," said Nando.  He should know.  He was a young boy in occupied Amsterdam, and women went for the soldiers all the time, even though they were Nazis.

  So what does all this talk about love and opera have to do with us on Valentine's Day? I think that opera teaches us that despite all the changes in our daily lives, with ever-increasing  technology, mankind doesn't essentially change much. And it's good to laugh at ourselves. We should always laugh, and be reflective on our human emotions.

 That's why an opera from 1832 is still funny.

NAU Opera director, Nando Schellen, rehearses a dramatic love scene with graduate student Maria Lopez.
Photo by Jason Bullard