Mount Hood

Campus art feature: “Iberian Venus” sculpture by Manuel Izquierdo

Chrys Weedon | Entertainment Editor

Located in a back corner of the Grove, surrounded by beauty bark and concrete, is Manuel Izquierdo’s sculpture “Iberian Venus.” The marble sand once covering its exterior is mostly eroded away, leaving smooth white patches in its curves and crevices. Moss and crumbling concrete remain.

Installed in September 1975, “Iberian Venus” was commissioned, according to library archives, by Western’s student body. Funding was provided by what was then called the Associated Students of OCE, which would be equivalent to ASWOU now. The sculpture was supposed to include a reflection pool at its base, but upon observation, it doesn’t appear to have one.

Manuel Izquierdo arrived in Portland, Oregon in the 1940s. Izquierdo was born in Madrid, Spain and travelled to Oregon as a refugee from a war-torn Europe. In his career, Izquierdo created 27 corporate and public commissioned pieces and has participated in 25 solo exhibitions. Izquierdo died from illness on July 17, 2009.

The library archive article titled “Outdoor Sculptures on Campus” reports some controversy among Western’s students upon installation of the statue. It was argued by some students that the final sculpture did not resemble the original proposal approved by the committee.

Paula Booth, assistant art professor and director of the Cannon Gallery of Art in Campbell hall spent most of her interview brushing leaves, cobwebs and moss off the sculpture to the best of her ability, but there’s only so much one can do if they’re not trained in refurbishing art.

“It kind of breaks my heart, to be honest. I feel like it’s so neglected, and it’s by one of Oregon’s most prominent sculptors,” commented Booth.

In a secluded corner and blocked on three sides by a grassy slope, this sculpture doesn’t stand out, especially now that its white marble sand coating has been reduced to nothing. It can’t be easily seen from the surrounding sidewalks or roadways.

“Especially when you have art outdoors, you need to have it properly cleaned periodically, you need to have it fixed periodically,” Booth remarked after examining the sculpture’s deteriorating state. “It’s completely not how the artist intended it to be.”

 

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Ashlynn Norton

Molly Burch’s “First Flower” album review

Chrys Weedon | Entertainment Editor

“First Flower,” released on Oct. 5, is Molly Burch’s sophomore album and is a complementary companion to her debut album released in early 2017.

Molly Burch is based in Austin, Texas, and has a background in jazz vocal performance. Her background in jazz is clearly heard in her work, more obviously in this new album than in her first. Her sultry voice and the way in which she approaches her lower register packs her performance with emotion.

The tone of this new album is more loose and experimental, achieved by Burch’s new vocal approach and the underlying bossa nova-type beats. The sepia-toned guitar and whispering lyrics from the first album “Please Be Mine” carries over onto “First Flower,” solidifying Burch’s sound.

“I don’t need to scream to get my point across,” states “To The Boys,” the feminist anthem on the album.

Where her first album tackled the crowd-pleaser of unrequited love, Burch’s second album delves into the mind — more specifically, anxiety and self-doubt.

“I think I want to be better,” read the lyrics of the song “Good Behaviour.”

In another song on the album, “Candy,” Molly croons, “why do I care what you think?” Contemplative yet never wallowing, these songs play off less hopeless than a vulnerable, honest portrayal of struggling with anxiety.

Despite overarching themes of self-doubt, Burch also swings to romantic optimism in songs such as “To The Boys” and “First Flower,” where she sings “you are my man.” Each song is multifaceted and blends themes smoothly. Multiple layers exist in each song, and the simplicity that still remains provides much to appreciate.

The 11 tracks on the album are short and sweet, with only one breaking the five minute threshold. The tunes don’t ever seem rushed, however. Burch is able to pack so much emotion and storytelling into small packages due to her writing ability. These songs could easily turn into mono-dynamic songs that blend into one another, but this artist’s ability to meld so many different themes in a way that seems so effortless is thanks to her sharp pen.

Overall rating: I would recommend this album.

 

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of mollyburchmusic.com

The Tournées Film Festival screens “BPM”

Jamari Gilbert | Freelancer

“Beats Per Minute” or “BPM” is a movie directed by Robin Campillo. This dramatized historical piece was showcased here at Western during the Tournées Film Festival. The TFF brings French films here to Western and other American campuses. “(The movies) touch on a wide range of subjects, diverse perspectives, locations, and human experiences, all circling around themes of mobility, migration and global interconnections,” says the film festival page on Western’s website. There will be six movies in total every Thursday, from Oct. 11 through Nov. 15.

“BPM” delves into activities of the HIV/AIDS activist group, Act Up-Paris in the 1990s. They are faced with many challenges in the film: the majority believing that AIDS only affects homosexuals and the government not passing laws to help stop the outbreak. Their activism varies from throwing fake blood over pharmacies to throwing the ashes of departed members onto conference members and their food.

The audience is first introduced to the Act Up-Paris branch for the first half of the movie. This section of the movie is more of a celebration of the hard work that the many men and women of the Act Up-Paris performed to ensure a brighter future for those individuals living with AIDS. As the Act Up-Paris group is trying to decide the best means of getting their message across, infighting occurs, with some members even going so far as to openly sabotage other members work when they are unhappy. Bits of drama like this are sprinkled throughout the movie even though the premise alone is serious enough.

The last half of “BPM” focuses on how AIDS will destroy an individual once infected. Several characters portray the grim outcome, but the most prominent is the character Sean, a veteran of the Act Up Paris group who is already in the later stages of the disease. He forms a sexual relationship with one of the newest members Nathan. This half of the movie goes into their relationship and shows how AIDS will both affect the infected and those around them.

“BPM” is long, but it is worth it. Showing the fight against AIDS in two different ways: the political fight that demonstrates the hardships everyone involved must face and how AIDS changes the lives of men and women who are infected by the disease.

Overall Rating: I would recommend this movie if the viewer is interested in learning about the AIDS movement in countries besides the United States, or if they’re interested in an LGBTQ+ film.

 

Contact the author at jgilbert16@mail.wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Ashlynn Norton

Hunter Atkin talks about his performing arts journey at WOU

Chrys Weedon | Entertainment Editor

Hunter Atkins describes performance art as the “purest form of art,” stating, “It only happens once in front of the audience and it’s shared with the audience, and then it’ll never happen again. And it’s very… emotional and straight from the heart and it’s unmonetized. So, nobody gains anything from it but the art.”

Hailing from Salem, Oregon, Atkin is currently a senior set to graduate in the spring. Atkin’s craft is truly eclectic — he studies theater and has been involved in numerous straight plays on campus; he sings and dances; he also creates performance art. More recently, Atkin has been focusing on poetry and writing music. After graduation, the BFA student plans to move to a big city– such as Chicago or LA– to make his art a career.

Originally, Atkin came to Western to study nursing. The artist’s sister was also enrolled in the nursing program, and that’s part of the reason he enrolled.

“I was like ‘Okay, nursing pays, I’m not sure I’m going to like it, I’m going to go for it.’” By the end of his freshman year, Atkin had auditioned for the BFA program.

Throughout his studies, Atkin has seen a lot of support for the arts.

“(Western’s programs) give us so many opportunities to do things we would never be able to do in the real world.” Western funds a rehearsal space, workshops and improv coaches. A program called “5 O’Clock Shadow” is also offered, which allows student artists to create their own shows. A rehearsal space is provided, as well as show dates and the performance space itself — the Black Box in Rice Auditorium.

It was difficult for Atkin to choose his favorite artistic project at Western, but he eventually chose his semi-recent performance art piece, “Love.” On his reasons behind this choice, Atkin responded, “my performance art is probably the thing I’m most proud of because I wrote it all myself, start to finish, and I put a lot of myself in it and I was really vulnerable with the audience.”

Hunter commented that the most salient lesson he’s learned during his studies was experiencing rejection. Even when professors or other artists are giving criticisms that may feel hard to handle, “…afterward when you work on the things that you really sucked at, it just feels like you’re building yourself up. It’s really cool to be able to do that in a safe space.” Atkin believes that Western provides a safe environment in which artists can work on their craft, whereas the “real world” doesn’t offer those same opportunities.

Atkin’s advice for first-year students?

“Let college kind of happen to you, because eventually you’re going to find something that you stick to, that you’re really passionate about that you like a lot, and then follow that.”

 

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Hunter Atkin

Jacob Joliff band performs as a Smith’s Fine Art Series event

Jamari Gilbert | Freelancer

On Oct. 12, Jacob Joliff and his band came together and put on a concert for Western students. This concert was part of The Smith’s Fine Art Series, a collection that showcases many talents and performances here at Western. The artists perform from Oct. 5 through June 8 of 2019, with two events in January 2019, one event in April, and the final performance in June. This event was held in Rice Auditorium.

The Jacob Jolliff Band is a Bluegrass ensemble that is comprised of four key members: Jacob Joliff, the singer and Mandolin player, Alex Hargreaves the fiddle player, Jeff Picker on the bass, and Stash Wyslouch, their guitarist. With their cooperation, the band put on a unique and entertaining performance.

Bluegrass is a style of country music, but with jazz and gospel influences. No banjos were used during this concert, although that’s what some people may think of when bluegrass is mentioned. Most of the songs focused on being instrumental but a few had some lyrics spread throughout to spice things up every now and again. The music was unique and complex, but can be defined as a fusion of jazz and country.

The excitement the Joliff band had to play in front the audience was palpable. The passion and hard work that went into each song could be felt as they were performed on stage. Before the artists started the next song, the pride on their faces was obvious when the audience exploded into a round of applause and whistled.

Watching how they all shared the space and the microphone, easily stepping out of the way when it was time for one of the other members play their heart out during their songs was arguably the best part of the performance. The Jacob Jolliff Band performed very well and the enthusiasm for the music they performed only made the experience better.

The Joliff band is worth a listen by anyone who is a fan of jazz or country, and by anyone who is looking for music that is full of spirit and energy. If students find themselves free and wanting to try something new, events from the Smith Fine Arts Series provide fun opportunities on campus. The series offers some truly unique experiences.

 

Contact the author at jgilbert16@mail.wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Ashlynn Norton

Local artists Harold and Sue Mason exhibit their work in Campbell Hall

Chrys Weedon | Entertainment Editor

Locals artists Sue and Harold Mason are featured in a month-long exhibit in Western’s own Cannon Art Gallery, which opened on Sept. 26 and will remain open until Oct. 26. The exhibit is titled “Creative Partnership” and is located in the heart of Campbell hall.

When asked about the mission statement of the Cannon Art gallery, director Paula Booth replied that her goal was “to expose our students to a lot of different types of art and a lot of different types of artists… You know, things that they might not always think about.”

Booth said that the gallery is usually booked a year in advance, sometimes two years. The gallery has shown both national and international artists, and holds around six exhibits per year. Harold and Sue approached Booth a couple of years ago with the desire to show an exhibit together, and Booth scheduled them into the gallery rotation.

Harold and Sue have been creative partners for the last 56 years. They started making art in the San Francisco Bay area and became involved in the arts community there. Throughout their careers they have moved and travelled extensively, making art everywhere they go.

“We have a tendency to move someplace instead of going there and staying for weeks at a time” said Harold. Sue and Harold became more involved with the Native cultures of the American Southwest when they moved to the area and befriended the local Native community there, and the influence these communities had on their art is palpable.

The pair moved to Oregon about 15 years ago.

“We knew we wanted to live near a campus, and so we ended up just a block and a half from (Western),” commented Sue. Both Sue and Harold have taken art classes at Western, so they are familiar with the campus and well known by the faculty members in the department. “We’re both delighted to have a show here. We love the university. So when the opportunity came up, we were quite pleased,” said Sue.

On Oct. 3, the 700 square foot art gallery was glowing with bright show lights, and community members and students circulated around the ceramic sculptures and landscape paintings. During the reception, the Mason’s answered questions and connected with community members and students alike.

Harold’s art covered three of the gallery’s walls. Most were untitled.

“Harold didn’t want to label all of his work and Sue didn’t label all of hers either. So it’s kind of more of an impression of their work,” said Booth.

Harold’s art was a collection of watercolor paintings, sketches, and mixed media pieces. Many paintings were landscape scenes that exhibited exquisite detail. Colors in this paintings were soft and the scenes contemplative.

When asked if he had a favorite piece, Harold replied, “If you say one’s a favorite, it puts the other ones down, so I never have a favorite; they’re all favorites. Or else they wouldn’t be up there on the wall.”

Sue’s art consists of porcelain and stoneware works, relief prints, silkscreen prints and fetish pots. Fetish pots, according to the gallery description, “use materials of the natural world — clay, bone, hides, feathers, shells, etc. to show respect for nature and the world we live in.”

Sue’s stoneware sculptures and vases are very domestic and intricately designed; the pieces could be contemplated for a significant amount of time and new details would continue to be found.

“My aim is to inject joy, lightness and humor into each piece I make,” quotes Sue’s artist statement.

Her art is largely inspired by native cultures. Several sculptures are inspired by the Dio De Los Muertos celebrations in Mexican culture.

“I’ve always loved folk art, and just the way the art represents the (native) cultures,” Sue commented.

When asked what “creative partnership” meant to them, Sue summed up her relationship with Harold, “We’ve always been best of friends, as well as best of lovers, so best of both worlds.” Harold and Sue have always been a partnership, and support each other in all of their artistic endeavors. Each artist’s style is distinctive, yet complementary. Visitors to the exhibit can truly see the complexity of the artistic life Harold and Sue have built together. The pair’s devotion to living an artistic life and supporting each other is truly enviable. The couple is still actively making art. Sue sculpts and Harold is active with his painting and has added writing into his repertoire.

 

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Ashlynn Norton

SWANK allows Western students to stream movies for free

Chrys Weedon | Entertainment Editor

This fall, on-campus residents will have access to a free movie streaming service. The company providing the service is called SWANK. Western has branded this service “ResLife Cinema.”

The Housing and Dining Committee decided not to renew their contract with MINET two years ago, and thus left Western with limited entertainment options. After a lengthy search for replacements, the committee chose SWANK.

Aside from offering a wide selection of shows and movies, SWANK places a strong emphasis on educational programming. Ryan Jennings, an analyst programmer for computing services, performed the setup for this new service.

“Our Resident Assistants (RAs) can now request and select nearly any film they wish to build a program around, for free,” said Jennings. SWANK provides discussion guides along with films to help staff start dialogues around important topics, such as identity, mental health, sexual violence and more. Residents can also take part in monthly polls which provide feedback about what kind of content they would like to see.

Madeleine Hannah, senior humanities major and a resident of Ackerman hall, commented that, “I think it’s really beneficial…not everybody has Netflix or Hulu, or ways to nicely stream things, so it’s good to have access to that.”

Sabrina Smith, junior ASL/English interpreting major, brought up another point.

“I think it’s cool because when me and my roommates want to have movie nights we can just put it on instead of using people’s Netflix, because most of them share with their families and parents and they’re like, ‘oh we can’t actually watch this, cause my parents might see it.’”

Western organizations can also create their own channels and upload content to the site. “Since the product is new to us we have yet to explore this option,” Jennings commented, “however it might be a nice to upload a replay of latest (Western) sporting event, or allow residents to develop their own custom content to share with others.”

All on-campus residents have access to this resource, and there is no account set-up required. ResLife Cinema can be accessed through the WOU portal. The link is located under the “My Programs” tab, and is titled “ResLife Cinema (SWANK).”

 

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Ashlynn Norton

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