CricketToes

Robots of Brixton: Art + Message = WOW

As many creative types know from painful experience, a marriage of art and social commentary can yield results that are less than stellar. Very often the art is swallowed up by the maw of excruciating earnestness and smothered by loads of goody-goody intent.

Every once in while, however, a work emerges that perfectly balances both art and message, stopping us in our tracks long enough to say, "Wow. Just wow."

Robots of Brixton is one of those works:

 

Wow, right? Right on!

A collaborative effort by director/animator Kibwe Tavares of Factory Fifteen, photographer David Hoffman, sound designer Mourad Bennacer, and mixologist DJ Hiatus, Robots of Brixton not only speaks to the city's social and economic unrest in 1981 but to the Arab Spring uprisings and Occupy movement of this past year. And any work that transcends time and place is definitely worth our attention.

Link (via @GeorgeJirasek and @cdmblogs)

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RIP Gil Scott-Heron

It was with great and profound sadness that we learned of the passing of Gil Scott-Heron on May 27, 2011, at the age of 62.

A master poet and extraordinary musician, Scott-Heron was not only a major influence on the hip-hop and rap artists who followed in his footsteps but legions of spoken-word artists, writers and poets--like old Cricky here--introducing us to the power of socially conscious art.

His most famous piece "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised," originally recorded in 1970, is laced with sardonic humor and timely cultural references, serving as both a scathing indictment of racism in America and a controlled yet sure warning that change is coming, ready or not:

 

Here's how he explained the piece in an interview for the series The 90's:

 

Though brilliantly insightful, Scott-Heron was plagued with drug addiction that waxed and waned for decades, proving that even the most remarkable among us can fall into downward spirals of self-destruction and self-abuse that at times exert such force we cannot free ourselves.

But that is not how those of us who owe so much to Gil Scott-Heron will remember him. No, we shall remember him as a man of intellectual and artistic prowess who taught us that truth-telling is the path to honorable art and a critical component to creating a just world.

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Stephen Bybee's Entropy-Slowing Photography

It is a simple fact that entropy is the path that all things must follow, whether living or dead, animate or inanimate, consciously aware or blissfully oblivious. It is also a fact that us pesky humans consistently strive to slow or hurry the process of entropy, the choice being dependent on an advantage perceived by a given group at a given time. But regardless of the speed or the level of humanoid stubbornness/complicity, entropy will see its natural task fulfilled, turning order to disorder, with a neutral indifference that is both brutal and benign.

This is the way of the universe--an entity with such a mind-blowing lifespan that it dwarf's our own to a state of insignificance. Nevertheless, we short-lived animals see great value in preserving at least some of the natural and human-made for as long as we can, and one potent method of preservation is to capture the image of the physical through the lens of a camera.

In keeping with this idea of conservation through the creation of doppelgängers, photog Stephen Bybee has been engaged in the documentation of the numerous rural churches dotting the landscape of northern and central Missouri. The results of his twelve-year effort thus far are quite simply stunning.

Shooting in black and white, and with a keen eye for the subtle interplay of light and shadow, Bybee captures the quiet beauty of these structures. Both well-kept and decaying churches are handled with care and respect, conveying a powerful stillness that can only be had in the absence of those who built them.

Bybee--who is a former colleague of mine from a past coffee-related life and with whom I've kept in contact since his move from our fair Miltown to Columbia, Missouri--explains the impetus, purpose and hope for his ongoing project thusly:

"Because of a rural economy and population that have been steadily declining for the last thirty years, many of these once venerated houses of worship are now falling into states of neglect and even abandonment. My aim with this project is to document and thereby preserve an architectural and cultural tradition that may someday be effaced by the encroachment of larger, more modern structures and by the slow evacuation of the rural populace. Because of these trends, I believe it is imperative to create a photographic record of the rural churches constructed in central and northern Missouri prior to the 1950s, thus insuring their visual, historical preservation...

I began the church project with the hope that I could create a lasting catalog and a permanent visual archive of these masterpieces of rural architecture. To that end, it is not envisioned as a money-maker or something that I want to keep to myself. This work is created for an audience, and it is created to serve as an enduring record of a type of edifice which may someday be obsolete. I would like to use at least three vehicles to bring this work to the public:  Establishment of a website devoted solely to the images of Missouri’s rural churches, and to the locations and any kind of historical research on them that I can come up with. Creation of a self-published photo book on these structures. A local or traveling exhibit of images from this project."

Truly, he is not only a talented visual artist but also an astoundingly gifted wordsmith, no? Yes! And it is that combination of skills--a heady cocktail that does not always mix equally or tastily in the brainpans of lovable artsy types--that will surely bring his vision to fruition and keep entropy at bay, at least for a time.

To experience Stephen Bybee's captivating images of Missouri's rural churches, as well as some of his other photographic work, go to his SmugMug site now.

(Thanks, Stephen!)

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Great African American Artists Cannot Be Denied

There exists much in Wisconsin's past and present of which we can be proud. For example, our early and aggressive work in environmental protection and conservation--think Wisco's own US Senator Gaylord Nelson, founder of Earth Day--or our long and strong progressive-with-a-small-"p" history--witness father and son team "Fighting Bob" and "Young Bob" La Follette as well as Milwaukee's steady stream of populist mayors, including the late, great Frank Zeidler. But, like many states north of what was once dubbed the Mason-Dixon Line, Wisconsin suffers from a troubling affliction that often receives a treatment of silence and keeps us from achieving our full potential.

This illness that plagues us is called denial. More specifically, the denial that injustice and exclusion based on race did and still does occur in our state, infecting every sector of society. While plenty of folks like to point to Milwaukee as the epicenter--an easy cop-out since it claims the largest African American population in the state--I know from firsthand experience that this disease is not localized, and that even our capital city of Madison, where I was born and raised, has remained largely mute and ineffectual in addressing its own high levels of racial discrimination and segregation.

So how do we break the silence? How can we overcome our denial and move forward as one people? There is, of course, no single surefire solution, but one action that has proved itself to be a powerful facilitator in this effort is the recognition and celebration of the creative achievements of artists of color. Just so happens that the Museum of Wisconsin Art (MWA) thinks that's a fabulous idea too and has taken up the challenge by presenting Here at Last! African-American Artists Who Teach at Wisconsin Colleges, Universities and Schools, on exhibit now.

Featuring the works of Trenton Baylor (UW-Parkside), Brad Bernard (Mount Mary College), Larry Chatman (MIAD), Freida High W. Tesfagiorgis (UW-Madison), and George Williams (Beloit College), Here at Last! highlights the tremendous and undeniable--ya know I had to do it--impact these African American artists and educators have had and continue to have within the artistic community and on the young ones they teach each day.

In support of the exhibition, there will be a special event at MWA tonight called The Moment: Here and Now, from 5-8PM, during which three of the participating artists will answer questions and talk about their work. Also, live music will be performed and yummy eats will be available for your munching pleasure. The mere $5 general admission fee gets ya in. All college students and teachers with current school IDs and MWA members pay nada, nothin', zilch, zero.

Each one of these contemporary artisans has made a conscious decision to live and work right here in our state, kids, and I've no doubt they've had some pretty tempting offers that would have taken them far, far away, leaving us sad and that much poorer for their absence. Please show your appreciation and support for their choice by going to this exhibit at MWA, 300 South Sixth Avenue in West Bend, anytime before November 7. To share in the simultaneously personal and universal profundity of the human experience through artistic expression makes us all smarter and happier together.

Link (Thanks, CJ & Della!)

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Finally, Old-Timey Vernacular Gets The Quality Airing It Deserves

As regular digesters of this here blog know, Cricky's awful found of pulling words and phrases out from the dank linguistic cellar and giving 'em a good airing out 'cause, just like anything organic, language can and does get moldy and musty if ya don't. Also, folks tend to forget that the snappy vernacular of our parents, grandparents, etc. is tons o' fun!

In perfect alignment with that sentiment, Wisconsin Hybrid Theater--a.k.a. Radio WHT--and WMSE 91.7 FM are as tickled as giggly school girls to announce a brand new series called Frontier Radio Theater. And to that we say, "Whoozzah!"

Beginning this Sunday morning and continuing on the first Sunday of every month, WMSE Radio and online listeners will have the supreme joy of experiencing radio dramedy like it hasn't been aired in decades--at least not since the majority of y'all poked your tiny, adorable heads into the world.

First up is Sherlock Holmes’ Adventure at Stonor Manor, a re-imagined piece based on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's The Adventure of the Speckled Band, deftly penned by Radio WHT's own Charles Sommers.

Now, I've been guilty of taking titles a tad too literally in the past--usually for the sake of hoots--but I get the distinct impression that old-timey won't be the only type of speech highlighted in this story. In my fragile mind it goes something like this:

"Listen, you no-goodnik, we'll fit ya for a pair of concrete galoshes and toss ya in the drink if ya don't come clean."

"Whoa, man. You need to mellow out, ya know, just loosen up. Like, uh, here, try this."

Eh? Eh? Could happen. I'm not sayin' it will, but it could happen.

I guess we'll all just have to tune in this Sunday at 9AM to find out for sure, right? Indeed.

Link (Thanks, Charles!)

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The Gard Symposium Gives Boring The Heave-Ho

While there are many differences between peoples and cultures on our small planet, one thing is common to all: The mere mention of the word "symposium" sends every single one of us into a deep, glassy-eyed stupor that can only be countered through a quick change of topic to, well, anything else. Given this fact, many events featuring worthy discussion tend to garner a level of attendance akin to a monotone reading of the phone book.

Today, however, we're gonna tell y'all about a two-day gathering that will shift your perception of what a symposium can be, so hold on tight to your cranium lest the brains contained within explode! Eew.

On September 24 and 25, the Wisconsin Arts Board and the Robert E. Gard-Wisconsin Idea Foundation will be hosting Altering the Face and the Heart of America: The Gard Symposium in Madison. What makes this conference better than most? The invitation to come and share insights is open to absolutely everyone interested in building strong communities--both urban and rural--through the meaningful, symbiotic relationships existent between the arts and other significant sectors of society.

Organized in honor of the gracious spirit of Robert Gard, a true Renaissance man of community arts development in Wisconsin and elsewhere, The Symposium will present the perspectives of a sociologist, a religious leader, a political leader, a community technology specialist, and an economist. But these views will not be left unchallenged or to float impotently in the air--each will receive a response from an arts activist determined to fairly question and consider its merits. Then the floor will spring open to everybody else. Hooray for inclusive debate!

So ya can prepare yourself for what's guaranteed to be an engaging and noodle-stimulating happening, check out these thoughtful essays, also creatively dubbed "white papers"--blech!--but I swear they're not as numbingly boring as that sounds, 'kay?

Registration is $50 for the The Gard Symposium at the Lowell Center on the UW-Madison Campus, September 24-25. If ya need a place to crash that's fancier than your artsy buddy's couch, make your reservation now 'cause the nutty, red-n-white clad Badger football fans will be there en masse that same weekend.

Link (Thanks, Jeri & George!)

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A Grand Folk Art Tour

How many people do ya know who are both smart and cool enough to buck the commercially driven, pukedelically saccharine idea of what a wedding/commitment celebration should be and just do exactly what they wanna do, hmm? Well, we're fortunate enough to know a bunch, but current kudos go to our pals Dan and Jennifer Schierl, who spent two whole days last month touring a plethora of stunning folk art sites in Wisconsin and Iowa in honor of their 5th Anniversary--Whoot and Right On!

For our collective benefit, Jen--superstar teacher, knitter and photog--has uploaded a whopping pictorial collection documenting their road trip and it is truly astounding, and I mean as-tound-ing.

Now, to be honest, folk art can be something of an acquired taste and plenty of folks--hehe, get it?--have trouble with the sometimes far-out and/or hyper-spiritual messages, not to mention the often wacky execution. But all of these sites represent intense artistic expression that simply could not be hidden, silenced or quashed, which means they are deserving of respect and serious contemplation. Also, astonished chuckles of "Wow, what in the hell was he/she on?" is not an unusual response, so just go ahead and let it all out, 'kay?

Click on over for the full tour!

(Thanks, Jen!)

Do The Musical History Jig With The Carolina Chocolate Drops

The eclectic musical tastes 'round the Cricky household run the gamut from epic experimental compositions--see Music for 18 Musicians by Steve Reich--to quality, yes quality pop that simply cannot be ignored--see Kate Miller-Heidke's Politics In Space. Sandwiched between those extremes lay a myriad of genres, including old-timey string and jug-band music of the South that ya just can't help but tap your toes to--I dare you to resist.

A long ignored form of this jaunty style is the black string-band tradition--a musical injustice that the oh-so talented African American musicians of the Carolina Chocolate Drops are workin' hard to correct through their stellar recordings and amazing live shows.

As luck and tour schedules would have it, the Drops will be performing during WMSE 91.7's Radio Summer Camp Backyard BBQ on Sunday, July 18. Best of all for everybody, their 4PM performance is absotootly, posilootly free!

NPR's Fresh Air rebroadcast an awesome interview with the band today and we encourage all you tune lovin' peeps to give it a listen. Then head on over to Cathedral Square Park in Milwaukee on July 18 to get yourselves some historic, head bobbin' musical edumacation!

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At Last, The Master Of Smart & Funny Is Released On CD/DVD!

Last week I heard something on the radio so completely fabulous that I've been doing a happy jig sans letup for days now, which is why I haven't been able to tell y'all about it until now 'cause trying to type while dancing is like trying to thread a needle in a bouncy house. Admit it, you've tried it--tried it and failed.

Okay, so the marvelous intel is that a brand new collection of the fearless singing humorist/mathematician Tom Lehrer has just been released and we can all slap down a reasonable sum of cash to get it! Adding to the extraordinariness is the inclusion of film footage of Lehrer performing live. Whoozzah!

I'm aware that some may not know who Lehrer is and have sadly lived thus far without such knowledge, so here's something to whet your musical appetite:

Greatest. Apocalyptic. Tune. Ever. I learned the words to that song before I learned how to walk, people, which explains a lot, don't it? You bettcha!

Shout! Factory is responsible for putting the The Tom Lehrer Collection together and it's well worth the $14. Of interest and chuckles, when you click on over there you'll notice in the description a giant and highly Hilarious error:

"Many radio stations would not play his songs on air due to the subject matter so Lehrer began selling his CDs for $3 on campus at Harvard, where he attended school."

Did ya catch it? Of course ya did. Still, at the risk of insulting your intelligence, allow me to point it out for those suffering from a nasty hangover, rendering their brains not so good: It's the "selling his CDs" part. And with that, Prof. Lehrer is pegged not only as a brutally funny and fantastically talented musician but also as one of the mid-20th Century's super technological geniuses, wrenching the audio experience from vinyl and committing it to a format no one at the time could play. Haha, there's nothin' funnier than the young kids writing history with no worries about the facts, is there? The future's lookin' bright!

Regardless of this glaring faux-pas, I encourage anyone and everyone to purchase this collection immediately. Lehrer is lovingly known to us as an Equal Opportunity Offender, so don't be surprised to find yourself laughing heartily at yourself during one of his zinger-laced ditties.

Link (via NPR)

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RIP (Rest In Punk) Malcolm McLaren

Word has come from Switzerland that Malcolm McLaren, Punk's most adept and manipulative architect, died yesterday at the age of 64.

Equal parts visionary artist, tireless promoter, exploitative control freak and cold fish, McLaren managed a slew of bands in the 70s and 80s, including Adam and the Ants, New York Dolls, Bow Wow Wow and, most famously, The Sex Pistols--a band he not only created but also helped to destroy.

For many of us who watched McLaren's shameless and powerful dance of Life As Art, his uncanny ability to utilize provocation as a means to shock and scam The Man, attracting the disenfranchised and angry youth of a crumbling Western society, and somehow making it pay, well, we simply stood in awe.

But the ruthless and callous methods he sometimes employed to achieve this art, operating as if unaware that the players he directed were actual human beings, could not be ignored and made us feel hollow and empty.

There is no doubt that McLaren's influence and impact on the music and entertainment world was monumental, but his death leaves us no less conflicted and no closer to a satisfactory understanding of the artist or the man.

(via NPR's Morning Edition)

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