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November 18, 2010 | Issue 44
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DARB-TV at Current Space. Photo by Philip Laubner.
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DARB TV
One thing was certain from the beginning: DARB TV was not going to be your “normal” everyday performance. Upon entering Current Space each of us were greeted at the door with an anonymous survey that probed us about sex, rape, violation and control. I was asked to fill out the form and then hand it to a puppet. A puppet?
After sitting down, an attractive woman dressed in a cute, oddly-colored outfit took the stage. The outfit matched the hand-painted stage, all brown, prison-outfit orange and green-screen green. It all felt a bit off. She warned us that the play would simulate the crisis and trauma of an abusive and dysfunctional home, and that the play’s disturbing subject matter (incest and sexual victimization) could possibly trigger a negative reaction in some of us. She also assured us that there would be someone to talk to afterwards and that we could – at any time – go to an empty room, called the “safe room,” next to the theater if needed. Her disclaimer ended suddenly with a loud crash, the lights were cut, and she ran off the stage.
Surveys? Disclaimer speeches? And now this? I was confused. My defenses engaged, I was ready for anything. The boundaries were blurred and the performance hadn’t even begun, or had it? Was this theater? Or group therapy on steroids?
Photo and story by Philip Laubner.
This isn’t somewhere over the rainbow, my pretty. This is What Weekly.
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DARB TV
Performance artist Rebecca Nagle has never shied away from pushing boundaries. In 2008 she disemboweled herself at the end of her one woman show: A Dozen Things I Want To Do Onstage. Fake intestines covered her lifeless form. After the audience clapped she remained still. They waited, still no movement. The tension built, another round of applause…nothing. Eventually, one-by-one people began to file out in silence. There was a dead body in the room after all.
Photo and story by Philip Laubner.
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Part of the allure of Rebecca‘s work is the tension of not knowing where the boundaries are, or where the performance ends and you, the audience, begin. I met with her a few days after the show and asked her about it. She said: “I’m really into social boundaries and making people more aware of them.” She went on to say, “I don’t think all boundaries are bad, one social boundary is that families don’t sexualize with each other, that’s a healthy boundary. But other boundaries that aren’t good are ones that limit what women are supposed to do.”
Photo and story by Philip Laubner.
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For DARB TV, Nagle has used the format of a children’s show to create a dysfunctional alternate reality; an intricately fabricated children’s nightmare made for adults. Incest? A children’s show? The combination seems sinister, but it turns out that it works as a good, simple vehicle for a complex issue.
Photo and story by Philip Laubner.
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Rebecca, with performers Monica Mirabile (who also designed the outfits), Sarah Tooley, and J Gavin Heck, along with artistic support provided by Natalya Brusilovsky, uses devices and elements that could have been lifted straight from a children’s show. There’s a giant puppet head made completely out of stuffed animals, with a moveable mouth for narration. There’s a character with a paper mache head named Counting Mouth, which is covered in numbers and speaks with an accent that you can’t quite place. There’s even recorded children’s voices that interact with the girls on stage and with the audience.
The set of DARB TV is well thought out. There’s an undeniable attention to detail on all levels of Rebecca Nagle’s work; for me, her attention to detail is an indication of the care she has for her message. She hand-built and painted the set, which includes a stage with two doors, three inset TV’s, and an alternate staging area that also doubles as an audience mezzanine, with a trap door for burying a body.
Photo and story by Philip Laubner.
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The scenes follow the standard children show protocol. There’s a cooking segment where grandma makes a meal with Rebecca’s help. Rebecca has to locate all of the ingredients one by one, and they seem to be in the strangest of places all over grandma’s body? There’s a mysterious bottle that’s lowered on a string that can’t be opened. There’s a puppet show (within the show) that seems to tell an awful truth. There’s also a demonstration of what’s a good touch and what’s a bad touch, which asks the audience to interact and learn together.
Photo and story by Philip Laubner.
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Since 1995, The Creative Alliance has promoted Baltimore as a dynamic center of art in all genres. With members ranging from artists and educators to neighbors and supports, the Creative Alliance cultivates community through collaboration.
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The Renaissance Will Be Televised
In two days I had to start shooting the movie – a low budget indie, yes, but a complicated one with lots of people involved – a train going down a mountain with no brakes, if you know what I mean. I still had no actor to play the leading role. In walks Kenneth Hughes. He reads for the part. I don’t even care if he can act (and yes he can), I want this guy. He’s just cool and original and I could just tell he was going to bring it. The love, I mean, of the art. The movie. The process.
The movie was Ocean Park (2002), a sort of underbelly of Hollywood desperation crime thriller moral nightmare tale. (Ocean Park is that district of Santa Monica that incubated the Lords of Dogtown.) Anyway, it was fitting, because Kenny is a creature of Hollywood, born and raised. Not the bullshit glam thing we consume as pop entertainment, but the real street level foggy labyrinth grungy town.
This column loves outsider filmmakers and their creations, and Hughes is an inspiring example. Yes, he is an actor, and that includes parts in movies ranging from The Island and 500 Days of Summer to Double Identity (Val Kilmer again!) and Rent. Rent, because he is also a dancer. And a choreographer. Oh, and he has his pilot’s license, his film school degree, and his equine science degree. Did I mention he is a lawyer? And if you need production insurance for your indie film (and who doesn’t) shop at Entertainment Insurance of Hollywood, where Kenny is a partner…. keep going.
-david warfield
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David Warfield, Confessions of a Mad Filmmaker
A What Weekly Column
“And so here we have a unique opportunity to track the production of a truly independent film from the moment of conception (the script is not yet completed) to the first public screening, and beyond. ”
Were not talking about EPK filler here, were talking about life, and its bound to get messy.”
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Baker Artist Awards Launch Party
Anthony Terranova, Andy Rubin and Eduardo Rodriguez
The 2011 Baker Artist Awards launch party brought out over 250 artists and some of the most charming men in Baltimore last Wednesday night including artist Anthony Terranova, Cyclops Bookstore owner Andy Rubin and Gallery 788 owner Eduardo Rodriguez.
Since 2009 the William Baker Jr. Memorial Fund has granted much needed support to Baltimore artists by first giving them a forum for which to promote their work and second by bestowing large sums of money to select artists each year. Bohemian or not, I’ve yet to run across an artist who couldn’t put large sums of money to use.
Photo by Theresa Keil, story by Justin Allen.
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Aldo Pantoja, Melissa Talleda, Christy Barnes, Sarah Weissman and Erin Hartz
What many of us have known for some time, without the aid of research, is that a rich and vibrant culture makes for a more satisfying lifestyle. The assertion that the arts play a major role in the Quality of Life Index of a community should be a no-brainer but is still not factored into many surveys.
Photo by Theresa Keil, story by Justin Allen.
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Books, Live Music, Art Gallery and more!
Same block as Windup Space, across from Joe Squared. Plenty of room inside for your bike; FREE street parking for your car (well plug your meter before 6, after that its free anyway) come on over…
30 West North Ave.
Baltimore, MD, 21201
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Winner of the 2010 Baltimore’s Choice award and the Nancy Haragan award, beatboxer/vocal percussionist Shodekeh is an excellent example of how an artist can fuse cultures that would otherwise remain separate. Shodekeh’s exploration of human vocal expression embodies the ongoing evolution of an art form. He is without a doubt one of the most versatile and accomplished musicians in the city and is sure to be in the running for this year’s Mary Sawyers Baker Prize.
Photo by Theresa Keil, story by Justin Allen.
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Mary Sawyers Baker Prize award winner for 2009, Carl Grubbs, shared the stage with Shodekeh in what was an amazing set of individual and collaborative improvisation. Grubbs’ creative lineage can be traced back to John Coltrane, who mentored him, and his accomplishments read like a resume for someone applying for the super-human jazz ninja position down at the Office of Artistic Magnificence. The Baker Prize was but one of many prestigious awards Grubbs has collected over the years.
Photo by Theresa Keil, story by Justin Allen.
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Wham City Comedy Tour
Last Thursday the good folks at Wham City kicked off their comedy tour in the fabulous basement of the Bell Foundry in Station North. The venue – unfinished and adorned with all manner of graffiti – was transformed from dingy subdomain of a partially refurbished and repurposed industrial relic to an unexpectedly cozy performance space. The ability to use spaces like this in such a way as to allow audiences to forget themselves speaks to the inventiveness and imagination of Wham City.
More than this, it appears that the members have a genuine affection for one another. If not I’d like to imagine they do because the effort was triumphant and I’d bet that most of the audience left feeling better than when they came. The optimist in me has to believe that there’s sincerity somewhere in that equation.
I’d like to reinterpret the evening by way of haiku.
Photo by Brooke Hall, haiku by Justin Allen.
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peer into the dark
for the love of their laughter
no depths too funky
Photo by Brooke Hall, haiku by Justin Allen.
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one cop-two coppers
wet was this slow motion kiss
straight man bit anew
Photo by Brooke Hall, haiku by Justin Allen.
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Imploding Eye: A Short Film By Matt Muirhead
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Secret Mountains: Rejoice
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Dustin Wong: Indigo and Crystal
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Friday, Nov 19
The First Baltimore Hackathon at The Beehive 6 pm
What is this?
Build a hardware or software project from idea to prototype in a weekend!
You can participate individually or as a team. When?
November 19-21 2010. The event will start at 6pm on Friday 11/19 and end at 6pm on Sunday 11/21
Judges will be recognizing the best projects in these categories:
Best Software Prototype – Individual $150 Best Software Prototype – Group $350 Best Hardware Prototype – Individual $150 Best Hardware Prototype – Group $350 * Audience Favorite $150
Opening Reception for Waltr Carpenter: Aghost at Nudashank 8 pm
A celebration of the life and creative work of Waltr Carpenter (1982-2009) including drawing, video, light sculpture, sound, and digital prints.
Followed by musical performances by: Abiku w/ visuals by Johnny Rogers STS presents A ghost of Hex Slow Creep (ex. Turquoise Cats, Drugs Bunny)
MICKEY FREE Record Release Show at Golden West 10 pm
Mickey Free/ Secret Weapon Dave AK Slaughter Nuclear Power Pants special guests TBA
$5.00 ADMISSION, ALL AGES
Well, at long last here we are. The new Mickey Free record “Last Of The Tight Wiggers” will be released on Friday Nov. 19. Please come out and join us. Protesters, please stay in your designated indignation areas.
For more details, directions and events click here.
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Saturday, Nov 20
WINTERFEST 2010 at Baltimore Clayworks 6:00 pm
This fifteenth annual utilitarian ceramics holiday invitational, Winterfest 2010, features established and emerging ceramic artists. This exhibition is perfectly paired with Baltimore Clayworks’ Annual Holiday Sale where member and invited artists join together to fill the galleries with hand-crafted gifts. /p>
2nd Annual Free School Dance! with the Bellevederes and DJ Jason Willett at the H&H Building 9:30 pm
Grab your sweetheart and pin on that corsage- it’s the Baltimore Free School’s second annual School Dance! From the cake, punch, and chaperones (yes, chaperones) to the irresistible dance tunes of The Bellevederes and DJ Jason Willett, this party’s going to be an even bigger blast than last year’s… and if you were there, you know that’s really saying something. Please pass the word on- it’ll be a great night, and the proceeds will help keep the BFS doors open for anyone to teach or take a class for free!
Future Islands & Lonnie Walker 7″ Release Show at Ottobar 10 pm
Baltimore release party for a split 7 inch released by Friends Records. Limited-run of peach-colored vinyl 7 inches, with new Future Islands single “The Ink Well” and Lonnie Walker’s “Love Turn”. Recorded by Chester Endersby Gwazda, mastered by Rob Girardi, artwork by Elena Johnston and Natasha Tylea, and typography by Nolen Strals.
For more details, directions and events click here.
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Sunday, Nov 21
FOR HAITI A Dance Benefit for CARE at Creative Alliance 2 and 8 pm
Sun Nov 21, 2pm student showcase and 7pm performance w/ reception & silent auction. 2pm $15, $12 mbrs & stus. 7pm $20, $18 mbrs & stus.
With the CARE for Haiti Dance Project, dancers Lindsey Hedrick, Lara Martin, and Stacey Claytor raise money and awareness for the needs of the Haitian people. Celebrated and established dancers performing tonight: Sarah Konner & Austin Selden, Sheena Black, and Nicole Martinell and her Deep Vision Dance Company. Cellist and composer Caleb Jones performs his live score for the ensemble. An afternoon showcase by students from The Moving Company Dance Center raises funds for Haiti as well.
Town! Square! Extravaganza! Featuring TIMMY REED, EARL CROWN, THE SNEAKS at Minas 4 pm
Join us for an afternoon of auditory arrestment and syntaxical verbiage. Timmy Reed and (Sir) Earl Crown read their work and The Sneaks make their sounds.
As always, followed by an open mic!
For more details, directions and events click here.
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Ongoing
Waltr Carpenter Aghost at Nudashank
A celebration of the life and creative work of Waltr Carpenter (1982-2009) including drawing, video, light sculpture, sound, and digital prints.
Eschatology II at Positron Gallery
Often in reference to the end of the world, the Oxford English Dictionary defines Eschatology as “concerned with the four last things: death, judgment, heaven, and hell”. In Eschatology II, guest curator Cherí Landry invites you to explore this branch of theology through a selection of works by Emil Alzamora, Sasha Blanton, Jen Blazina, Jordan Eagles, Gwyneth Scally and Carlos Tarrats.
Hope Against Hope At The Pheonix Shot Tower
From the theft of fire [by Prometheus], to contamination through water [Leviticus]; echoing the home of invention and the cornerstone laying by Charles Carroll of Carrollton; a commercial enterprise dissolves the myth of bullets and opens onto hope as poison at the bottom of Pandora’s box.
Scattering the fragments of history to the sound of falling water, this once tallest building in the US becomes a site of modest explorations and play.
Featuring site specific performances, video, drawing, installation, food, and lectures. Ends December 4.
Walter Wick: Games, Gizmos And Toys In The Attic at The Walters Art Museum
The Walters Art Museum will host the playful and interactive world of best-selling author and photographic illustrator Walter Wick in the exhibition Walter Wick: Games, Gizmos and Toys in the Attic on view Sept. 19, 2010–Jan. 2, 2011. Wick is the creator of the Can You See What I See? series and co-creator, with writer Jean Marzollo, of the I Spy books for children. Wick’s books challenge readers to solve visual riddles or puzzles created from the thousands of props he has collected in his renovated firehouse studio. His photographic style, one of precision and detail, will alter the viewer’s sense of visual perception. September 19, 2010 – January 02, 2011
Andy Warhol: The Last Decade at The BMA
Andy Warhol: The Last Decade is the first Museum
exhibition in the country to explore the Pop icon’s late
works. Featuring more than 50 paintings created between
1976 and 1986—the most prolific era in Warhol’s 40-
year career, the exhibition illustrates the artist’s energetic
return to painting (after his foray into filmmaking and
screenprinting) and the physical act of art-making through
hand painting, folding, and staining. Paintings of epic proportions—
stretching up to 35 feet wide—envelop viewers
in dramatic fields of color, painterly gestures, and symbols
of American culture.
What Makes Us Smile? at AVAM
In celebration of its 15th Anniversary, AVAM will mount its most delight-filled exhibition to date, exploring just “What Makes Us Smile?” It will be curated by master humorist and creator of The Simpsons Matt Groening, artist Gary Panter, and AVAM Founder Rebecca Hoffberger. This mega exhibition on the timeless and global phenomena of smiling, laughter and humor will include contributions by dozens of artists, including comedian Michael Baldwin’s spectacular vintage toy assemblages created from toys collected from five decades of his dedicated dumpster diving, and a seven-thousand toothbrush welcome mat that uses bristles and color to invite a “SMILE” from all who enter. The triumvirate of curators will take a look at both historic and modern employ of humor to speak truth to power – think court jester/fool’s ability to say things to the king that no one else could get away with to today’s Tina Fey, Jon Stewart, and Stephen Colbert and their sardonic take on today’s news and leadership.
For more details, directions and events click here.
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What is What Weekly?
What Weekly is a multimedia magazine chronicling the real Baltimore movers and shakers not the corporations, not the politics, What Weekly spotlights the people. Were paying attention to the good things happening in Baltimore and sharing it all with you.
Why online? Disposable print media is wasteful and, with the advent and proliferation of the Internet, it is more difficult to justify. Technology is a gift and a tool use it to evolve and build things together.
If you want to be a part of the movement, you can send us your photos to publish, your events to promote and your ideas to talk about. Forward the email, share a link, start a movement. Your audience is the world, pass it on.
Whats the Goal?
One day soon you will hear a bit of news like this, “Multimedia Magazine Reaches One Million People.” If we dont do it, someone else will. We want to build a large independent distribution channel and well use it to tell the world what youre doing. We want as many people as possible clicking on the links to your websites and ultimately taking an interest in the Baltimore Renaissance and its artists.
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Whats the point?
This is a movement dedicated to uniting the creative community in and around Baltimore City and then sharing it throughout the world for the benefit of Baltimore and its people. The movement has already begun; we just gave it a name.
Using a multimedia platform, we want to put Baltimore on the map so it’s recognized globally for the artistic and intellectual hub that it is. We start by chronicling your amazing work.
We understand that the distribution of ideas is no longer bound by geography. This paradigm shift allows for cultural movements to exist locally and globally simultaneously. We can share everything, we can create anything and we can reach everyone. It’s time to do something with that power.
What Weekly does not exist without you. You are the soul of this movement.
Submit Your Idea.
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Whats the Mission?
1. Document the Baltimore Renaissance
2. Make Baltimore a better place to live and highlight good news
3. Help support Baltimores artists and independent businesses
4. Build a tribe, start a movement
5. Encourage more facetoface interaction within the community
6. Drive awareness of excellent events
7. Put Baltimore on the (global) map
Read more about the mission.
Whats the Good Word?
We believe in spreading the good news, which also means spotlighting organizations that do good things.
Submit Your Good Deeds.
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| Copyright© What Weekly LLC. All rights reserved. | P.O. Box 16275 | Baltimore, MD 21210 |
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