The Dead

It was with a heavy heart that I went to see a
movie tonight. I had just spent six hours in a
sweaty editting room trying to get my film to
work. I was exhausted, and the last thing |
wanted to do was to go see somebody else’s film
that had worked out. For some reason, | went to
see The Dead, John Huston’s last film. | don’t
know why; Huston is one of my favorite directors,
but I hate James Joyce. Actually, that’s not
entirely true. | once tried reading A Portrait of

_ The Artist As A Young Man but! couldn’t get
past the first sentence. In any case, | certainly
have never read The Dubliners, nor its last short
story, The Dead.

| left the theatre reborn. The Dead, a valedic-
torial film, is a beautiful irony as Huston’s last
work. But it is an irony that Huston himself
crafted. He was dying as he directed, often
having to be fed oxygen on set. He was, how-
ever, fortunate to be working from original
material by a pal of his, adapted by his son and
starring his daughter. It is a tribute to Anjelica
Huston that she delivers such a sublime perform-
ance in what must have been, at times, a night-
marish situation.

Anjelica plays an Irish woman named Gretta,
the wife of Gabriel Conroy, an Irish journalist for
a British paper. They, and their family and be
friends, meet to have dinner on the eve of The
Day of Epiphany. A pair of elderly sisters and
their young niece are the hostesses of the feast.
During the course of the evening dances are
danced, songs sung, poems recited and
speeches made. There is a bumbling drunk, a
famous tenor and a political activist, just to round
things off. The atmosphere is genial and familiar.
The conversation is a mix of subtle humour and
half-forgotten tragedy.

Throughout the film runs the motif of which
the title speaks. The death of opera, the death of
careers and the death of past love. Thanks to the
subdued acting these cold fingers are barely felt,
just a mild caress, which gives the film a melan-
cholic rather than a somber mood. The actors
are predominantly from the Irish stage, and they
all make the transition to film wonderfully well.
Donal McCann, as Conroy, is grave and world-
weary. Aunt Julia, a forcibly retired singer, is
played by Cathleen Delany, and Is so familiar that
I’m sure every family must have just such an
aunt. And Donal Donnelly, as Freddy, is the most
captivating and touching drunk that I’ve ever
seen.

You know, on leaving the theater, | was
thinking that if this film is as faithful to the story
as I’ve heard, I just might give Joyce another
shot. I’ve been told that Ulysses is pretty good: |
wonder if there’s a used-book store open this late
at night?

The Dead is playing at The Bay on Denman
at 7:15 and 9:15 nightly.

Martin Stein

Planet of the Arts vol. 3 no. 6 April 1988

Ars Longa,
Vita Brevis

Nomi Kaplan

“Brooklyn Illuminations” - Nomi Kaplan.
The Charles H. Scott Gallery, March 23 - April 24,
1988.

“O.K. tourists, Picture frame - tickets here for
the graffiti train”
- Futura 2000

In his rap from the Clash album Combat Rock,
New York graffiti artist Futura 2000 clearly
recognizes the impending commodification of his
art form. Futura, Keith Haring and others have
since traded brick walls for canvas in a cultural
equivalent of the proverbial “ticket out” offered by
outstanding athletic ability. But for every one who
succeeds in boxing or spray-painting their way
out of industrial squalor, thousands remain. It is
the expressions and frustrations of those left
behind which is articulated in paint on the walls of
buildings, and which has now been appropriated
as decorative surface for the photo works of Nomi
Kaplan.

With “Brooklyn Illuminations”, Kaplan has
successfully crafted a beautiful series of photo-
montages, photocollages, and panoramas.
However, the artist’s self-proclaimed journey of
“illumination”is dimmed by the apparent indiffer-
ence to the graffiti she appropriates. The visual
language of Brooklyn’s streets, and its loaded
sociological implications is relegated to painterly
backdrops for imagery plundered from art history.
The allegorical aspects of the work function to a
point: the juxtaposition of Renaissance figures
with post-industrial decay serves as a metaphor
for the human condition. However, the strategy of
re-presenting graffiti as decoration without
addressing its language diminishes the impact of
the works. In “Illuminated Corners” (1987) for
example, the artist “tags” the photograph of a
wall, adding her name in pen to the painted tags in
the picture, but from the security of the studio, a
continent away.

If Kaplan’s strategy is pure decoration and
surface, then the graffiti provides a visually
interesting and exciting background, and the
works are successful. But Kaplan’s appropriation
without representation, in the hermetic realm of
the studio, is not the urban renewal project
curator Christos Dikeakos asserts in the cata-
logue essay.

Student Painting

Prior to the “Brooklyn Illuminations” exhibi-
tion at the Charles H. Scott, First and Firball
coughed up a painting show for the Granville
Island 10th anniversary party. The Charles H.
Scott Gallery forms a tangible link between the
college and the community. The exhibitions there
attract passers-by to interact with the college
when they may have passed by without a second
thought. The gailery is not (apart from the gradu-
ation show) a student exhibition space - that is the
mandate of the Concourse Gallery. But suddenly,
like the breeze which blew the scaffolding down
around the crane, a decision is made that Painting
is to speak for the students of ECCAD during the
birthday bash. So, apart from the arbitrary nature
of the decision to put specific student works in
the Charles H. Scott and the lack of consultation
and/or participation with other departments, how
well did painting represent the college to the
public?

9. Take a nap after lunch.

The answer is a resounding O.K. Such a
response is a function.of the problematic nature
of group exhibitions, and particularly student
work. Inevitably, any comprehensive sampling of
various artists work appears uneven, but curator
Doris Shadbolt, whether swamped with submis-
sions, or required to cover wall-space during the
open house, could have done some editing.

The paintings themselves encompassed all
the extremes of scale, media, and most of the
prominent art movements of the 20th Century.
Obvious influences of prominent artists perme-
ated the show, but an understanding of the
techniques and languages developed by others is
intrinsic to the development of a personal iconog-
raphy. Expanding on the ideas developed by other
artists is what distinguishes the good student
works in the show. For example, Laurie Papou’s
Male Nude and Female Nude have the same
enigmatic sexual tension that the work of Eric
Fischl has, but the drawing style and treatment of
paint and surface are Papou’s. Fiona Mowatt,
(Untitled) and Jill Sabre (Last Cloud Passing-
Black Water Series) are able to take basic modern-
ist concerns with abstraction and produce work
that is identifiably theirs. Kurt Robertson’s two
pocket-sized impastos, Sarah Bond’s large
feminine icon, and the grinning yellow face in
Nicola Swaine’s work also demonstrate a recogni-
tion of, but a transition from, contemporary and
modernist concerns. Other work here is less
successful - two acrylics by the same artist that
can be admired for technical virtuosity and
slickness but lack any emotion; an awkward
figure in an obvious Landon MacKenzie land-
scape, and a papier-mache sculptural element
which is neither folksy or naive, just poor.

To paraphrase Mark Twain, the reports of the
death of painting are exaggerated. Despite the
critical attention given to video, performance and
installation, painting is still the market currency,
and receives the attention of the trade magazines
and the collectors.

Outside First and Firball, removed from the
clutter and hung in the hermetic world of the
gallery the painters from ECCAD, as a whole, are
doing O.K.

Ian Verchere

11

The Dead

twas with a heavy heart that | went to se
‘movie tonight. | had just spent six hours in a
‘sweaty editing room trying to get my film to
work. Iwas exhausted, and the last thing
wanted to do was to go seo somebody else's flim
that had worked out. For somo reason, Iwent to
‘300 The Dead, John Huston’ last film. I don't
know why; Huston Is one of my favorite directors,
but I hate James Joyce. Actually, that's not
entirely true. 1once tried reading A Portralt of
The Artist As A Young Man but I couldn't get
‘past the first sentence. In any case, | certainly
have never read The Dubliners, nor Its last short
story, The Dead.

Heft the theatre reborn. The Dead , a valedic-
torial film, is a beautiful Irony as Huston’s last
work, But It Is an irony that Huston himself
cratted. He was dying as he directed, often
having to be fed oxygen on set. He was, how-
ever, fortunate to be working from original
‘material by a pal of his, adapted by his son and
starring his daughter. itis a tribute to Anjolica
Huston that sho delivers such a sublime perform-
ance in what must have been, at times, a night-
‘marish situation.

Anjelica plays an Irish woman named Gre!

the wife of Gabriel Conroy, an Irish journalist for’

‘a British paper. They, and their family and
friends, most to have dinner on the eve of The
Day of Epiphany. A pair of elderly sister

thelr young niece.

During the course of t

ade. There Is a bumbling drunk, a

da political activist, just to round
things off. The atmosphere is genial and familia
‘The conversation Is a mix of subtle humour and
half-forgotten tragedy.

‘Throughout the flim runs the motif of which
the title speaks. The death of opera, the death of
careers and the death of past love. Thanks to the
Subdued acting these cold finger

ition to film wonderfully well.
Donal McCann, as Conroy, is grave and world-
weary. Aunt Julia, a forcibly retired singer, is
played by Cathleen Delany, and Is so familiar that
1'm sure every family must have just such an
aunt. And Donal Donnelly, dy, ist
‘captivating and touching drunk that I've
‘You know, on leavin; Iwas
thinking that If this film is as faithful to the story

at night?
The Dead Is playing at The Bay on Denman
‘and 9:15 nightly.

Martin Stein

Planetofthe Arts vol.3.no.6 April 1988

Ars Longa,
Vita Brevis

Nomi Kaplan

“Brooklyn Illuminations” - Nomi Kaplan,
‘The Charles H. Scott Gallery, March 23 - April 24,
1988,

“O.K. tourists, Picture frame - tickets here for
the grafft train’

In his rap from the Clash album Combat Rock,
Now York graffiti artist Futura 2000 clearly
recognizes the impending commodification of his
art form. Futura, Keith Haring and others have
since traded brick walls for canvas in a cultural
equivalent of the proverbial “ticket out” offered by
‘outstanding athletic ability. But for every one who
succeeds in boxing or spray-painting thelr way
‘out of industrial squalor, thousands remain. It Is
the expressions and frustrations of those Ie
behind which is articulated in paint on the walls of
buildings, and which has now been appropriated
‘as decorative surface for the photo works of Nomi
Keplan.

With “Brooklyn liluminations”, Kaplan has
‘successfully cratted a beautiful series of photo-
‘montages, photocollages, and panoramas,

rociaimed journey of
llumination”is dimmed by the apparent indiffer-
7

‘sociological implications Is relegated to painterly
backdrops for imagery plundered from art history.
The allegorical aspects of the work function to a
point: the juxtaposition of Renaissance figures
‘with post-industrial decay serves as a metaphor
{for the human condition. However, the strategy of
re-presenting graffiti as decoration without
‘addressing its language diminishes the impact of
the works. In “lluminated Comers” (1987) for
cample, the artist “tags” the photograph of a
‘adding her name in pen to the painted tags in
the picture, but from the security of the studio, a
continent away.
Ii Kaplan’s sirategy is pure decoration and
surface, then the graffitl provides a visually
interesting and exciting background, and the
‘works are successful. But Kaplan's appropriation
without representation, In the hermetic realm of
the studio, is not the urban renewal project
‘curator Christos Dikeakos asserts in the cata-
logue essay.

Student Painting

Prior tothe “Brookiyn iuminations” exhibi-
tion atthe Charles H. Scot, First and Firball
coughed up a painting show for the Granvila
{stand 10th anniversary pary. The Charles H.
Scott Gallery forms a tangible ink between the
college and the community. The exhibitions there
Ssttract passers-by to interact with the col
‘when they may have passed by without a second
thought, The galley Is not (apart from the gradu-
Allon show) a student exhibition space - that Is the
Concourse Gallery, But suddenly,
down
around the erane, a decision Is made that Painting
is to speak for the students of ECCAD during the
birthday bash. So, apart from the arbitrary nature
ofthe decision to put specific student works in
the Charles H. Seat and the lack of consultation
andlor participation with other departments, how
Wel dd painting represent the college to the
public?

9 Take nap after lunch

The answer Is a resounding O.K. Such a
response is a function of the problematic nature
of group exhibitions, and particul

work. Inevitably, any comprehen:
varlous artists Work appears uneven, but curator
Doris Shadbolt, whether swamped with submis

quired to cover ws
open house, could have done som

‘media, and most of the
‘movements of the 20th Century.
‘Obvious influences of prominent artists perme-
ated the show, but an understanding of the
techniques and languages developed by others is
intrinsic to the development of a personal iconog-
raphy. Expanding on the ideas developed by other
artists is what distinguist
works in the show. For example, Laurie Papou's
Male Nude and Female Nude have the same
‘enigmatic sexual tension that the work of Eric
Fisch! has, but the drawing style and treatment of,
paint and Surface are Papou's. Fiona Mowatt,
(Untitied) and Jill Sabre (Last Cloud Passing:
Black Water Series) are able to take basic modern-
{st concerns with abstraction and produce work
that is identifiably thelrs, Kurt Robertson's two
pocket-sized impastos, Sarah Bond's large
feminine icon, and the grinning yellow face i
Nicola Swaine's work also demonstrat
tion of, but a transition from, contemporary and
‘modernist concerns. Other work her
‘successful - two acrylics by the same artist that
‘can be admired for technical virtuosity and
slickness but lack any emotion; an awkward
figure In an obvious Landon MacKenzie land-
scape, and a papler-mache sculptural element
which is neither folksy or naive, just poor.

‘To paraphrase Mark Twain, the reports of the

death of painting spite the
critical atention give rmance and
installation, painting is currency,

and receives the attention of the trade magazines
‘and the collectors.

Outside First and Firball, removed from the
clutter and hung in the hermetic world of the
gallery the painters from ECCAD, as a whol
doing OK.

are

lan Verchére

1