fampopo

The idea of a play within a play is as old as
Shakespeare, but the film, Tampopo, by
writer/director Jozo Itami can best be
compared to dim sum. In dim sum the food is
separated in wooden boxes, which are then
piled on top of each other, allowing the
different smells to intermingle. This is perhaps
the best metaphor for a film primarily about
food.

The film starts off with a Japanese gangster,
Koji Hakusho, dressed in traditional American
gangster garb, sitting down in a theatre with
his moll, Fukumi Koroda. Before them is
placed a picnic the likes of which is only seen
on Dijon mustard commercials. He sees the
audience (us) and asks what we are eating.
He then threatens a man’s life because the
noise of the man’s potato chip bag annoys
him. Then, the movie starts.

The main focus of the story is a widow
named Tampopo (played by Nobuko
Miyamoto) and her struggle to keep her
husband’s noodle restaurant above water. In
walk Gun (Ken Watenabe) and Goro

planet of the arts

cine

ars longa,

two heads are better than one

gary slang and sean thompson
malaspina printmakers society

extended to october 12

Gary Slang and Sean Thompson are
fourth-year printmakers at E.C.C.A-D.
They were the recipients of the Malaspina
Printmakers Society studio scholarships,
and the products of their summers work is’
currently on exhibit at Malaspina through
October 5th.

Due to the saturation of the traditional
market for prints by photo-mechanically
reproduced posters, the nature of
printmaking itself is being re-evaluated.
The initial ideal of democratic and
economic distribution of a body of original
art is now usurped by the offset press.
Explorations of new means of production
and presentation question the validity of

editioning 1 in large numbers. Instead, the

various printmaking techniques are
utilized as drawing tools, exploiting the
medium’s aesthetic properties. The
editions are minimal, the intent to bestow
the patina of exclusivity in the market, the
traditional property of painting.

Slang and Thompson fall into the newer
realm of printmaking, concerned with
lithography and intaglio for their results,
and less for the durability of the matrix
and its ability to supply an edition. Their
subject matter has no shared ground, but
both artists utilize stylized imagery that is

margaret bootsma

lino prints and drawings
firehall theatre

Fifteen works by Margaret Bootsma were
shown at the Firehall Theatre throughout
September. A painter and printmaker at
Emily Carr, Bootsma has studied in Mexico,
Hawaii, and UBC. This is her first solo
show, and as the exhibition title suggests,
consists of 12 lino-cuts and 3 drawings.

Technically well executed and tastefully
installed, the work displays a sure hand in
the mechanics of lino-cut, and carries a
strong illustrative drawing skill, though is
not particularly ground-breaking or
challenging. It deals with archetypal
academic subjects: the figure, the still-life,
and the landscape. This may be a concession
to an anticipated audience, a successful
reading on Bootsma’s part as the presence of

W

——a—————_
=

=|
SV

ee,

of the

(Tsusomu Yamiski), two truck drivers. Ina
scene reminiscent of “Shane”, Gun and Goro
agree to stay and help Tampopo. As a matter
of fact, the entire film is a gentle parody of
American Westerns, and pays stylistic
homage to several American genres. But that
is the story structure; the film is really about
the lifestyle of the epicurian.

Epicurian, lover of food. Food. Food of all
types and how it relates to our lives. As in the

easily associated with them as individuals.
Development of a determinedly
individualist language is important for
mature artists, but is it an attribute for
students if done at the expense of
experimentation?

Slang’s most prominent aesthetic is the
cave. Conceptually he addresses the
relationship between man as top-of-food-
chain and animal as component-and-sport.
He freely blurs the distinction with
anthropomorphic hybrids of body and
antler, human form and cattle skull,
particularly in the large etchings “Figure
1” and “Figure 2”. The artist’s repeated
use of the same plates cause images to
disappear and reappear, invoking
metamorphosis and, in it’s purest sense,
evolution.

The two drawings in the show reveal
Slang’s contemporary influences — the
disjointed, cocooned figures, wrapped and
limbless evoke the work of Betty Goodwin,
while his twitchy line and use of text owes
a debt to Cy Twombly.

Only one lithograph is represented by
Slang here, a full black, acid-bit image
enigmatically titled * ‘Pigs Might Fly”. The
sheer labour intensity of planographic
processes accounts for the numerical
differences between Slang (seven etchings
and drawings and one litho) and Sean
Thompson (4 lithographs).

Thompson brings the prairie horizon

Gi

times

SS
Seo

vol 3 nol

Martin Stein

game Go, the way we play is often a reflection
of our way of life. Do we treat food like works
of art, as do the vagabonds in the film who
steal into the kitchens to create their
masterpieces? Do we like food for its
sensuality, like the gangster in his takeoff of
“9% Weeks”? Or are we all gluttons, like the

~ aged sugar-daddy who almost loses his life

choking on dessert? Yep, food can be used
to impress, embarass, threaten and even
physically harm (and if you don’t believe that,
wait for the dentist’s scene.).

My final opinion? Go see it! Don’t wait! This
movie made me hungry! Eating before the
film doesn’t help: | had dinner, went to the
film, and then drove all around town with a
friend, looking for a noodle place that was still
open. | finally found one on the east side, the
On-Lok which was actually quite good, and
where | discovered that I’m the glutton.
Anyone looking for a sugar-daddy?

Tamopopo is playing at the Park Theatre,
about the only theatre in the city that Cineplex
owns but hasn't ruined. Yet.

Vita brevis

ian verchere

line and the intrusion of silo, tower, and
man to an eerie, internalized focus. His
drawing is figurative and folky, the figures
facing the prairie night sky or challenging
the viewer from the grey industrial forms
which interrupt the landscape. “The
Neighbours are Heavy Sleepers” is
immediately striking; industrially typical .
row houses lit from the night by a blazing
home — a community united in
architectonic sameness, but devoid of
neighbourly compassion or humanity.

“The Bellringers” is Thompson’s assault
on the traditional parameters of
printmaking. The diptych frees itself from
the rectangle, the top piece utilizing a
Gothic-Christian half-circle which
underscores the work’s religious overtones.
That the the shape is inherent to the subject
defeats the gratuitous use of non-
conventional shapes for their non-
conventionality alone.

Thompson’s weakness is his colour;
discordant rubine red mixed with lush
greens. When used in skies., the
atmosphere becomes charged and
poisonous, but in the interior landscapes
the effect is negative.

“Two Heads Are Better Than One” is a
strong show of work by two developing
artists, both challenging formalist
printmaking traditions. If Thompson and
Slang experiment and expand their stylized
visual language the potential is great.

Ian Verchére

red dots will attest, and perhaps not an
indication of the artist’s direction.

In works such as “Still Life With Falling
Glass” Bootsma does manage to alter
traditional expectations of still life, but rather
than develop this concept, chooses colours
which seem to cater to trends in contemporary
illustration.

The aspect of commercial drawing
applications is manifested in the three
drawings included here, which in style and
subject matter owe at least a tip of the hat to
Lynda Barry and Carel Moisewitcsh. Not
bad company, and perhaps the strengths of
Bootsma’s show. As a survey of the work of
a student printmaker, it is a good show; as
with most students and their art, only time
will tell whether the ideas and subject matter
will mature.

Ian Verchére

sean thompson

marga ret bootsma

cine

tampopo

The idea of a pay within a play is as old as
‘Shakespeare, bu the film, Tampopo, by
writeriérector Jozo lami can best be
comparedto dim sum. Indim sum the ood
separated in wooden bores, which are then
piled ontop of each other, allowing the
diferent smelstointerminge. This is perhaps
the best metaphor or fim primarly about
food

The fm stars off with a Japanese gangster
Koji Hakusho, dressed in traditional American
gangster garb siting down ina theatre with
his mol, Fukumi Koroda. Before them is
placed a pienic the likes of whic is only seen
‘on Dijon mustard commercials. He sees the
audience (us) and asks what we are eating
He then threatens a mans life because the
noise ofthe man’s potato chip bag annoys
him. Then, the movie stars.

The main focus ofthe storyis a widow
‘named Tampopo (played by Nobuko
Miyamoto) and her sttugee to koop her
husband's noodle restaurant above water. In
walk Gun (Ken Watenabe) and Goro

ars longa,

two heads are better than one

any slang and sean thompson
rmalaspina p

imakers society
extended to october 12

studio scholarships
an the product of works
earrenty on exhibit at Malaspina cough
October Sth

Due to the saturation of thetradional
market for prints by phot-mech
iste els eared
tconomicdixtibution ofa by of original
ignlay ured by theolee pees
Hae et ay rere tet
vilized wd
fhspatiote
cera hse ie

Sia

sivity in the market, th

ompson fall into the newer
z. concerned with

wlio for their results,

bility of the matrix

raphy and ini
Tess for the du

margaret bootsma

Tino prints and drawings
firehall theatre

Fifleen works by Margaret Bootsma were
shown at the Firehall Theatre throughout
September. A painter and printmaker at
Emily Carr, Bootsma has studied in Mexico,
Hawaii, and UBC. This is her first solo
show, and asthe exhibition ttle suggests,
consists of 12 lino-cuts and 3 drawings.
Technically well executed and tastefully
installed, the work displays a sure hand
the mechanics of lino-cut, and carries a
strong illustrative drawing skill, though is
not particularly ground-breaking or
challenging. It deals with archetypal
academic subjects: the figure, the still-life,
‘and the landseape. This may be a concession
toan anticipated audience, a successful
reading on Bootsma's par asthe presence of

@

of the

(Tsusomu Yamiski), two truck divers. In a
‘scene reminiscent of “Shane”, Gun and Goro
agree to stay and help Tampopo. As a matter
of fact, the entire film isa gentle parody of
‘American Westems, and pays stistc
homage to several American genres, But that
is the story sructur; the fim is relly about
the lifestyle ofthe epicurian.

Epicurah, lover of food. Food. Food ofall
types and how it relates to our lives. As in the

ited with them as individuals,

eterminedly

is important for
bute for

th

relationship between man as top-of-food.
‘and-sport
anthropomorphic hybrids of body and.
antler, human form and cattle skull,
particularly in the large etchings “Figure
1” and “Figure 2°. The artist's repeated
use ofthe same plates
disappear and reappear, invoking
‘metamorphosis and, in it’s purest sense,

evolutio
The two drawings in the show reveal

Slang’s co fluences — the

disjointed, cocooned figures, wrapped and

limbless evoke the work of Betty Goodwin,
while his twitchy line and use of text owes
a debt to Cy Twombly

Only one lithograph is represen

here. a full black, acid-bit

tically titled “Pigs Might F
sheer labour intensity of ph
processes
differences between Slang (seven etchings
and drawings and one litho) and Sean
Thompson (4 lithographs)

Thompson brings the prairie horizon

t ofthe arts vol

TIMES iaanswn

game Go, the way we play often a reflection
(of our way of fe. Do we treat food lke works
fart, as do the vagabonds in the flm who
steal nto the kitchens to create their
‘masterpieces? Do we like food fo its
sensuality, ike the gangster in his takeot of
"8Y% Weeks"? Or are we all gluttons, ike the
aged sugar-daddy who almost loses his fe
choking on dessert? Yep, food can be used
to impress, embarass, threaten and even.
physically harm (and if you don't beliove that,
wait forthe dentists scene.)

'My final opinion? Go see it! Don't wat! This.
‘movie made me hungry! Eating before the
film doesn't help: had dinner, went to the
film, and then drove all around town with a
friend, looking fr a noodle place that was stil
‘pen. finaly found one on the east side, the
(On-Lok which was actually quite good, and
where | discovered that Im the glutton.
‘Anyone looking for a sugar-daddy?

“Tamopopo is playing at the Park Theatre
about the only theatre in the city that Cineplex.
‘owns but hasn't ruined. Yet.

brevis

ian verchere

Tine and the intrusion of silo, tower, and
man to an eerie, internalized focus. His

‘drawing is figurative and folky, the figures
prairie night sky or challenging

y industrial forms
interrupt the landscape
bours are Heavy Sleepers” is
ly striking: industrially typical
night by a blazing

bourly compassi
Bellringet

inthe traditional paran
printmaking. The diptych frees itself from
the rectangle, the top piece utilizing

Gothic-Christian half-ciecle which
underscores the work's religious overtor
That the the shape tothesubject

defeats the gratuitous use of non-
‘conventional shapes for their no

Thompson
discordant r

y alone.
weakness is his colour
we red mixed with lush

‘atmosphere becomes charged and
poisonous, but in the interior
the effect is negat

“Two Heads Are Better Than Or
strong show of work by two developing

formalist

ns. If Thompson and
‘experiment and expand their stylized

ndscapes

prin

Tan Verchére

red dots will attest, and perhaps
indication ofthe artist's direction

In works such as “Stil Life With Falling
Glass” Bootsma does manage to alter
traditional expectations of still ife, but rather
than develop this concept, chooses colours
which seem to cater to trends in contemporary
illustration

The aspect of commercial drawing
applications is manifested in the three
‘drawings included here, which in style and
subject matter owe at least a tip ofthe hat to
Lynda Barry and Carel Moisewitesh. Not
bad company, and perhaps the strengths of
Bootsma’ show. As a survey of the work of
student printmaker, its a good show; as
‘with most students and their art, only time
‘will tell whether the ideas and subject matter
will mature

Ian Verchére