PERFORMANCE

A Goode Experience

By Julie Flett

An invitation. The first thing that takes place in a happening is the invitation, a directive in the events for the participant. Although along the way a funny thing happens. The invitation also becomes a happening, a participatory event. An invitation to an invitation????

Ma a funny thing happened on the way to the store.

The Disaster Series by the soon to be famous Joe Goode Performance Group is an involved experience. Invita- tion and all, the audience is asked to participate in the event. Suddenly you will find yourself pulling memory strings and ther. wondering why, how, what, and where it is all coming from. Absorbing the moment, hoping it will be never forgot- ten, ultimately being carried to the next, and the next, and the next....

Read the program and be prepared for a happening. Is

Any performance is a composition of the available elements. In performance art the spectrum of variables is that much greater, yet the integration of the composition retains an important position in the prioritization. Joe Goode’s attempt to incorporate his creative writing, choreography, and acting with the central medium holds its own in most of the moments. The end result is an amalgamation of the various artistic forms with thought-provoking stabs.

A minor concern

The general idea is developing, coming across; a won- derful initializing experience but not completely without an- noying moments. Transitions in the first three pieces did not take place with the fluidity and purpose that the later “Disas- ters” show, almost as if in immaturity. Chronological devel- opment can and should reveal, if my analysis has merit. A personal concern perhaps but then, an askewed collar could send someone into a tizzy.

A Righteous Experience.

This part of the article is to relate to you the necessity of the regular infusion of such experiences inone’s life. Thoughts for thoughts to thoughts to thoughts. The true stars of the show were the words. From “Disaster to Disaster” , like an enlarging snowball, after a spell, there is too much to swallow. Toomuch for one sitting. If only life could be that way.*

Planet of the Arts Volume 7 Issue 3

COMICS

Piraro Live

by Dan Devaney

Ever since I discovered the first Bizarro cartoon I was hooked. Dan Piraro is a cartoonist that goes beyond the fatuous quip into the realm of cartoon heaven where the absurd is the status quo. To top it off his drawings are richly detailed.

So I was sparked into life at the chance to meet the man behind the ‘toons at the fourth annual Writers’ Conference on October 24th, where he was scheduled to be at the Arts Club Theatre and later at Emily Carr College of Art and Design. I was not disappointed.

When he introduced himself as a 34-year old bom in the midwest, now living in Dallas, Texas, I was struck by his cartoon- like features: sharply etched narrow head, witha large curving nose, tiny eyeballs, and a deep U-shaped smile with tight, close- trimmed curls. He was dressed in a bright white shirt buttoned up at the top and a blue gemmed earring was perched in his left earlobe, adding a colorful touch.

The presentation was like comedian presenting a series of one liners to the audience except Piraro’s prop was cartoon projected onto a screen. The device worked well even though the cartoons were too small for the audience to read. He

introduced himself as a bit uncomfortable at a writer’s con- -

ference——"a lowly worm like me” "my writing is like a Pop song next to asymphony”’. This sort of witty humility was present throughout his presentation.

The audience of about 250 laughed at almost all of the series of about 40 cartoons. Piraro ad-libbed throughout, at one point stopping to blow his nose saying,” You should never let your nose run onstage- it glistens”.

One cartoon which received crescendos of laughter from the largely teenage audience was of aslick, leather clad chap hitch- hiking with a sign which reads ‘ stop or I'll bust your face’. Below, a caption reads, A REBEL WITHOUT A CAR.

The audience also appreciated Piraro’s political savvy when he expressed strong criticism of the U.S. government and culture. “ I feel very out of place in Dallas. I don’t like this snobbishego thing Americans have’, and“‘ Why do we get sole use of the title ‘ American’ when technically everyone in North America is American. Of course, it would be difficult to call ourselves United States-ians. I guess you know most Americans don’t know anything about Canada except hockey. We also learn nothing about Mexico or the fact we stole their land. They tell us disgusting lies rather than what disgusting pigs we were to the Mexicans”.

Dan Piraro considers himself a genetic mutation. One of his sisters lives in a trailer court; has a pompadour hairstyle and is married to a career Marine, who has a large velvet painting of Elvis above the couch. He calls them the ‘ earth toned people’ because all their clothes and furniture are brown. His relatives are always asking him what he does for a living.

His cartoons are from real life, but at a bizarre angle. “I always see ordinary things in peculiar ways”, and “I always laugh at inappropriate times. When I was a kid I couldn't stop laughing at my cousin’s grandmother’s funeral. My uncle thought I was crying and came over to console me”.

“I also worry at odd times. Like at customs: I’m almost certain that they will take one look at me and open my luggage to find a bucket full of heroine and a sock full of cocaine, or that I'll be found dead one day with my pants down around my ankles”.

He also finds it odd and destructive how humans consider themselves a superior species to other animals and feels that this is the root fallacy that leads to our ‘inhumane’ treatment of animals.

Later that day Piraro also visited Emily Carr with a small informal audience of about 15. He spoke more seriously about his dislike of his catholic upbringing and alienation from his family, particularly his father. He also went into more detail about the cartooning process and other art interests.

Getting his cartoons syndicated was not as easy as he

1G

JIE

thought, but after two years he was successful, at the age of 24. He suggested to succeed it is important to keep knocking and overcome any shyness one might have about showing work.

He now publishes 300 cartoons a year-” the writing is the scary part”. Every given frame takes thirty minutes or less to draw. The idea process is “ completely instinctual”. “It’s either there that day or it’s not, but I’ve never missed a deadline yet”.

He produces on month’s cartoons at a time: two weeks of writing ideas; one week of pencilling them in; and another week or so inking them all in. He creates one third more than he needs each month and then rejects the least workable as a sort of quality control.

Piraro discovered that being an artist does not mean that he must drink, smoke and generally be cynical and anti-social to keep the creative juices flowing. Alcohol and other drugs were never a problem, but two years ago his outlook was decidedly bleak. He was so depressed and cynical his wife suggested he get help. After much searching and analysis, he has been reborn, to to speak, and now “always has a strong creative energy surging just below the surface”. Much of this creative energy is released in his cartoons, but most of it goes into his paintings. He showed two slides of his paintings which display another side of Piraro’s personality — a darker side in which he is attempting to express the unconscious and thus resolve many of the deeper questions he has about life and family relationships.

He decided to just paint whatever comes into his head that seems to fit, and just starts sticking things here and there in an attempt to draw on the unconscious. “If you operate subcon- sciously you will be saying things you don’t know you're saying”, opening up a channel to self.

The result is highly varied content in a very realistic mode in rich, bright colours. They are full of tribal arts — masks, statues, symbols; and either real or symbolised representations of people in his life (his father is a red baboon in front of a middle-class home breathing fire at a prostrate naked figure of Piraro himself. To the right is a large cross behind which is his wife, crouched, reading a book; and above it all in the centre is a New Guinean masked figure towering over naked Piraro).

“Art is essentially a process of disclosure. The more vul- nerability the artist shows, the more truthful the message comes across.”

Both paintings he showed had Christ figures in them. He pointed out several times how much he hated his religious upbringing and his fascination with other religions and myths.

In short, Dan Piraro is an enlightened individual pointing out the bizarre in the commonplace and the surreal in the real. Above all, he is not a cynic. *

Planet of the Arts Volume 7 Issue 3

JIE

PERFORMANCE

A Goode Experience

By Julle Fett

‘An invitation. The first thing that takes place in a happening is the invitation, a diretve inthe events forthe participant. Although along the way a funay thing happens. ‘The invitation also becomes a happening, a participatory ‘event. An invitation to an invitation???

Ma a funny thing happened on the way tothe store

‘The Disaster Series by the soon to be famous Joe Goode Performance Group is an involved experience. Invita- tion and all the audience is asked to participate in the event. Suddenly you wil find yourself pulling memory strings and ther: wondering why, how, what, and where itis all coming from. Absorbing the moment, hoping it wil be never forge ten, ultimately being carried tothe next, andthe next, and the

ead the program and be prepared fora happening. Is that possible??7277

‘Any performance is a composition of the available ‘elements. Inperformance art the spectrum of variables is that _much greater, ye the integration ofthe composition retains an important positon in the prioritization. Joe Goode's attempt to incorporate his eeatve writing, choreography, and ating with the central medium hols its own in most of the moments. ‘Theend result isan amalgamation ofthe various artistic forms with thought-provoking stabs.

‘A minor concer

‘The general idea is developing, coming across; a won ‘erful initializing experience but not completely without an noying moments. Transitions inthe first three pices didnot take place with the fidiy and purpose thatthe later “Disas ters” show, almost asf in immaturity. Chronological deve ‘opment can and should reveal, if my analysis has merit. A personal concer perhaps but then, an askewed collar could ‘send someone into a tizzy.

‘A Righteous Experience,

‘This par of the article i to relate wo you the necessity of theregularinfusionof such experiencesinone’slife. Thoughts {orthoughts o thoughts to thoughts. Thetrue stars ofthe show ‘were the words. From Disaster to Disaster” ike anenlarging snowbal, afteraspll, theres toomuchtoswallow. Toomuch forone siting. Ifonly life could be that way:*

COMICS

Piraro Live

by Dan Devaney

Ever since discovered the frst Bizarro cartoon I was hooked Dan Pirro is a cartoonist that goes beyond the fatous quip {othe realm ofartoon heaven where the absurd isthe status uo. To top it off his drawings are richly deal.

‘So I was sparked into life atthe chance to meet the man ‘behind the toons atthe fourth annual Writers’ Conference on October 24th, where he was scheduled 1 beat the Arts Club ‘Theatre and later at Emily Car Collegeof Art and Design. I was not disappointed.

‘When he introduced himself as «34-year old bor in the smidwest, now living in Dallas, Texas, I was struck by his cartoon: like features: sharply eichednarrow hea, witha large curving nose, tiny eyeballs, and deep U-shaped smile with tight, close- trimmed curs. He was dressed in a bright white shin butioned up atthe top and a blue gemmed eating was perched in his left earlobe, adding a colorful touch

"The presentation was like comedian presenting a series of cone liners to the audience except Praro’s prop was cartoon, projected onto a screen. The device worked well even though the cartoons were too small for the audience to read. He introduced himself as abit uncomfortable ata writer's con: ference—"alowly worm like me"—"imy writing s ikea op song next toa symphony”. This sort of win humility was present throughout his presenation.

The audience of about 250 laughed a almost all ofthe series of about 40 cartoons. Pirro ad-ibbed thoughout, tone point stopping to blow his nose saying,” You should never lt your ‘nose run onstage- it glstens”.

One cartoon which received erescendos of laughter from the largely teenage audience was of aslck,leathercladchap hitch hiking with a sign which eads* stop or Ill bust your face’ Below, a caption reads, A REBEL WITHOUT A CAR.

‘The audience also appreciated Pirao's politcal savvy when hhe expressed strong criticism of the U.S. goverment and culture." I fel very out of place in Dallas. I don't like this snobbishego thing Americanshave", and Why do wegetsole tuseof thetille* American’ when technically everyone in North ‘America is American, Of course, it would be difficult o call ourselves United Sttes-ians. guess youknow most Americans don’t know anything about Canada except hockey. We also Jeamnothing about Mexico or the fact we toletheirlan. They tellus disgusting lies rather than what disgusting pigs we were to the Mexicans”

Dan Piraro considers himself a genetic mutation. One of his sisters lives ina trailer court has a pompadour hairstyle and is ‘married career Marine, who has alarge velvet painting of Elvis above the couch. He alls them the" earth oned people" ‘because all ther clothes and furniture are brown, His relatives are always asking him what he does fora ving

His cartoons are from real life, but at a bizarre angle. “I always see ordinary things in peculiar ways", and “I always laugh at inappropriate times. When I was kid I couldn't stop laughing at my cousin's grandmother's funeral. My uncle thought was crying and eame over to console me".

“I aJso worry at odd times. Like at customs: I'm almost ‘certain that they wl take one look at me and open my luggage tofind abuckefllofheroine and sock fullofcocaine, or that TN be found dead one day with my pants down around my ankles".

He also finds it od and destructive how humans consider themselves a superior species to other animals and fels that thisistherot fallacy thateadsto ur ‘inhumane’ weatment of animals,

Later that day Piaro also visited Emily Carr with a small informal audience of abou 15. He spoke mote seriously about his dislike of his eaholic upbringing and alienation from his family, particularly his father. He also went into more detail about the ertooning process and other art interests.

Getting his cartoons syndicated was not as easy as he

16

ane ees

7 ~ Ahad

thought, butaftertwo yearshe was successful, atthe age of 24 He suggested to succeed it is important 1o keep knocking snd ‘overcome any shyness one might have about showing work.

He now publishes 300 cartons a year.” the writing isthe scary pan” Every given frame takes thirty mingtes or less to raw. Theidea processis "completely instinctual”, "I's either there that day oit’snot,butI've never missed deadline yet”

He produces on months cartons at atime: two weeks of writing ideas; one week of penciling them in; and another ‘week or so inking them all in. He creates one third more than hhe needs each month and then rejects the leat workable as sort of quality contro

Pirao discovered that being an artist does not mean tht he ‘must drink, smoke and generally be cynical and anti-social to Keep the creative juices lowing. Alcohol and other drugs were never a problem, but two years ago his outlook was decidedly bleak. He was so depressed and cynical is wife suggested he set help. After much searching and analysis, he has been rebom, toto speak, and now “always has a strong creative ‘energy surging just below the surface", Much of ths creative energy i released in his cartoons, but mos fit goes into his paintings. He showed two slides of his paintings which Aisplay another side of Piraro’s personality —a darker side in which he i atempting to expres the unconscious and thus resolve many of the deeper questions he has about life and family relationships.

He decided 10 just paint whatever comes into his head that, seems o fit, and just sans sticking things here and there in an

iempt to draw on the unconscious, “If you operate subcon sciously you will be saying things you don’t know you're saying”, opening up a channel to self.

‘The sults highly varied content in a very ealistic mode in rich, bright colours. They are full of wibal ans — masks, statues, symbols; and either real or symbolised representations ‘of people in his ife (his father is ated baboon infront of middle-class home breathing fice ata prostrate naked figure of. Pirarohimsel. To the rights large cross behind which is is wife, crouched, reading a book; and above iallinthe centre is ‘a New Guinean masked figure towering over naked Piazo)

“A is essentially a process of disclosure. The more vul nerabiity the anist shows, the more truthful the message

Both paintings he showed had Christ figures in them. He pointed out several times how much he hated his religious Lpbringingandhis fascination with other religions and mytbs

In short, Dan Piraro is an enlightened individual pointing out the bizare in the commonplace and the surreal in the real. ‘Above all, he is nota eynic.*