Noi Mahoney

Shimi explores artistic, political repression

The Jump-Start Theater is presenting "On the Island," a performance piece by S.T. Shimi that protrays an artist who finds herself imprisoned without knowing why. In light of the recent discoveries of CIA 'secret prisons' and the ongoing questions about the U.S.'s Guantanomo Bay prison, this piece seems timely. It runs from Oct. 12 to 21, at 8 p.m. Elaine Wolf of SA Current interviewed Shimi here.

Michael Haneke on American media

“Political manipulation is rampant in the American media,” Haneke told me over lunch in downtown Manhattan last winter.

“It’s present in the movies too, of course. It’s everywhere. I teach filmmaking in Vienna, and I like to show my students ‘Triumph of the Will,’ by Leni Riefenstahl, then something by Sergei Eisenstein — ‘Battleship Potemkin,’ for example — and then ‘Air Force One,’ the movie in which Harrison Ford plays the U.S. president. Each of these films has a distinct political agenda, but all make use of exactly the same techniques, all have a common goal — the total manipulation of the viewer. What’s terrible about the Harrison Ford film, though, especially terrible, is that it represents itself as simple entertainment. The audience doesn’t realize there’s a message hidden there.” Haneke sat back and shook his head gravely. (From the Sunday New York Times Magazine on Sept. 23)

Michael Haneke is an Austrian filmmaker probably best known for his movie "The Piano Teacher."

Hispanic heritage through the lens

San Antonio Public Library Central Gallery has a new photo retrospective called "More Than An Instant, A Look," by Mexico City photographer Arturo Betancourt. The photos explore changes and traditions in Mexican society. The exhibit, which runs through Oct. 20, is part of Hispanic Heritage Month.

Murals of SA

More than any other par t of SA, murals are all over the West Side. Some people think of murals as graffiti. But murals can be great art: Diego Rivera and his murals come to mind. On SA’s West Side, a group of community activists, local high school students and college kids came together and founded San Anto Mural Tours. It’s a cool program that takes you all over the West Side.

“Take a walk on the Mural Side. San Anto Cultural Arts Community Mural Project offers visitors and residents of San Antonio the opportunity to view and learn about the stunning murals and public art pieces created by youth and adult residents of San Antonio’s Westside neighborhoods.” (From the San Anto Mural Tour website)

Where Have All the Cowboys Gone?

Who doesn’t love cowboys? You get to act macho, carry a gun, grow a handlebar mustache, wear a 10-gallon cowboy hat, also wear boots and leather chaps. Okay, maybe we’ll skip the chaps. But the Witte Museum has a new exhibit called “El Vaquero: The Texas Cowboy.” The exhibit, from Feb. 1 to April 1, features photographs and paintings by John Dyer, Cristina Sosa Noriega and Lionel Sosa.
For all you gringos and non-Spanish speakers, vaquero is the Spanish word for cowboy. Charro is a related term. According to some historians, vaqueros were “first cowboys of the open range.”
But being a cowboy wasn’t a Spanish or white thing, there were African American cowboys, Asian cowboys, even Jewish cowboys. Yeee-Ha!

Art at the McNay

The McNay Museum of Art has an exhibition called "Factory Work: Warhol, Wyeth and Basquiat" until April 8. It was covered in The Current and the SA Express-News.

I can't remember the last time SA had paintings by Warhol or Basquiat. I am definitely going to check it out. Say what you will about Jean Michel Basquiat, he was a polarizing figure. Some considered his paintings trash, but I love them.

eBay Love

I believe that the best artists help us see through the clutter and confusion of daily life. Through whatever medium they use, the artist has the ability to show us what's pure. Scarlett Olson is a painter, singer/ songwriter in a latin jazz band called Mashea and sometimes even models. Unfortunately for SA, the Alamo Heights native lives in Austin now. I wrote about Scarlett's latest series of paintings titled "eBay Love" a couple of months back. It's a great idea and the paintings are cool. "I have developed my series “eBay Love”, to make fun of all the things that we search for online in order to find fulfillment in life."

Scarlett is also part owner of the Artillery Gallery in Austin. Next time she has show, I'd check it out. I'll be writing a lot more about art, especially art in the Alamo City.