Art Post by Krystle

"Pilipino American Alliance"

A topic that really resonated with me in regards to this class was the hiphop/graff workshop. I've been doing graff since I was in middle school but I never really did anything with it..it was tags here and there and on napkins at restaurants and what not but not until this class did i really work on something worthwhile.

Pilipino American Alliance is an organization that I am involved with on campus so I chose something that really means something to me because I do identify as Pilipina American.

I chose the colors red, blue and gold because they are the colors of the Pilipino flag and I chose to use broken blocks to symbolize the "broken-ness" of the Pilipino identity due to the many countries that colonized the Philippines and the colorism that has unfortunately divided my community. I also used the Pilipino golden sun as it also appears on the Pilipino flag to symbolize the "golden intentions" that the organization has to addresss the issues that Pilipino American students face on this campus. One of the goals of the organization is to enlighten and educate the community on these issues and I felt that the Pilipino golden sun was only appropriate.

This design is actually a draft of a proposal that I will be introducing to PAA (hopefully soon!) to possibly use as the signboard that the organization displays while tabling out on Sproul Plaza.

So i went to two fieldtrips for the course, one being Lovefest. that was in SF on sept. 29. it was basically a giant outdoor rave that started with a parade down market street and ended at civic center. i stayed from one in the afternoon until 9 at night. i took a ton of pictures, as were seen in our photo essay.
i also went to the maganda open gallery on oct. 25. it was in a classroom in dwinelle and all the walls were covered in different artist's work. my favorite was a "love" painting that i had seen before in the adidas art gallery, but this time i actually got to meet the person who created it. there were also talks from alumni artist, and they shared some of their new work and talked about themselves.

Sunset Blvd. Warehouse Gallery, Los Angeles, CA - November 21, 2007

Thanksgiving weekend, I was lucky enough to get a verbal invitation from a friend of mine who participates heavily within the LA street art scene. There is an elusive gallery that pops up in abandoned warehouses every now and then filled with the works of independent artists and designers. Getting out of the car, the only thing I noticed that even remotely indicated that there was a gathering of people somewhere near was the dull thump of heavy bass from around the corner. Once we rounded a few brick buildings, I saw the broken windows of an old warehouse brightly lit. Upon entrance, the building was pretty much just as spectacular as it was on the outside, rusted pipes, dirty floors, and heavy cement all around, but the ugliness of this industrial building was glittered with the works of hundreds of local artists. The place was filled with all mediums of creative expression; from music to finger puppets, canvas to silk screens. The event lasted all night and I walked away elated and filled with a sense of pride that the local scene was alive and thriving.

University Gospel Choir Concert 11/14

On Wednesday November 14, I had the privilege of watching the 1st University Gospel Choir Concert for free at Hertz Hall. It was a part of the free noon concert series that the Music Department offers, and what a treat it was. The acoustics of the auditorium itself helped resonate the singers voices and the accompanying electric guitar, drums, keyboard, and piano made the show all the more worthwhile. I had heard that the selection of songs was picked in such a manner that did not emphasize a particular religious background because the choir was supposed to appeal to audiences of all religious backgrounds. However, since gospel has its roots in the African American Christian community, it was hard to deny its origin. Nevertheless, I thought that all people who attended most likely enjoyed the lively music and singing, no matter what their spiritual background.

Movement Showcase 11/13

A couple of weeks ago I attended the Movement showcase on lower Sproul. As always, I felt inspired to join a hip hop dance group cause I very much enjoy watching the different pieces perform. There were 3 hip hop routines as well as 2 (or 3) lyrical jazz routines and one swing routine. I found the first hip hop routine to be not as enjoyable for me as the other two. In general I watch these dance showcases for the hip hop dances, and not as much for the lyrical pieces, but I found one of the pieces in particular to be good since it was choreographed to one of my favorite Janet Jackson songs: "All for You". Anyhow, the swing dance was energetic and filled with many tricks and lifts, but I concluded that I probably would not want to try swing since the female partner runs the risk of being dropped on her head many times. Overall, it was an inspiring showcase, and I still have the desire to one day perform or learn hip hop.

Halloween Choral Concert

The Halloween choral concert was an event similar to Jukebox, in which all the choral groups on campus perform one or two songs. Many of the groups came up with original compositions for the concert. This included two original songs by NOTEWORTHY and some funny twists on classics by the Men's Choir. It was quite enjoyable to see all the groups together, as most people only hear them singing as they walk through sproul, and it is hard to distinguish each choir. Decadence performed "In the Arms of the Angels" which was my favorite song of the show. The soloist did a wonderful job and the harmonizing was beautiful. The costumes were also entertaining. One group dressed up as pirates, another as a rainbow, and the Men's Choir again had some interesting deformities which related to their song about a mad doctor.

Ancient Roots/Urban Journeys

I went to the Oakland Museum to see the exhibit Ancient Roots/Urban Journeys: Expressions for Dias de los Muertos. The exhibition had some really beautiful pieces, and it really tied together the themes of this class, which are art, community, and resistance. The pieces tied together the cultural significance and practices of the holiday with issues facing the Latino/a community here in California. Some of the themes of the pieces included youth violence, pollution, blending of cultures, and identity. My favorite piece was a gorgeous two-part mural by Joaquin Alejandro Newman. The mural, which is titled “Soul Journeys,” illustrates the journey of the dead to Mictlan, or the underworld. This journey is an Aztec story. The second part of the mural features contemporary practices of Dia de los Muertos. This part includes skeletons on low rider bicycles traveling on a highway to altars. Newman’s mural unites the “ancient roots” of Dia de los Mueros with modern traditions of the urban community.

Berkeley Art Museum

I went to the Berkeley Art Museum with a few of my friends to see the “One Way or Another: Asian American Art Now” exhibition. The giant poster of a person in a shrimp costume had caught my attention, and we decided to check it out. Unfortunately, I think the pieces were too modern for me because I didn’t understand the concepts behind most of them. The works that I remember the most were “Human Advertisement Series” by Xavier Cha and “Elemental” by Ala Ebtekar. “Human Advertisement Series” is a media piece in which Cha dances in front of different stereotypical Asian American business, a sushi restaurant, a nail salon, and a fortune teller, while is costumes representing each one. She is dressed as a shrimp, a giant fingernail, and a crystal ball. This piece had a humorous tone, but also addressed how Asian Americans are viewed by popular society. Ebtekar’s piece was a white room with many pairs of Adidas and Nike shoes and hookahs. The shoes were beautifully decorated with beads and colorful, patterned laces, and I totally would have rocked any of them.

Art Post--Rachel Ely (Rely)

Over the summer I went to New York for the first time. I took so many pictures because the city is such a busy place with some of the most bizarre people ever. I took most of my pictures on my digital camera. Then it died or the memory card filled up, not exactly sure. I quickly snapped this picture with a disposable camera while I was sitting on the ground outside of MoMA waiting to get in. I was really surprised at how well the picture turned out when I got the film developed. This picture really captures New York with the large, looming buildings that tower over people on the streets. By sitting on the ground my angle is exaggerated but it captures the light just right as it shines through the buildings.

Maganda Open House

For my first field trip I attended the Maganda Open House, held in Naia Lounge. I was immediately drawn to the paintings on display and I spent the rest of the time there. The colors used in the paintings were so vibrant and intense it would be difficult not to be touched by them. One man did the paintings and each was unique and I really enjoyed the different names he used for titles. The artist was standing close to his paintings and it is always nice to see an artist up against his or her work looking so proud and content with the outcome. I paint but have not done much painting since coming to Berkeley this fall. Standing in front of the paintings and looking at the brush strokes and imagining the feeling of mixing colors made me miss painting more than I thought I ever would. I have been doing some drawing here and there, but it wasn't until looking closely at someone else's work did I really miss working. Drawing is not the same for me; the smell is different and the colors aren't there. Over Thanksgiving I picked up a brush and pallet knife again and it felt so so good.
At the open house I also flipped through past issues of the magazine and I really liked what I saw. There are a huge variety of poets and artists and I really enjoyed reading what others had written down. All in all, I liked the open house.

GABRIELA Network: Art as Activism

This picture was taken at a women's conference, the Women's International Solidarity Affair in the Philippines 2007, that was held in Quezon City last July. Here, the women of my organization use the simple art form of face painting to convey a political message about all the struggles women all around the world face including poverty, sex trafficking, political repression, land reform, war, and violence. This photo has been on the front pages of several newspapers, on tv, and also August 5th's AOL's Photo of the Day.



These photos are of traditional Pilipino star lanterns called parols which my women's organization made last year for the annual Christmas lantern festival in San Francisco. We won 2nd place. Our lanterns featured a theme about women's rights and an end to political repression in the Philippines. The big star to the left bears our org's symbol and the smaller stars light up the faces of 10 women representing the almost 1000 political victims who were murdered by the Philippine government since 2001.












This 11 year old girl's murder was justified by government officials who accused her and her family of being a terrorists.












One of the women activists killed in the Philippines for opposing the current government.

Fieldtrip: {m}aganda theme unveiling

I attended {m}aganda magazine's Theme Unveiling which was, if my memory is correct, on September 20. As usual, the ambiance of the event was intimate and reminiscent of a real open-mic stage instead of the actual Dwinelle classroom it was located in.

I was extremely inspired by the set of spoken word artists who performed for us. As a Filipina-American woman, I felt proud while hearing Ruby's uplifting, unifying, and genuine poetry. I was also personally in awe of the skills of the spoken word duo Proletariat Bronze, whose words articulated perfectly the emotional nuances of the most complicated situations with the sharpness of reality and a slight sense of humor. Although I did not know who these artists were before the event, I could certainly say I wanted to know more about them and their art form following their performances.

The open mic performers were very talented as well as entertaining. I had to say one of my favorite open mic acts was that of Aizel Augustino whose original melody on the guitar moved me deeply. Also, her rendition of Kiss Me by Sixpence None the Richer brought fond memories of junior high and reminded me of the hopelessly romantic fourteen year old girl whose spirit still lives inside this jaded college senior body.

Also, very cool theme for the upcoming magazine! Cheers!

Fieldtrip: “Living in the Mainstream” by Pippa Fleming

On the night of the Cal vs. USC game, I decided instead to see my friends' performance of a show she had written, directed, and was starring in! The show entitled, “Living in the Mainstream”: The Ms. K.I.A. Chronicles -- A Black, butch, lesbian, warrior, drag king’s tale of survival in America, was showing at the Museum of African Diaspora in San Francisco. Co-sponsors included The Endangered Species Project and the GLBT Historical Society of San Francisco.

This music filled play allowed me to witness the transformation of Pippa Fleming, a Black butch lesbian into Ms. K.I.A., a drag king/male impersonator poet, philosopher and cabaret performer. The several poetry-infused musical numbers took me as an audience member on a journey back to the days reminiscent of Harlem Renaissance cabaret performers, Gladys Bentley and Storme DeLarverie and mystically catapulted the entire crowd into a current reality that left us trying to catch our breath, while being part of a cultural revolution.

The Ms. K.I.A. Chronicles is part of a larger full-length play called “Living in the Mainstream(LITM).” LITM is a time-shifting story that speaks about the struggles of Pippa, a young girl coming into herself as a tomboy and coming out as a butch lesbian.

I really enjoyed the new perspectives presented in the show and learned a lot about struggles faced by queer women and how they relate to all of society.

Asian Art Museum San Francisco--Nicole W.

For my final field trip I decided to make a visit to the Asian Art Museum San Francisco. This museum is and I quote " one of the largest museums in the Western world devoted exclusively to Asian art." Considering the extent of this museum and the fact that I had never been, I felt that it was about time I go. Since the museum is so large I was not able to see all of the collections, however, I did manage to see the South East Asian Art and Chinese Art collections. If anyone is interested in this museum, I really recommened it. It's right off the Civic Center bart stop in San Francisco. Below are pictures from my visit.

ARTIVISM

The weekend before last I attended Artivism, an artists' talk and roundtable at La Pena Cultural Center. My friend told me that it would be a lecture about community art and activism. It turned out to be a 3 hours of doing acting exercises, which was more than a little embarassing for me (even though I like to think that I am a celebrity, I am definitely NOT an actor), but fun nonetheless. The crowd was a bunch of local actors, artists, and non-profit workers, and we all worked together to uncover the issues facing art in the community. The main issue that was brought up was lack of funding and opportunity. We did role played and did improv skits which dealt with this issue: we became the kids that drop out of school, the policemen which put them in jail, the teachers which try so hard to help them succeed. And while it was a little uncomfortable for me to act, I learned a lot and met a lot of interesting people from the community. I'd like to go back to La Pena sometime soon and see what else they have to offer, because I think that institutions like it are important. If we don't have people working toward social change, we'll never see it.

Clausen House fashion show!

For the last 3 years, I've volunteered with a developmentally disabled woman named Kathleen. Kathleen lives in the Clausen House, a group home and independent living program for people with disabilities. A few weks ago Clausen House had a fashion show, which Kathleen modeled in. I attended, and it was really heartwarming and a lot of fun. Kathleen and her friends all wore fancy outfits donated by local stores. For many of them who can't keep a steady job, these cltohes were much nicer than they were used to. Kathleen's sparkly dress made her feel really good about herself, and she said she wished she could wear it everyday. I was happy to see Kathleen in the spotlight for once, so often she is forgotten and ignored: by people on the streets, her family, and society in general. Also, Kathleen's boyfriend Michael escorted her down the catwalk, and it was one of the cutest things I've ever seen. After the fashion show was over, we all sat down to a nice meal and there was a guest speaker who talked about diversity. Overall, the fashion show was a fun experience and in my opinion, a very important event. It was a day where people like Kathleen were recognized and celebrated, and there disabilities were pushed to the side for once.

Danceworx Outside Field trip -- Hoam Lee

For my second field trip, I went to the Danceworx showcase on 11/18/07 at the Julia Morgan Center in Berkeley.
It was an amazing experience to see their hard work pay off and create a beautifully directed showcase of not only hip hop dance but tap dance to jazz and even singing.















By Hoam Lee

[m]aganda event -- [M]aganda Fall Celebration 11/17/07 -- by Hoam

For my Maganda event I went to the fall celebration. I made it right before the speakers, and they were simply amazing. So here are a couple pictures about the event.


Lovely Mc's introducing each speaker and Tricia just about to read poetry. She did an amazing job even though she was becomming a bit nervous. =P


My favorite poem was titled " Strong and Silent." It was the best poem I've ever listened to.





By Hoam Lee

Penelopea: My Art Post

So, for my art post I am going to show you guys a few things that I've made. A few of my friends and I have started a little shop on Etsy.com (a website where anyone can sell their handmade things). We like to call it Penelopea. Right now we have some sock animals and a few Christmas ornaments in the shape of cupcakes and ice cream cones. We post new things all the time! And we also have a blog where we post images and write about things that inspire us to be creative. You can all go check us out and tell us what you think!

Charlie Chaplin Retrospective: at the Pacific Film Archive

So for my final field trip I decided to see some of the Charlie Chaplin films that are being shown at the the Pacific Film Archive right now. My favorite film was The Kid. In this film Chaplin plays his usual character "The Tramp," while he takes care of a small orphan boy played by Jackie Coogan (who later became Uncle Fester in The Adams Family). It's a great movie because it's characteristically funny because it's a Chaplin film, but it's also very heartwarming. Everyone should go see it!

Here's what the PFA has to say about the Retrospective.

Everybody knows Chaplin’s Tramp. The little figure with the greasepaint moustache and oversized shoes, the bowler and cane of a down-at-heels gentleman, vies with Mickey Mouse for the title of world’s most famous movie character. But how well do we really know Chaplin’s films? The Tramp’s status as a beloved American icon can too easily overshadow the real achievements of Charles Chaplin (1889–1977), which in many ways ran counter to the American mainstream. The Tramp character, first seen onscreen in 1914, was importantly an outsider, a tweaker of the established order; throughout his career, Chaplin managed to combine Victorian sentiment with sharp social critique. His empathy for the poor and downtrodden, rooted in the acute hardships of his own London childhood, continued even through the years of his extraordinary success—at twenty-eight, he was already a millionaire, with complete control over his own productions. Later, as anti-communist paranoia rose in America, his leftist views (along with personal scandals including a trumped-up paternity suit) drove him into exile in England.

Second Field Trip Outside of M: Animation and Manga Convention

Animation and Manga Convention. Book Signing with Various Artists.

Field Trip

The board on the left was assembled by my friend Christina. Unfortunately, when we met the other day, I forgot to ask her if I could take a picture with her next to her board.

This gallery is composed by high school students who have no large background in art or photography.

Art Post - Christina

It's not okay that you broke my heart
It's not okay that you lied to me when I told you the truth
It's not okay that you witheld your love and pushed me away.
It's not okay that you gave yourself to someone else while I waited for
you to come back to me

And I don't like the fact that you were careless with my emotions.
You just started over with someone else when we we weren't finished.
When I wasn't finished.
It's not okay that you play with me like a toy then put me back on the shelf.
That's wrong.
And its not okay
It's not okay that you tell me you love me now or call me as if everything
IS okay

It's not okay that you feel no regrets and I carry your fears.
You take advantage of me.
And I feel helpless because no matter how hard I try to end this cycle...
I still love you.
And that's not okay.


-Christina Hall

Week 11 Check-in/Reminders/Updates

Hi Everyone!

We're really sorry that we had to cancel class this past Wednesday, and that we sent an email out without any sort of explanations last minute. We were having trouble sending a detailed email to the listserve. Anyway, here are some things you should know and do before our last class on Wednesday, November 28th.


I. Art Posts

I didn't want to put people's first and last names in a public domain, so I have sent an email. Be on the lookout for that, if you didn't get it, please email the facilitators. Remember that everyone is required to do one art post. Since our next class will be the final day, just remember that if you haven't done an art post, bring it in or post in on the blog by Wednesday, November 28th before class.


II. Fieldtrip Reminder

It is a class requirement that everyone attend at least one art event outside of {m}aganda and one {m}aganda event, and then post pictures or write a paragraph or two about it on the blog. If you cannot make it to a {m}aganda event (there's only one left, details below) please let the facilitators know that you will be replacing that event with a second art event outside of {m}aganda. If you have trouble posting on the blog, send your pictures/paragraphs to mdecalfacilitators@gmail.com and we'll put them up for you. Don't forget to include your name in the email, if it isn't clearly indicated in your email address, that is.


III. Final Group Project Presentations

Since we had to cancel class this week, we won't be assigning the final group projects anymore. We did, however, want to leave you with an interesting link about Guerilla Theatre, since that was supposed to be our topic of discussion this week. We know that some people already got into groups last week, so if you were all excited about doing a group project and wanted to share one anyway, feel free. But please let us know ahead of time so we can be sure to incorporate your project in our agenda for the final class session.

IV. Last Class November 28th

We figured that most people will probably be gone next Wednesday at the time of our class, so we have canceled it. This means that you must have everything done (the art posts, the fieldtrip reflections, etc.) by our last class on November 28th. If any problems with this, please email the facilitators.

V. Attendance/ Previous Group Projects (not everyone has done them yet!)

We have been keeping track of attendance, and the policy as it stands is that you can't have any more than two excused absences. We'll personally email those who may have missed more than two, and let you know how you can make up for it. Also, not everyone has done their previous group projects-- the photo essay and the group poem. Please email the facilitators if you still need to make up for this and we can put you into our agenda for the last class. You will not pass if you do not make up for you absences or for the projects!

VII. Upcoming Events/ Save the Dates

Maganda Fall Reception/Open Mic
featuring poet, Barbara Jane Reyes
When: Saturday, November 17th, 2-5pm
Where: Naia Lounge (lower Sproul)

COME TOGETHER [A Concert for the Conscious]
a line-up of dance, music, poetry
When: Monday, November 19th, 4-5pm
Where: Lower Sproul

3rd Annual Poetry After the Storm
An event to benefit Hurricane Katrina Relief
When: Thursday, November 29th, 7pm
Where: Heller Multicultural Lounge (in MLK Student Union Building)
(more information to come)

If there are any other events you'd like to share, please let us know by posting it on the blog or sending an email to the facilitators.

I think that's it for now. Direct your questions or concerns to mdecalfacilitators@gmail.com and we'll respond to you all accordingly.

Have a good Thanksgiving break!!!

Art Post

About the third time using Photoshop. Just messing around.

My website is an ongoing process. The following website is a sample of photographs I have taken in the community.

http://www.geocities.com/r_y_l_l/---Productions-Community.html

Just photographs, no photoshop.

Art Post Leah

I wanted a place to keep stuff that I have been working on lately, so I made this website:

http://web.mac.com/leahdee/Photography/home.html

feel free to check it out

My trip to the MOMA.

Hi Everyone,

So, over the weekend I went to the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. There's some really interesting exhibitions going on right now so you should all go if you get a chance. There are three specific exhibits going on that deserve special mention: Jeff Wall, Olafur Eliasson, and Joseph Cornell. Above are a few pictures, and I'll give you a brief description of what they're all about.

The first picture is a Jeff Wall photograph. He does this amazing thing where he puts a huge backlight behind each photo, and they're HUGE photographs. It's just breathtaking when you see them up close. It's almost like you're watching a movie, but it's a still image. I like how in this photo, there's so much movement (in the spilling milk), but it's perfectly still.

The next image is Olafur Eliasson's. He does some really cool installation pieces, but there was one that, literally, caught my eye. You walk into this room, and it has these bright bright yellow lights, and once you get in there, you really don't want to stay in there because it's really uncomfortable for your eyes. My eyes had a really hard time adjusting, and I almost left. But then I started looking at the people around me, and I almost thought I was fainting because everyone around me was black and white. Then I looked down, and I realized that I was black and white too! It was insane! So apparently, this light does weird things to your eyes, and they never properly adjust. Everyone appears to be in black and white. Insane. I loved it. Everyone should experience that.

And last but not least, Joseph Cornell. He's a wonderful artist who has been around for a very long time, and many of you probably recognize his name or his work. He became famous for his work with shadow boxes, and I think basically all of his boxes are there right now. But what I loved most about this exhibition was seeing all of the collaging that he did. His works on paper, without the boxes, were gorgeous. It's a huge exhibition, and if any of you are Joseph Cornell fans, you should check it out.

So there you go!

Maganda Event- "Open Gallery/Artist Dialogue" -Nicole W.

On October 25th, 2007 I attended an art gallery/artist's dialogue hosted by Maganda in 100 Wheeler Hall. The event was truly moving. It consisted of an exhibition of local artists' works, such as Oakland painter Mari Rose Taruc, as well as a slideshow by acclaimed social documentary photographer, Rick Rocamora. Both Mari Rose Taruc and Rick Rocamora particpated in the artist's dialogue, which proved to be extremeley insightful. Both of these artists use their art as a form of activism and the interviews conducted at this event allowed each artist to discuss their works in an intimate environment. It was interesting to listen to two artists with two very different modes of expression, but very similar artistic goals: to educated about social justice issues and evoke emotion from their viewers . For me Rick Rocamora's photographs did just that. His various series on Filipino World War II Veterans and imprisoned children in the Philippines really opened my eyes to an issue I would have otherwise been ignorant. This event, which brought together a diverse group of people with a common interest-art- really demonstrated the power of art not only to educated, but to create community in a positive and welcoming environment. It was really a great experience.