ARTS 18 Sept. 2014 B2
www.hillsdalecollegian.com
Kim Smith of Perception Gallery on ‘Enduring Vision’
NathaN BraNd
Politics and the arts: Bill Clinton
(Anders Kiledal/Collegian)
IN FOCUS
Stacey Egger Collegian Freelancer
did it right When late-night host Arsenio Hall strutted out on stage in his pleated pants in June of 1992, he was greeted by his band in typical funk fashion. The crowd was roaring, and while on a normal night his studio audience would greet him with warm applause, tonight they were not cheering for him; the night belonged to Bill Clinton. Then-candidate, Bill Clinton opened the show by leading the late-night band in playing Elvis Presley’s “Heartbreak Hotel.” The night quickly turned from The “Arsenio Hall Show with Special Guest Bill Clinton” into “Bill Clinton Live.” For over a minute Clinton rocked out on his shiny tenor saxophone while rocking a pair of Blues Brothers’ Ray-Ban shades, with a roaring live audience and millions watching at home. Artistic talent, or even effort, is hugely advantageous for politicians. Barack Obama has been called the “rock star president” and “celebrity-in-chief,” but he cannot rock like Clinton. Whether or not the viewer agreed with Clinton’s vision for America, there was no denying that this guy was cool. Today, every presidential candidate makes an appearance on the late-night circuit in an effort to sway the young, drunk, should-be-asleep demographic. Typically, the candidate will try and work in a pre-written joke or two to try and keep up with the host. None succeed to out-wit the full-time comedian, but a few have managed to connect with the audience in a visceral way, through music and the arts. Nothing connects humans the way music does. This last weekend marked the 200th anniversary of the writing of the Star Spangled Banner, which quickly entered the national conscience and has been sung at just about every sporting event since. Music transcends time, remaining relevant long after its creation.. With its power to bring people together, music can bring about global change. A blow was struck against communism when Bruce Springsteen sent rock ‘n’ roll and blue jeans through the iron curtain. Music is powerful, and modern politicians should make note of its power. Clinton managed to connect with an audience in 1992 in a way that politicians of late have failed to emulate. When billions are spent in presidential elections to connect with potential voters, there is obviously a lot at stake. But negative ads, mailers, and door knocking can only get a candidate so far. A question often posed during presidential campaigns is “which candidate would you rather have a beer with?” The question puts issues aside, and asks what voters think of the candidate personally.
Music offers voters a chance to connect personally with a candidate. Few politicians have tapped into the feelings that music offers, but those who have have been successful. Former Governor Mike Huckabee is slapping the bass every chance he gets, and music has even turned into a major portion of his Fox News show. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Senator Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, and Senator Orin Hatch of Utah are all exceptional pianists. Former presidential candidate John Huntsman dropped out of high school to play keyboard in a rock band. Sarah Palin played eant. These individuals’ musical accomplishments have become part, even if only a small part, of the story of their success in politics. Connecting with voters is not limited to music. Other artistic mediums have offered opportunities for politicians to provide a human element to their efforts. former President George W. Bush started painting. This has offered the public a more human look at a former president, and while post hoc ergo propter hoc is a fallacy it is worth noting that his approval ratings are now higher than even Obama’s. Winston Churchill also painted, and found wide-reception for his works. Former House Majority lowing criminal charges, but he helped redeem himself by appearing on Season 9 of “Dancing with the Stars.” Whether or not he committed campaign fraud, the congressman had moves. Connecting with others through art doesn’t even demand one be gifted. A larger-than-life Chris Christie appeared on “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon” last Father’s Day to take part in a sketch called “The Evolution of Dad Dancing.” Every viewer would agree that Christie could use a dance class or two, yet his buffoonery connected with audiences in a way that no stump speech could. Peggy Noonan, former speechwriter for Ronald Reagan and columnist for The Wall Street Journal, wrote about her experience on the campaign trail with Chris Christie last year. The message was simple: politics is feeling. And guess what, the arts evoke feelings. Whether a candidate is a sax man, has twinkle toes, or is on his way to being the next Rembrandt, the arts offer an opportunity to connect with people in a way that stump speeches and debates cannot.
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artists From B1 freelance artwork for people who wanted portraits. This kept her involved in art. She later opened her own gallery and had an art show using professor’s Sam Knecht and Bryan Springer’s artwork. “I wanted to thank them as well, bringing their artwork to Bryan. I wanted to show people in Bryan that this is the caliber of artwork available,” Bacon said. She had another art show featuring local artwork and then worked on some of her own projects. She ended up moving on to do different jobs before coming back to Hillsdale. Bacon’s favorite artistic medium is oil painting, though watercolors freeing as well. “I’ve always made art. I’ve been obsessed with it my whole time with,” Bacon said. All the teachers she had along the way encouraged her to continue and stick with it. “At different crucial points when I had the choice to stray away from art or to continue to pursue it something would rise up that caused me to continue to pur-
sue it and then I was determined to make a career out of it no matter what,” Bacon said. When she entered high school, however, she wanted to follow a more practical and academic route, but her art teacher told her that she shouldn’t give art up and that they wouldn’t let her. As she knew she had made the right decision. After spending time with professors Knecht and Taylor in their classes, Bacon realized how fun it was to help other people and teach them to hone their artistic abilities. She realized it was something she loved to do, because of the energy it gave her. She enjoys working here with the students. “They’re very talented and have a wide variety of interests,” Bacon said. “It’s interesting to see what backgrounds they come from and what artistic goals they have.”
Now through Sept. 29, “Enduring Vision,” a selection from the Perception Gallery based in Grand Rapids, Michigan is on display in Hillsdale’s Daughtrey Gallery in the Sage Center for the Arts. The Perception Gallery is owned by Kim Smith, a Grand Rapids resident who has been working with art since the 70s. Smith moved to Grand Rapids in October of 1975 as an antique dealer. He was introduced to the art business a few months later with a one-time paint stripping job at local Hefner’s Art Gallery, an art and framing company which has since closed. He started doing more small jobs for the gallery, and soon became a fulltime employee. Working at the gallery, Smith began to learn more and more about art. He read books laying around the shop about art and artists, and learned from the expertise of the gallery’s owner, Frank Vander Mark. “What is education in general?” said Smith, “In the end, self-
Sage Center, is an example of a lot of self-education. So you this. The painting attempts to just, so you keep reading. You convey the spirit of the Nuremstart looking, you start thinking, berg war trials after World War and because Heffner’s had been II. Smith believes that the Nazis’ around since 1913 there was a trials affected Friedensohn, the fair amount of historic stuff.” painter, in a profound way. With this artistic education, “Between [Adolf] Eichmann Smith went on to open the Per- and the whole thing, suddenly ception Gallery in Grand Rapids. something emerged out of it that The gallery you saw, features because his mainly 19th other work and 20th isn’t re“You know it’s going to be century ally quite A m e r i c a n something that you’ll have on like this at and English all, so this your wall just because you go art. is pretty S m i t h hey, it feeds my soul every day.” u n i q u e says that compared he deals in to his other — Kim Smith o u t p u t , ” art because Smith said. much of “Apparentit still has ly it was on TV here and there. So you could established market for it current- actually watch these people and ly. He personally enjoys many listen to them. Now he was in of his paintings for the stories New York City, of course he was behind them. In both style and of Jewish descent so you could content, many of the pieces in see how all that stuff could really mean something.” historical context. In addition to his knowledge “Witness #4,” prominently of art itself, Smith has learned placed on the wall facing the much about the art of framing. entrance of the collection in the Much of what goes into the pre-
sentation of his art is the selection or construction of frames for his pieces, or of works of art that are brought into his gallery to be and style of the piece. “We’re really trying to create a little bit of this feeling that [the painter] had, so there’s a relationship,” Smith said. “I like the idea of echoing something that’s in the image into the frame if you can, so it’s nice to have something that kind of pulls them together.” Smith’s experience in art and framing can be seen in the way the collection in Sage holds together aesthetically. Those interested in art or in these time worth their time. Whatever your level of interest, Smith thinks you could get something out of looking at art. “Do you have to buy to be interested? I don’t think you do,” he said, “Do you have to collect? No. I think you will, if you’re interested enough, you know it’s going to be something that you’ll have on your wall just because you go hey, it feeds my soul every day. Whatever it is that does that. But no, I think anybody can enjoy art.”
The summer in movies Jack Butler on the films that made and tried to make it Jack Butler Assistant Editor This summer was the worst leave it to me to see more movfollow: “Captain America: The Winter Soldier”: Modernizing Captain America by making a throwback to 1970s conspiracy thrillers (hint: Robert Redford) seems a strange choice, but it mostly works thanks to a strong ensemble, genuine pathos between hero and villain, and refreshingly kinetic and clear action. Still, some implausible elements dissolve even under comic-book logic: Cap’s 2:18-minute miles, Black Widow’s becoming a KGB agent at seven (we learn she was born in 1984; do the math), and the dubious physics of both Cap’s shield and Bucky’s arm. But it’s still a good story about a character raised in black-and-white confronting a world of gray. “Neighbors”: There was some good casting, mainly Zac Effron as a surprisingly complex frat king, and some new ideas, such as the lost-youth-pining of Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne’s roles as new parents, but, on the
Fair From B1
certainly allows for pride in a job well done. The fair’s fourth year brought horse racing, adding a little speed to things. Today’s fair, expanded since its 19th century yesteryears from two days to a week, is not running a plowing contest as a main event, but showcases all forms of the younger, but still old, equestrian sport known as “horse pulling.” To the less “country” or rural among us, that may sound like a man versus beast tug-ofwar, which, in the mule pulling category, it may very well be. (Though a mule, it should be noted, is not nearly as stubborn or asinine as his father’s fellow donkeys.) Rather than men pulling and cajoling resisting equines, horse pulling entails a horse — or mule, or pony, or tractor, now — pulling a weighted sled for a distance. Some combination of weight and distance, depending on the participating breed, species, or machine, is used to determine a winner. Pictures of Hillsdale’s fair history show noble draft horses pulling sledges in a world of black and white, and that tradition continues throughout this
whole, “Neighbors” showed us that one can now make a frat/college comedy entirely out of the clichés and tropes spawned from 1978’s “Animal House,” whose shadow that genre has yet to escape. Final note: Can you really call a movie a “college comedy” if only a handful of its scenes occur on a college campus? in many years, the movie I saw was completely different from that advertised. When spoilers and social media abound, this is a rare experience, and I appreciated it. The director of “Godzilla” preceded it with “Monsters,” effects he created mostly on his laptop; giving him a big budget was no mistake, as he crafted unique and incredible spectacle on a gigantic scale in “Godzilla.” The bonus points for an intriguing event backstory balance out the negative marks from having boring leads. “X-Men: Days of Future Past”: In 2006, Batman was only recently rebooted, the Marvel Cinematic Universe remained uninitiated, and Spiderman had year anyway: The air was clear for the X-Men. Unfortunately, they wasted their time in the sun with one movie that killed or depowered almost every interesting character and wasted two of the comics’ best stories, and—in
year’s county fair week. The most recent incarnation, the tractor pull, however, is built around a combination of agricultural machine and muscle car that seems dreamt up by some eager great-grandchild of Doctor Frankenstein. Bellowing bulls of steel and souped-up engine sandwiched between massive wheels drag sledges of titanic weight. If horses are too quiet, here is the farm culture sport for you. The fair’s bigger now. There’s a fair ground and the courthouse doesn’t have to play double duty. Rides have become an attraction all their own, a sideshow from the agricultural center stage. At heart though, little has truly changed. The Hillsdale County Fair is still a time for the farmer and the farmer’s neighbor. It’s still a time for food, for fun, for information, for community. Through all the mixed and varied scents of grease and smoke, fried food and grilled food waging allied assaults on our self-control by way of our olfactory glands, the Hillsdale County Agricultural Society’s fair still smells like animals. And so it should, because it’s the fair.
2008—another which redundantly and ridiculously relayed the heavily teased backstory of Wolverine. It took 6 years for us to get this tale of mutants in a dystopian future (think the real world in “The Matrix”) who try to change the ‘70s events that effected it. Powerful performances ture, the complex relationships of younger mutants in the past. If only we could alter the past and make everyone forget about what happened in 2006 and 2008. “22 Jump Street”: As a comedy, it is unfunny and lazy, a parody of two genres—buddy cop above)—that became parodies of themselves long ago. But as a meta-commentary on sequels, it unless one watches only for the a successful sequel—lambastes sequels’ place in the Hollywood machine. “Snowpiercer”: Despite its great cast and performances (Captain America is in it), the most original premise of the summer (efforts to stop global warming produced a catastrophic ice age which only those on a perpetually-running train have survived), and some heady themes (even though an oppressive class system has developed on the train, is that system nec-
essary to preserve the human race?), you’ve probably never heard of “Snowpiercer.” That’s because its South Korean director argued with his American distributor (Harvey Weinstein) over director won out, the distributor to an extremely limited theatrical and simultaneous on-demand release. But see this movie; it’s the best I saw this summer, and the (at least). “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes”: A good sequel expands upon the promise of the original without neglecting what made it worthwhile, and that is just what we got. “Rise” presented a mildly plausible origin narrative for an absurd occurrence (the conquest of man by ape); “Dawn” shows a nuanced dystopian future in which apes and humans battle the evil within their own factions more than they battle each other. Sadly, Gary Oldman is largely wasted, which should never happen in a movie. “Guardians of the Galaxy”: Marvel is having fun. It’s really as simple as that. With a light, comic touch, well-realized leads, and a great soundtrack, Marvel has turned one of its most obis outperforming 2013’s “Man of Steel.” Take that, gritty reboots!
Howard’s hours expanded
Laura Williamson Collegian Reporter
ed to stay longer.” Elliott also mentioned that some clubs and honoraries have also been meeting later at
The Howard Music Building has changed its hours. The building used to close at 11 p.m. but now has extended its evening hours to 12 a.m. The purpose of this extension is to accommodate students. “Some of it’s just general courtesy,” said Rachel Jo Elliot, head monitor of Howard. “Shockingly enough, people actually come here at 11 o’clock at night and they want to practice. I was here last weekend and one guy left at midnight and he want-
change. “We’re offering this as a little bit of help there,” Elliott said. However, the opening time for Howard hasn’t changed. “We can only open as early as we have an actual faculty member here but we can close as long as there is a student [monitor] here,” said Elliott. “Besides,” she added, “the adult faculty don’t want to have to get up any earlier.” On the weekends, Howard opens alongside every other classroom building.
Mauck doing ‘That Art Thing’ Jordan Finney Collegian Reporter Alpha Rho Tau and Mauck dormitory will join forces on Sept. 20 as hosts of Hillsdale’s original “That Art Thing.” Members of the art honorary will lead the free one-hour drawing session, complete with a brief introductory lecture on sketching skills and valuable art techniques. The event, to be held in Mauck Solarium, begins at 3 p.m. and participants are welcome to stay for however long they choose. Pencils, paper, and refreshments will be provided. “Having a drawing lesson as an academic event feels out of the ordinary,” said Minte Chris-
tiansen, Mauck’s house director and a member of Alpha Rho Tau. “But a lot of people actually devote their whole Hillsdale education and even their whole lives to the mastery of art. The lesson especially aims to reach out to people who have an interest in art but lack the time to dedicate an entire semester of study to the discipline. “We knew we had to do an academic event and we wanted something that would be applicable to people’s broader interests,” said Macaela Bennett, a Mauck resident assistant. “This is a neat way for girls in our dorm to have fun—and what better way to experience it than learning something new in the beautiful solarium?”