Thursday, September 15, 2005 | Upcoming visual arts, film and music:
VISUAL ARTS
What I see. The stark urgency of punk – expressed musically through brutal speed and simple instrumentation – produced a visual aesthetic equally striking. Ironically, some of punk’s most enduring and important images are logos – resizable, two-tone images that could be easily tattooed, drawn or painted in white on the back of a leather jacket. These icons of defiance graced punk paraphernalia (album art, concert fliers, T-shirts, band gear) and were reproduced innumerably, imprinted on a generation of youth who grew up outside of suburban veterans’ halls and skid row clubs.
Hermosa Beach artist Raymond Pettibon, whose recent commission for the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego goes on display Sept. 18, has the awesome credential of having created one of the most notorious of all of punk’s images: the four offset vertical black rectangles that represented L.A’s now-legendary Black Flag. With first quality underground credentials and two decades of visual work that, like punk music, probes unflinchingly – but not blithely – into troubling corners of modern life, Pettibon’s work has become increasingly common, gracing album covers by big-name groups like the Foo Fighters.
Pettibon’s latest installation opens Sunday at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego’s La Jolla location, as part of the new exhibition, “Southern Exposure.” Info: www.mcasd.org. (IP)
– “Steve McCurry: Photographs of Asia.” More than 50 documentary photographs – including the famous “Afghan Girl” image, which appeared on the cover of National Geographic in 1984 – are on display through Sept. 25 at the Museum of Photographic Arts in Balboa Park. Info: (619) 238-7559.
– Mexican Independence Day Celebration. Traditional Mexican songs and ballet folklorico dances will be performed at a free, outdoor fiesta at the Logan Heights Branch Library from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Friday to commemorate the day that Mexico demanded its independence from Spain. 811 S. 28th St., Logan Heights. Info: (619) 533-3968.
FILM
Life unscripted. If you give teenagers a video camera, who knows what sort of stories will unfold. However, it is likely that they’ll reveal some highly original and genuine takes on life that you most likely can’t find on network TV or at the multiplex.
This Friday, the Media Arts Center San Diego’s San Diego Latino Film Festival will launch its “¡Cine Club! Monthly Latino Film Series” at Palomar College in San Marcos with a free screening of seven short documentaries produced, written, shot and edited by at-risk youth from across San Diego County. In videos spanning five to 19 minutes, local youth focus on subjects ranging from the personal experiences of Somali refugees adjusting to life in the United States to a father mourning the death of his son in Iraq to confronting stereotypes associated with the lowrider car culture.
The featured documentaries are part of the “Tu Voz TV” series, a multilingual expression of youth voices living in the San Diego-Tijuana region, produced by MACSD’s Teen Producers Project. The series was developed to enable county youths from different communities to share their stories via a common platform.
“¡Cine Club!” will be held from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Friday at Palomar College, 1140 W. Mission Road, Auditorium P-32, in San Marcos. The event is free and open to the public. Info: (619) 230-1938 and www.mediaartscenter.org. (CC)
More films:
– “Elevator to the Gallows.” This 1958 French noir thriller has it all – adultery, murder and an original music score by the legendary Miles Davis. Plus, director/co-writer Louis Malle was only 24 years old when he made this film, his first feature. Opens Friday (for one week only) at the Ken Cinema, 4061 Adams Ave. in Kensington, (619) 819-0236, http://www.landmarktheatres.com.
– “Ocean Oasis.” Explore the colorful depths of Mexico’s Sea of Cortés and the barren beauty of Baja’s desert landscape in this giant-screen film at the San Diego Natural History Museum. Ongoing daily screenings through Jan. 1, 2006 at 1788 El Prado in Balboa Park, (619) 232-3831, http://www.sdnhm.org.
– “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.” The original one, featuring Gene Wilder as the eccentric candy maker, is back for a special one-night-only midnight screening Saturday at the La Jolla Village Landmark, 8879 Villa La Jolla Drive, (619) 819-0236,
MUSIC
Are you ready to testify? The consummate irony of the reunion tour comes when, as in the case of Detroit’s MC5, the band’s reformation (and possibly its members’ continued existence) arguably contradicts the ideals advertised in their best music.
Led by a manager who was also the head of the Sex Drugs and Rock ‘n’ Roll Party (also known as the White Panther Party), the members of the MC5 churned basic blues rock into a fuzzed-out counterculture celebration, working the crowd into hell-bent hysteria and predicting punk rock in the process.
Frontman Rob Tyner and guitarist Fred Smith were lost to the rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle years ago – no “sell out” accusations to be heard – but two remaining members will kick out the jams Friday, existential inconsistencies notwithstanding.
DKT/MC5, featuring Michael Davis, Wayne Kramer and Dennis Thompson along with special guest performers, perform at 8:30 p.m. Sept. 16 at The Casbah, 2501 Kettner Blvd., (619) 232-HELL. $20.
More music:
-Straight out of East Los Angeles, Los Lobos play their fusion of rock, blues and mariachi at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 15 at Humphrey’s by the Bay, 2241 Shelter Island Drive, (619) 224-3577. $42.
-One of James Brown’s favorite horn players, Maceo Parker, plays his funky alto sax at 8 p.m. Sept. 20 at the House of Blues, 621 Fifth Ave., (619) 299-BLUE. $23-25.
– VOICE STAFF
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