Whatever your artistic needs are CVPA has got you covered

By Allison Reitz

The semester might be winding down, but the fun is just starting for seniors in the College of Visual and Performing Arts. After working over the past semester or two to develop their thesis ideas into a final project, they’re finally ready to unveil their hard work in their senior exhibitions.

From New Bedford to Providence, the shows are opening up all over the place in the following two weeks. And with the number of shows going on, there’s bound to be a little bit of something for everyone. Whether you’re into realism or virtual reality, paintings or sculptures, computer aided designs or handmade goods, the graduating CVPA students have got you covered.

Yes, you’re busy with your own term papers and last-minute studying, but you need to take a break at some point, right? Definitely. So why not schedule your breaks around the senior shows?

With so many shows going on, it can be difficult to keep all the shows straight, though. If you’re not sure what’s going on or where to go, read on for all the details on who, what, where and when.

Fine Arts

Senior fine arts majors opened their thesis exhibition on Friday, May 4, at ArtWorks! on 384 Acushnet Ave., New Bedford. If you weren’t there on Friday night, you definitely missed out on the fun of mingling with the artists (and getting a glass or two of free wine). But that’s no excuse for missing the show entirely. After all, there are some incredible paintings and sculptures on display.

Some of the paintings have such great layering of paints that it’s tempting to touch them. The sculptures, likewise, use so many interesting materials that it can be difficult to keep your hands to yourself. Who wouldn’t want to give sculpted dirt a feel, anyway? Remember your art etiquette, though, and keep your greasy little fingers to yourself.

The Fine Arts BFA Exhibition is on view through May 23. ArtWorks! is open Tuesday through Saturday, from 12 to 5 p.m. The gallery will be open until 9 p.m. on Thursday, May 10, for AHA! Night festivities.

Visit ArtWorks! online: www.artworksforyou.org

Electronic Imaging

Every dog has his day, and Saturday, May 12, is the day for electronic imaging majors as they present their senior exhibition in the Group VI media labs.

Recall, if you will, what was said about graphic design students locking themselves away for long hours to get work done on their senior projects. The same is true for electronic imaging majors, except for one difference: a little thing called rendering.

We won’t get into the specifics of

what rendering is, just know that it can be an incredibly slow and frustrating process. ...And that’s what these students have been spending all their time doing in preparation for this one day.

Check out what the students have to offer in the realms of interactive multimedia, animation, 2D and 3D digital media. Be prepared to strap on a pair of virtual reality glasses, as well. Each year, a virtual reality presentation is made, and this year’s theme is “Dangerous Places.” Ooh, scary!

The media labs are located on the second floor of Group VI. The work of 22 students will be on display from 1 to 5 p.m.

Graphic Design

Anyone who has ever had a friend in the graphic design department knows how much time these students spend shut away in the computer labs or in their rooms. These students have shunned the sunlight and weekend frolicking for weeks, and for what? For the sake of perfecting their work in time for the senior show.

Keep that in mind when you’re deciding whether to attend their senior exhibition, “Identity.” You wouldn’t want to break their hearts, now would you? No. So grab your car keys (or a friend with car keys) and drive into Providence.

The show is being hosted at the Peerless Building, on 229 Westminster Street, Providence. The show will be open from May 19 through May 23. But as it is with any art show, the best time to go is during the opening reception, which is being held on Saturday,

May 19, from 6 to 9 p.m.

Photography

If you can drive to Providence for the graphic design show, you can definitely make it into Fall River on May 20 for the opening reception of the photography exhibition.

From 1 to 4 p.m., the senior photography majors will be on site at the Narrows Center for the Arts, 16 Anawan St., Fall River. What a good deal, right? Artists intermingling, food and fun. Who would want to miss that?

Over the past two semesters, these students have been working together to develop their thesis work for the exhibition. With all the work that they’ve been putting into this, you won’t want to miss the show, “Eighteen %.”

As the Narrows Center explains, “eighteen percent is a photography term referring to the exact middle grey, in order words, the perfect and complete melding of light.” So look at that! They’re even throwing around the photography terms for this show. Obviously, they’re serious about this. And that means you should be serious about this, too.

Eighteen % will be on display through May 27.

Visit the Narrows Center online: http://www.ncfta.org/.

Illustration

On Thursday, May 10, there is one place you need to be if you’ve got an interest in illustration: the Webster Bank Building, at 545 Pleasant St., New Bedford. Getting a peek at the work of the CVPA’s senior illustrators is a one night only deal this year, so if you can’t make it out to the gala reception from 5 to 9 p.m., you’ll miss your chance!

Nearly 20 students will have work on display on the second floor of the Webster Bank Building during Thursday’s AHA! hours. Each illustrator has his or her own unique style, so this is a must-see event to be sure.

And if that’s not encourgement enough to go out and support these hardworking students, maybe you can be tempted into appearing. All the artists will be present for the reception. And yes, you hungry college student, there will be light refreshments. You can eat food any time, though. You can only see this show ONE NIGHT!

For more information on this exhibition, please contact Jarrad Nunes at 508-999-8010.

THE BEER BARON

Not for beginners: Here’s a beer with a ‘Midas Touch’

By Gary Albert

Sometimes you find a beer that can only be described as unique. Midas Touch Golden Elixir, from the Dogfish Head Craft Brewery in Milton, Delaware, falls right under that description.

I’ve had three other Dogfish Head brews in the past, and each one has surprised me in its quality. Dogfish Head makes some very good brews and most are the type of beer that strays far from the norm. This is one of them, and here’s why....

Based on a recipe derived from an archaeological site said to be the tomb of the fabled King Midas himself, Midas Touch is a beer, wine and honey mead all rolled into one.

Pouring an amber orange (near peach) color into a wine glass with almost no head, it still leaves a light lacing along the glass. This beer smells like wine, and there’s definitely grapes and honey to the smell. Of course, it is brewed with those ingredients, so it is to be expected. The flavor is intense, and just like its name, gold-like.

Miller High Life advertises itself as the champagne of beers. The truth is Miller has it wrong; Midas Touch is the champagne of beers.

The taste of this beer is champagne. Grapes, honey and an herbal flavor (which I can only assume is the saffron indicated on the bottle) is exactly what comes out in the taste. There’s a small alcoholic bite to the sip, which feels more akin to wine to me than to the alcohol taste in stronger beers. Of course, this is a stronger beer.

The mouthfeel is very dry, again, as if Dogfish Head has brewed a beer and wine hybrid. It is however very sweet, with the light kick from the hops to give it just enough bitterness. Midas Touch is not a brew you’d want to be drinking all night; it is a sipping beer in one of the purest senses.

While you could call it a fruit beer, it is far from that. I don’t know how to classify it.

The brewery’s own description is probably better than any I could give: “This smooth, dry ale will please the Chardonnay or I.P.A. drinker alike.”

It definitely pleases, but is not for beginners. I’d recommend this to anyone experienced in beer tasting, as well as to wine enthusiasts for an interesting twist.

The price on this brew makes it a one time thing, at nearly $4 for one 12 ounce bottle. However, at a near double-the-average 9 percent alcohol by volume, it was still worth the price at least for the experience.

Appearance: 4

Smell: 4.5

Mouthfeel: 2.5

Drinkability: 3.25

Taste: 4.25

Midas Touch Golden Elixir is the most unique beer I’ve tasted in quite a while, and for that it receives a 4 out of 5. Though, if you’re new to beer tasting you should probably stay away from it.

If you have a recommendation for a beer for me to review (anything goes), want to comment on or criticize my review, or just have questions regarding beer, send me an e-mail at UMDBeerBaron@gmail.com.

More than a number: ‘Remembrance’ honors lost lives

By Allison Reitz

Even with the Iraq war raging every single day, with bombs going off on busy streets and innocent people being wounded or killed, it can often be difficult for the typical American student to relate to all the devastation.

Video footage and 30-second sound bites on the evening news relay world events, but the frequent but brief reports do little to help build an emotional connection with viewers. After the television is shut off, it is easy to forget that the war continues for thousands of American troops.

A local teacher’s vision and an extensive high school project are working to change all that.

The project, simply titled “Remembrance,” is on display in the annex outside of the Main Auditorium. Suspended in between several cases of glass panels are 3000 abstract figures that represent all of U.S. servicemen and women who have lost their lives since the beginning of the Iraq war.

The creations are part of a project developed by Somerset High School teacher Merilee Bowers to help her students personally relate to the current war. However, what began as a high school project is having an increasing impact on the surrounding community, including UMass Dartmouth where “Remembrance” is now on display as part of a traveling exhibition. Thanks to its presence, the exhibition is making the Iraq and Afghanistan wars a little more tangible for the students at UMass Dartmouth and community members in the surrounding area.

The figures — made out of wood, cloth, buttons and string — represent more than the total number of lives lost. Each one bears the name of a fallen soldier, adding a powerful human aspect to the presentation. When one sees the names attached, one begins to wonder about the families left behind and the lives cut short. These are not simply folk art dolls, nor are they a practice in visualizing statistics. Suddenly, the reality of the war and the toll it has on American lives becomes much more palpable.

As streams of students and faculty members pass by the exhibition on their way to classes throughout the week, many stop to examine the carefully and lovingly made figures and to read the attached names. Some pause for a few seconds before continuing on silently. Others stop for several minutes, moving among the glass panels with a solemn demeanor. Alongside the figures are lists of all the individuals who helped make this project possible. Hundreds of people, including students and local volunteers, helped gather materials, stitch the figures together and arrange the exhibition. The lists are a nice touch, since each name represents a person who dedicated their time and talents to the project, just as each figure represents an individual who dedicated their lives to their work overseas.

Though the works went on display a week ago, a sizable addition was just recently made to the exhibition. On Tuesday, May 8, students and community members gathered in the auditorium annex throughout the day so they could make additional figures to add to the exhibition. These additions represent the approximately 100 lives that were lost since the installation first went on display.

“Remembrance” will be displayed in the auditorium annex through Tuesday, May 29, at which point the exhibition will move on to another location. A special reception will be held on Monday, May 14, from 3 to 5 p.m. All campus and community members are invited to attend, if only briefly, to show their support for the project.

SCREW THE ACADEMY

‘Spider-Man’: A reminder why we love the movies

By Bronson Michaud

“Spider-Man 3” (2007)
Rated PG-13 for sequences of intense action violence.
Runtime: 140 min.

Finally, the one we’ve all been waiting for. Though I knew that I was going to love “Spider-Man 3” before I even saw it, I did have some concerns.

I was afraid they might sacrifice story for convenience or that the hype for the film was going to overshadow the film itself. The story was only skewed slightly just to get the movie going a lot quicker, and I do not think that it had a serious effect on the movie.

As far as the hype was concerned, it was well justified. This movie just blew me away.

The acting in this movie was considerably better than the last two “Spider-Man” features. Toby Maguire has really come into his own with this role, and he plays an incredibly complex character to a T. It was interesting to see him switch from the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, to a dark, twisted revenge-driven madman, and then back again. It was flawless.

Kirsten Dunst, whom I think is the most loveable person on the planet, really went away from the bubbly, almost conceited Mary Jane that she played in the last two films. As it was with Maguire, Dunst’s character was more complex in this one, and I have absolutely no complaints on how she did this role.

Topher Grace joined the cast as Eddie Brock, better known as the maniacal villain Venom. I had my doubts as to whether or not this “’70s Show” goofball could pull off being a sociopath, but he did a very good job, and I would definitely expect to see him in more serious roles in the future.

What surprised me the most was that the best acting in this movie came from James Franco. After the second “Spider-Man” movie, I was really starting to get annoyed with the spoiled demeanor of his character, Harry Osbourne. He recovered gracefully, however, by absolutely giving it his all in this one. I think he can actually be taken seriously as an actor now.

I almost feel that it is unnecessary to mention the special effects of the movie because it should be understood that “Spider-Man” movies equal big budget effects. The effects were so dizzyingly incredible that during the fight scenes I thought I was on the best rollercoaster ever.

Those effects coupled with the costume design, the multiple villains and the kick-ass background music helped make this movie an explosive experience for the senses.

What I think fans will notice the most about this movie is the sense of imminent suffering that plays out right up to the ending credits. This movie just had a really dark attitude to it, which helped to mirror the darkness growing in the heart of the protagonist. For this I tip my hat to the director because making an audience really feel like they are part of the movie is not an easy task to accomplish.

All in all, this movie was nothing short of spectacular. If you just see it once, that still will not be enough. It is hands down the best movie of the three, and it is geared more towards an older audience than to the kiddies.

I honestly believe that of all the movies scheduled to come out this year, this will be the one that reminds us all why we love the movies.

I give this movie a 10 out of 5.

EAT A DUCK I MUST

Choice aromatic lion butt

By Wan Yan Ling

We’ve all done it. Laughed hysterically at half-baked English translations on menus, street signs, packaging and the like.

You see menu item #56, “beef beaten up in country people’s fashion,” and wonder if #58, “cowboy leg,” would be slightly more humane. You’re all set for your usual order of leek pot-stickers, but suddenly find your craving for “Chinese dumping” is no longer... Especially when you spot the “rest room for deformed man” sign at the disabled cubicle. And you and your buds can’t wait to patronize the Gentlemen’s Club that boasts the “special cocktail for ladies with nuts.”

I would be lying if I said I wasn’t amused...and maybe even slightly mortified. But I’ve also encountered more than my fair share of otherwise perfectly reasonable and intelligent people who readily go beyond good natured ribbing into dancing around and snickering, “Nyah, nyah, nyah! Your English sucks!” territory.

And while I agree that the “seafood special” of “fried rice with crap” doesn’t sound terribly appetizing, I can’t help but ask: Would you rather there be no translation?

After all, if you could read the menu/road sign/etc. in the original language, the descriptions, I’m sure, are likely to be eloquent enough. So what these people have done, pretty much, is attempt to make your experience in their restaurant/city/place of interest more accessible.

And you sneer at them.

What’s that? What’s that you say? They’re mangling English, YOUR language? And you “can’t stand it”? You should hear yourself butcher your “Just Enough French” phrasebook. And thank the market vendor for keeping a straight face when you asked for “un gros carrotes.”

Oh yes, I’m perfectly aware it’s not one-way. That market vendor probably tells everyone how the bold American chick unabashedly asked for “un gros carrotes” — in broad daylight, no less!

Just keep in mind that basketballer Marcus Camby has the Chinese character for “ghost” tattooed on his neck. Not a prank, merely the unfortunate fact that “I’ve got soul” lost its original nuances and gained new ones in the translation process.

You know the drill. Languages are so complex that flawless translations are almost impossible. Which is why tonight, I’ll be tossing back “wine that leaves you nothing to hope for” with the beau, while we puzzle out the wisdom on a fortune cookie slip I got recently: “Confucius says, love in triangles not on squares.”

Smiling, not snickering.

Light bulbs, roses or brickbats, e-mail:eataduckimust@gmail.com.

With lack of direction, ‘Tommy’ falls flat

By Allison Reitz

Staging a full-fledged production of “The Who’s Tommy” took a lot of guts on the part of 20 Cent Fiction. In doing so, the alternative theater group faced some major obstacles: Not only were they tackling a well-known and well-loved production, but they were also trying to translate it to the UMass Dartmouth stage. The results were lackluster and disappointing, but not without a few inspired moments.

Short of sending Pete Townsend, Roger Daltrey, Keith Moon and John Entwistle on stage to perform, there was little 20 Cent could have done to truly blow the audience’s mind with this production. But such is the hazard of staging an epic musical with less-than-epic resources.

Simply put, the members of 20 Cent were in over their heads with “Tommy.” And that’s not to say the cast and pit band didn’t put everything they had into the show. In fact, the most heart wrenching part of the whole show was how hard the cast was working to pull through each scene.

Not everyone involved had the vocal strength needed to really fill out the songs, but they sang with an admirable confidence that made up for their lack of range. Most frustrating, though, were the number of times when the microphones either weren’t on or the volume wasn’t turned up high enough to properly pick up the vocals.

Soft sound was also a problem in the pit. Though the band played well, they were not well amplified and were sometimes lost behind booming vocals on stage. If the audience could barely hear the accompanying music, it’s no wonder some of the actors missed their cues at points.

Such technical difficulties were unusually frequent, especially considering the fact that the show’s smaller kinks should have been worked out by the time the Sunday matinee rolled around — but weren’t. Mistakes are going to happen in any show, but for the same mistakes to occur consistently throughout a four-show run suggests either negligence or oversight.

It was clear that few of the actors had the familiarity and comfort with the material necessary for a strong performance. Again, blame should not rest with the actors, who were merely doing the best with what they were given. It is obvious that rehearsals were incomplete before the first night of the show, however the actors did an incredible job composing themselves on stage and transitioning between scenes.

Despite all the obvious flaws, the show did have it’s shining moments of brilliance.

Bil Duchesneau’s rugged vocals brought some of Daltrey’s original rock back into the Broadway-modified musical. His portrayal of Captain Walker was dead on — from his frustration with his son’s medical problems to his strained relationship with his wife.

Similarly, Suzanne Paquette was brilliant as the emotionally weary Mrs. Walker. She had a strong, soaring voice, which really helped carry every scene she was in. Paquette also gave a brilliant portrayal of Mrs. Walker’s varying states of anguish and fatigue when dealing with her son’s condition.

Some wonderfully sleazy comic relief from all the melodrama came in the form of Dan Whitehead, who was cast as Uncle Ernie. Not only did he play a marvelous drunk, but he truly acted well in each scene that he was on stage. Regardless of how much interaction he had with the action of the scene and even when he was merely standing on the sidelines, Whitehead stumbled and mumbled as only a reincarnation of Keith Moon could. His rendition of “Tommy’s Holiday Camp” was really hilarious.

Deanna Mustachio and Kit Mello also worked wonders with their roles. Mustachio’s strong vocals really rocked her performance of “Acid Queen.” Likewise, Mello brought a wonderful fire to her role as the star-struck Sally Simpson.

The real key performances were those of the three leads, who portrayed Tommy at different stages of his life. Adelaide Hopkins, for example, was lovely as ten-year-old Tommy. Her depiction of Tommy’s deaf, dumb and blind isolation was spot-on.

One of the evening’s most marvelous surprises came in the form of Joe Botelho. Though he originally auditioned to be in the pit band, 20 Cent did the production a favor by casting Botelho as the oldest Tommy, who also served as the show’s narrator. His soulful singing, especially during “Welcome,” was a breath of fresh air. Botelho brought a refreshing vigor and strength to every scene he was in, creating a palpable difference in the show’s tone.

However, the four-year-old Tommy played by Aaron Norcross really stole the show. Not only did he display a great understanding of his character, but he was also pretty darn cute, too. Ask anyone in the audience who witnessed Norcross’ guitar solo at the close of the final show and they’ll tell you that he is one genuinely talented and ambitious child.

It is unfair that these few actors would have to carry the success of the whole show on their shoulders. But that was the position in which they were placed due to the overall poor direction of the show, and they did their best. If only these moments of brilliant talent could have been the definition of the show instead of the exception, 20 Cent’s production of “The Who’s Tommy” might have been a decent production.

RECOMMENDING RHONDA

Rhonda says: It’s time to start your ‘Summer’ reading!

By Recommending Rhonda

“Summer Sisters”
By Judy Blume
Random House (1999)

As the semester comes to a close, I bet the last thing you are looking forward to doing once your finals are over is reading a book. Who hasn’t had more than their fair share of Shakespeare and Dickinson? I know I personally am quite ready to ditch the books and hit the beach.

It’s sad to think that many students are turned off of reading because they have so many books they are required to read. Don’t you remember being a youngster, anxious to read the next “Nancy Drew,” “Baby-Sitters Club” or “Goosebumps” tale? And what about Judy Blume’s “Fudge” books? Those were certainly entertaining.

Well, you don’t have to completely turn away from text this summer. Judy Blume, aside from authoring many children’s books, also has (gasp!) an adult collection, which includes one of my favorite books, “Summer Sisters.”

While it may be no “Macbeth” (and that’s probably a good thing!) this book is lighthearted, funny and touching. It won’t even feel like you’re reading it. You’ll want to read it. You’ll zip through it because, as one reviewer said, “With engaging characters, an intriguing plot and plenty of sex, this is an entertaining adult fairy tale, a summer read shameless enough to wear its season on its jacket.”

Indeed, this a read for the summer, and my entire family read this book in the span of a week -- including my father, who loved it just as much as my sister, mother and I!

The plot tells the story of two girls, Caitlin Sommers and Victoria Leonard (nicknamed Vix), over the span of twenty years. The girls are quite opposite in character, yet still gravitate toward one another.

The story begins with a phone call from Caitlin to Vix, during which she informs Vix that she is engaged to marry Vix’s ex-boyfriend and first love, Bru. Suddenly, we are catapulted back into the adolescence of the two girls, where we learn about their relationship.

It began when Caitlin invited Vix to go to Martha’s Vineyard with her father Lamb, brother Sharkey, Lamb’s girlfriend Abby, her son Daniel and Daniel’s friend Gus.

The girls explored their sexuality that summer, experimenting both with one another and some older boys they meet on the Vineyard: Bru and his cousin Von. The awkward sexual experiences are sure to strike a chord with everyone who has been through puberty.

After their first summer together, the girls returned to school, but made it a tradition for Vix to go to the Vineyard with Caitlin’s family every summer. Vix and Bru continued their sexual relationship well into the college years, when Vix goes to Harvard on a scholarship from Lamb and Abby. Caitlin had been accepted to school, but decided to travel with her mother instead.

As their lives became more complicated, the girls kept in contact with one another, but it was clear to see that they had grown apart. However, Vix did decide to attend Caitlin and Bru’s wedding, and while there, learned a few shocking secrets.

I’m not going to spoil the end of the story for you, but it will definitely leave you wanting more. As you read, you will get sucked into the lives of Caitlin and Vix, and find yourself wishing for a summer sister of your own, and possibly wishing you could relive your adolescence. And you can. Through this book.

For more information on Judy Blume’s novels, visit her website: www.judyblume.com.

For reviews on “Summer Sisters,” visit www.randomhouse.com/features/blume/.