Fire Sale at Brandeis (Rose Art Museum)

The Rose Art Museum at Brandeis University will be closing its doors. According to the Boston Globe:

Rocked by a budget crisis, Brandeis University will close its Rose Art Museum and sell off a 6,000-object collection that includes work by such contemporary masters as Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol, and Nam June Paik.

The phrase "cutting the arts" isn't nearly descriptive enough. I think "erasing" is a better word.
Here's the Globe to the January 26, 2009 article by Jacob Berkman
http://www.boston.com/ae/theater_arts/articles/2009/01/26/brandeis_to_sell_schools_art_collection/

The director, Michael Rush has curated some amazing new media and multidisciplinary exhibits. He has also written the book we are using in our Power of the Image class, New Media In Art. He has written a response to the closing of the museum, and here is a quote:

"Art cannot be treated as a liquid asset. Seeking a solution to dire financial difficulties by selling precious art that was given (or bought) in the deepest trust between donors and the university (via the museum) is an aberration. History will record this as a desperate action that flies in the face of all intellectual and ethical standards. "

You can sign a petition sponsored by "Concerned Alumni of Brandeis" at
ttp://www.thepetitionsite.com/3/in-opposition-to-the-closing-of-the-rose-art-museum

Also of note: the museum is open until April 4, 2009. For more info, here are visiting hours and information:

http://www.brandeis.edu/rose/visitus/hours.html

Monday Closed
Tuesday Closed
Wednesday Noon to 5pm
Thursday Noon to 8pm
Friday Noon to 5pm
Saturday Noon to 5pm
Sunday Noon to 5pm

Admission

Entry to the museum is free for members, senior citizens, children under 12, present and former students of Brandeis, and all other students with a valid I.D. For all other guests there is $3 fee.

-sam smiley

PAPAPAPA

Today we will be looking at filmmaker Alex Rivera's video, PAPAPAPÁ. This is an experimental documentary about his father, and his relation to his land of birth, Peru, and life in the United States. He uses stop motion animation, humor, and family footage to weave a tale of pop culture, potatoes, immigration, and assimilation.
From his web site: " Papapapá examines how bodies (people and vegetable) are remade within the new societies they encounter."

His web site (showing this and his other productions) is http://www.alexrivera.com

Ill Doctrine and Obama

This is a excerpt from Ill Doctrine (http://www.illdoctrine.com), an NYC based hip hop DJ called Jay Smooth who publishes a video blog. Check it out. What are your thoughts about race in America under an Obama presidency?
-sam smiley

President Obama and Education

Here's a clip from CNN about Obama and education. (Also a quote from Lesley President Joe Moore)
-sam smiley

Remixing, Lessig, and the Colbert report

One of the things we're going to be talking about this semester is copyright, and fair use. Part of this conversation is about remix- culture. I saw a great segment on the Colbert report where Steven Colbert interviews Lawrence Lessig, one of the founders of Creative Commons and author of Remix: Making Art and Commerce Thrive in the Hybrid Economy . Steven Colbert tells the audience not to remix the video.

The Colbert ReportMon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

Lawrence Lessig

Colbert at Christmas
Colbert Christmas DVD

Green Screen
Bill O'Reilly Interview

Here's a remix, I'm sure there are several more on Youtube.



-sam smiley