Hancher

second kind of love

So Stew and Heidi were here earlier in the season to get to know Iowa City. The new work we commissioned with them involves songs about Iowa CIty. If you know Stew's work you know it will be interesting and will get us thinking. He won a Tony for Passing Strange. Here is what the Hancher blurb says:

Take biting social satire and mix with psychedelic pop; add sly humor, sophisticated wordplay, and a heaping dose of theatricality; top it off with genuine emotional resonance, and you may come close to Stew & The Negro Problem's acclaimed blend of "genre-defying rock-pop-funk-punk-cabaret … 'Afro-baroque' music" (The New York Times).

The show Thursday night at the Englert will have the new songs and some of Stew's other stuff. He just released his new album this week and even mentioned the UI project at Joe's Pub in NYC last week.

AND Terry Gross is interviewing Stew today on Fresh Air today. Oh yea, and Stew talks in the Fresh Air interview about Heidi and their work being a second kind of love.

The photo is one that Jacob took of Stew at Hamburg Inn last fall.

This is cool stuff. It is a commission. It is local. It is immediate. It is New York right here. Parking is easy. Tickets are available.

—Ron

enough's enough

Yesterday's post was the 100th image of Seashore Hall. I started this project in February 2010. We had moved into Seashore after leaving our first post-flood digs and I was finding the history and mystery of this old building interesting. Some peeling paint reminded my of Aaron Siskind's work and I thought I would just start posting photos of Seashore. Somewhere along the way a goal of 100 seemed right. I just recorded images whenever I spotted them. With 100 it seems like it's enough.You can see them all here.

The things that interested me were primarily design things: texture, color, shape, composition. Sometimes humor prompted the image to be included. Sometimes it was just something odd. As I looked at the space here, I couldn't help imagining this place 100 years ago when this was University Hospital. There are lots of areas of the building that I couldn't get to and probably contain lots of interesting images. But, as I said, enough is enough.

—Ron

view

Seashore Hall photo 100 

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ongoing series of photos from Hancher's home in Seashore Hall

plywood

Seashore Hall photo 99

plywood

ongoing series of photos from Hancher's home in Seashore Hall

structures

Seashore Hall photo 98

structures

ongoing series of photos from Hancher's home in Seashore Hall

ultimate drum major

Check out the terrific artwork for this year's Martin Luther King Celebration of Human Rights Day by Duncan Ross. At the website you can also see all the posters from past years. It is a nice gallery of work honoring this day. With everyone off work and students mostly back but no classes, it is a great day to do something to further human rights. I was struck by a comment I heard during the Presidential Caucus. Someone was urging people to volunteer and made the comment that they didn't need to be fearful of getting stuck with doing something they don't feel comfortable with. I think that idea fits here and makes doing something easier. Do something that fits who you are: right a letter, join a group, volunteer anywhere, comment on social media, attend a lecture, donate to the Crisis Center. In looking through the list of events the University has for this event (and not just on Monday), the thing that strikes me is the wide ranging areas of human rights that are represented. After all the caucus words spread here in the last month, it is clear that all our voices need to be heard in one way or another. Just find your way.

And thanks to Duncan for doing his part.

 

 

 

squares

Seashore Hall photo 97

squares

ongoing series of photos from Hancher's home in Seashore Hall

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Seashore Hall photo 96

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ongoing series of photos from Hancher's home in Seashore Hall

frosted

Seashore Hall photo 95 

frosted

ongoing series of photos from Hancher's home in Seashore Hall

bathroom

Seashore Hall photo 94 

bathroom

ongoing series of photos from Hancher's home in Seashore Hall

marble

Seashore Hall photo 93

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ongoing series of photos from Hancher's home in Seashore Hall

disk

Seashore Hall photo 92

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ongoing series of photos from Hancher's home in Seashore Hall

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Seashore Hall photo 91 

stair tread

ongoing series of photos from Hancher's home in Seashore Hall

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Seashore Hall photo 90

brushwork

ongoing series of photos from Hancher's home in Seashore Hall

roof lines

Seashore Hall photo 89    

roof lines

ongoing series of photos from Hancher's home in Seashore Hall

today

rich experience

I'm sorry. I am so sorry if you missed AnDa Union. They came last night as part of the Hancher season. It was the show I picked as the one I was most looking forward to and not because I knew anything. It just sounded interesting. Wow, it was more than interesting.

These Mongolian musicians were amazing. Beautiful sounds. Interesting unknown sounds. Gorgeous string playing. Charming people. DId I mention the amazing, beautiful singing? The traditional throat singing was something I couldn't believe. It was so beautiful. From one voice came the sounds of deep base, light beautiful flute, and shades of other things added. Amazing.

The show was immensely entertaining with comments from the performers that made them connect with us. It connected in ordinary ways: a song her mother had taught her, a song from his grandfather, a new song written by a friend, music that clearly demonstrated the love of horses in Mongolian culture. And on so many levels it connected to me in uncommon ways. Sparking an interest in a piece of the world that I have ignored.

So, you still have a chance. They will be at the UI WorldCanvass Studio today at noon at Room 2780, University Capitol Centre. It's free. Also the Bijou is showing a film on AnDa Union, From the Steppes to the City. That is also free and is tonight at 9:30 and Saturday night at 7. Details here.

—Ron

can't contain her

Jane keeps going and going.

The Hancher gift shop was one of the things at Hancher that hasn't been contained by the flood. Lots of people worked at the Showcase and raised lots of money for the Hancher educational events. Jane Downer was one of the people who has given hundreds of hours to making that work. I can't list everyone else here but what I really want to get to is the fact that the Showcase is still in business. I see Jane from time to time when she comes by the office and I wanted to spread the word: Jane has some Showcase things for sale. Hawkeye jewelry and Iowa/Iowa City coasters and trivets. You can see them on line right here along with the prices and Jane's contact information for buying them. Some are also on display in the case next to the Box Office at the Old Capitol Mall.

We are all excited about what the new Showcase will be in the new Hancher but like everything else, we need to be patient and work with what we have. So check out the items Jane has made available. 

—Ron

students write

Rob has had a rich and active intern group here for several years now. Out of the group comes lots of useful writing--useful for the students and useful for us. Our playbill is one place they write for: event previews, personal views, information pieces, education event updates. Now that writing has an added bonus: the Hancher writing contest.

This contest for UI students was created by the current intern group and is open to any UI student. The idea is to tell about a powerful performing arts experience either as a performer or an audience member. The reward for winning entries is $25 and the glory of being published in our playbill. Deadlines are October 31 for Fall and January 31 for Spring. Complete information right here or download a poster here. [PDF]

Hope the entries flood in!

—Ron

students design

Last year we tried for the first time to have UI student designers submit work for the Hancher playbill covers and we couldn't have been happier. We got tremendous entries and were able to select 15. You can see them here.

Anna Kahn is a junior in design at Iowa and is my graphics assistant this year doing the playbills. It is so exciting to see students' work and Anna's is superb. One of her covers is above.

So again this year we are looking for UI students work for the playbill. Everything you need to know is here and the deadline is November 1. I hope we get the same good work we did last year. Students are involved in all we do here and we are so pleased to be able to work with them. Anyone interested in this project can contact me anytime at 335-1135 or email me.

—Ron