September 2011

You are currently browsing the monthly archive for September 2011.

Friday: Free Dance Event at BAM/PFA

September 28, 2011 in $10 or less, Guest blogger, Things to do, Weekend Update by Kate Mattingly | 1 comment

Silke Otto-Knapp: Stage, 2009; watercolor and gouache on canvas; 55 x 67 in.; courtesy of The Rachofsky Collection, Dallas.

This Friday at Berkeley Art Museum a program of artwork, films, and live performances marks the opening of “Silke Otto-Knapp: A light in the moon/MATRIX 239.”

Curated by Dena Beard, the events include footage from the Pacific Film Archive collection of Anna Halprin’s landmark “Parades & Changes” plus Yvonne Rainer’s “Dance Fractions for the West Coast.” Live performances include Rainer’s “Trio A” and a site-specific creation by Flora Wiegmann. Dance is the theme that binds the events together: Otto-Knapp’s watercolors are fascinating images that appear and disappear, echoing the ephemerality of dance. They inspire interactivity, or as Beard writes in the exhibit’s program, the viewer makes an effort “to mobilize pictorial space.”

If you cannot attend Friday’s events, “A light in the moon” is on view until January 15, 2012. The Friday event is free.

More information is available at the BAM/PFA website.

Silke Otto-Knapp: Two Figures (white), 2006; watercolor and gouache on canvas; 39 1/2 x 39 1/2 in.; courtesy of the artist and Gavin Brown’s enterprise, New York.

Tags: , , , ,

Big Art Group: The People

September 21, 2011 in Guest blogger, Things to do by Kate Mattingly | 1 comment

“We’re voracious image eaters – we’re eating images all day long, we can’t get enough,” says Caden Manson, who co-directs Big Art Group with Jemma Nelson. Their productions are known for dazzling sequences of visuals – live and projected – that are created and captured in real time. Their most recent creation, “The People,” appeared in San Francisco over the weekend. For a graduate student immersed in the study of performance, “The People” provoked thoughts about contemporary media and politics, theater and technology, art and activism.

In each city where “the People” is performed, Big Art Group interviews local residents, asking them questions about war, justice, terrorism, and democracy. These taped interviews are interspersed with the live simulcast of scenes occurring within the chosen site. For the San Francisco version, the site was Z Space, a venue that presents new creations in theater, dance, music and performance art. “The People” used the building’s exterior as well as interior: the audience remained outside watching the simulcast and pre-recorded interviews. Inside, the performers’ scenes were loosely based on Aeschylus’ Oresteia, rife with themes of revenge, violence, and justice.

The multi-layered format both draws attention to the timelessness of retribution, and emphasizes the ubiquity of mediated images: we see glimpses of actors through the windows of Z Space and their massive projections on its façade. In an article about Big Art Group in The Drama Review, Jacob Gallagher-Ross writes that they “see the mass media’s smoke and mirrors, its anodyne excursions, as analogous to the way ideology screens out bodies and identities deemed unacceptable by the blinkered mainstream.”

As a way of exposing the construction of images, “The People” repeats and dissects scenes, showing how they’re manipulated. When Electra discusses with Orestes the plot to kill Clytemnestra, they are placed in a sitcom-like setting (pictured below) and a director’s voice is heard telling her to “be ironic and hip.”

When faces of local residents (Big Art Group says they interviewed about 30 people) are projected on the façade, each person appears for several seconds, speaking a sentence or two. Even though we do not hear the prompt, it’s possible to decipher the question based on their words: “war is far” and “war is close to me” answer “do you think war is close or far?” “It comes from greed and ignorance” or “war happens because people don’t or can’t compromise,” respond to “Where does war come from?” “Justice would be a moment when people are treated fairly and equally” and “justice should repair the harm that’s done” could be answering “what does justice look like?”

Once in a while interviewees offered statements that were personal and poignant, as when a woman described a man who came back from war a changed man, unable to discuss what happened overseas, or another woman said her brother in Iran would challenge her doubts and criticisms of democracy in the USA. But these are the exceptions: rarely did the people’s words offer more than a platitude, and the vacuousness of these replies, as one friend described it, was perplexing. Is this superficiality emphasized by the editing of interviews by Big Art Group which cut away longer commentary? Or is this a statement about the inability to find language to capture perspectives, a moment when we see in the person’s face a desire to communicate an idea and the impossibility of words to signify those emotions and thoughts? In promotional material Big Art Group describes “The People” as taking place “with the involvement of the local community in which the participants of the play are members of the public, creating a link between their personal stories and the realm of the epic, to shine a light on the relationship between the individual and the democratic process.”

“The People” made me wonder about television and politics. When it was introduced in its first ad campaign in 1939, it was described as “The Magic Window,” with magic referring to its ability to bring views and perspectives from around the globe into the home. What is our relationship with television today: is it, as Big Art Group suggests, that television no longer offers a view but shows us how and what to think? Do the scripted words and manipulated images that surround us control the way we think and speak?

Blogging Contest!!

September 18, 2011 in Campus news, Graduate Assembly, In the news, Things to do by TBG | Comments closed

Get your laptops ready– The Berkeley Graduate is sponsoring a blogging contest!

Write a great blog post (at least 400 words) on a topic of your choice that would be of general interest to readers, and the two lucky winners will receive a free massage at Berkeley’s RSF gym!!

First place prizes:

-Two 25 minute massage certificates– that’s 50 minutes of free massage therapy!

-Publication of the blog post

Second place prizes:

-One 25 minute massage certificate

-Publication of the blog post

Submit your entries to berkeleygraduate@ga.berkeley.edu by October 15. The contest is open to Berkeley grad students.

Good luck, bloggers!

Two Weeks Old

September 12, 2011 in Guest blogger by Suhani Mehta | 1 comment

A 50-page reading before the first day of the class. And 5 new assignments in the first week of the semester. Awesome!

Ahh [sigh], this is what life is all about. Anyone who disagrees with me can wait till I finish my post before saying anything.

It is officially 2 weeks from the first day of school. And it is time I share my experiences with other amateurs like me. After all, school is more about interactions than about grades, right?

Let me start with the first lecture I attended. My first lecture was not of my grad studies; it was one of the discussion sections I am a GSI for. Whoever swaggered, “Oh I am doing a GSI job on the side just to make some extra money”, certainly gave me a wrong impression. It is not that easy, especially when the course has nothing to do with my previous or current field of study— Computers and Information Systems— and when it has been 7 years since I have learnt that course (Physics) with as weak memory as mine. There are now too many days when I learn more about Physics than Information systems.

While I was gradually overcoming this initial setback, our class was assigned a 50-page reading before the first lecture! Even before knowing what the course is all about, reading through all the material certainly raised questions like, “Why am I reading all this?”, “What does this even mean?” and the most frequent one “Why ME?! Why do I have to do this?”. But having nothing to do in the first weekend, it was easy to pass this less dreadful phase. ‘Less’ because I believe ‘more’ is yet to come based on what I have heard from more experienced people.

What about those 5 assignments, you ask? I am still completing those on the side while writing this blog and (fyi) the due date is tomorrow. Ye! But all this hasn’t put me down yet. Why? Because I arrived in Berkeley fully prepared for a WAR. I have heard so much about how difficult it is going to be throughout the school that I still feel I am walking with a shield in one hand and a sword in the other with an expression that looks something like this:

[Shout] “You can’t stop meeeeeeeeeeeeee!!”

Okay okay… I know I am exaggerating a lot. But it is still true, though to a lesser extent.

But I am also excited… excited for the way I have challenged the wisdom of all my seniors and done things exactly opposite of what they told me.

“Living with students from different countries is a different experience altogether which you must have. It really opens your mind and enriches your thinking process”: I am living alone in a studio.

“Don’t do more units than required for the semester”: I have signed up for not 1, not 2, but 3 units more than what I am required to do.

“Don’t burden yourself with part time jobs in the first semester itself. Give yourself some time”: I am already a GSI for a course that I hardly remember anything about.

“Keep interacting with others. It is the way to find new opportunities and move your way ahead”: I have been to none of the parties or gatherings so far and I don’t know anybody in my school apart from 4 people whom I met before the school started.

And the list goes on.

Though I am already drowned in a huge backlog of course work, I am extremely enthusiastic about what the future holds for me. Success or failure, I simply want to enjoy each moment of my dream that has come true… being in Berkeley. Go Bears!

And those who disagreed with me in the beginning, please wait for a few days before you voice your opinions. Why? My huge backlog, remember?

Best Oakland Nightlife

September 9, 2011 in $10 or less, Bay Area basics, Guest blogger, Things to do, Weekend Update by Ruth Miller | Comments closed

If you find that you’ve already exhausted the supply of Berkeley bars, and don’t want to risk a $30+ cab fare to escape San Francisco after the last BART train, look no further than Oakland.

Sure, Oakland has its share of a reputation, but it also has its share of nightlife. Take it from a resident of Downtown Oakland – 94612 has something for everyone, and it’s a lot closer (and cheaper) than San Francisco.

Cheap

Radio. Radio is a dark, cheap and loud dive bar about 50 feet from both 12th Street BART and a taxi stand in Downtown Oakland. Its proximity to transportation is fortunate, because this is an easy place to lose track of time. Outside, they have an entire board of happy hour specials (note that all of Tuesday is happy, too), but the full prices are good enough for almost any student budget.

435 13th Street, Oakland.

Ruby Room. Ruby Room is a darker, cheaper version of Radio. Literally, it’s so dark, you’ll go blind every time the door opens during the day. But on the plus side, this will keep you for going for your phone. The drinks are cheap, the staff are friendly enough, and they have very unique special events on the occasional Sunday. You’ll cherish your gold medal for Beer Pong in the Ruby Room’s Beer Olympics more than your loved ones.

132 14th Street, Oakland.

Somar Bar. Looking for something a little more… well lit? Somar has cheap drinks, but it also has huge windows and carefully curated art. Happy hour includes $2 bottled drinks before 8 pm (until 9 on Saturdays). This is another bar that prides itself on its music, with live DJs most nights. The staff is especially friendly, and the managers really make you feel welcomed.

1727 Telegraph, Oakland.

Fancy

Dogwood. So far this year, Dogwood’s three most outstanding accomplishments are:

  • Opening – it poured its first drinks in February.
  • Winning a commendation from the Oakland Heritage Alliance for preserving the historic character of its building.
  • Its cocktail menu.

Dogwood is a classy joint, and has the menu and charcuterie to match. They won’t turn you away at the door if you show up in socks and sandals, but consider this a good place to take a date.

Don’t miss the fried pork skins ($4) for melt-in-your mouth flavor. Literally, they melt in your mouth. Do not consume these if you’re going to feel bad about it later.

1644 Telegraph, Oakland.

Make Westing. A nod to Oakland author Jack London, Make Westing is the newest bar in Uptown Oakland. It’s cocktails are imaginative and diverse enough to cover any taste, plus they’re $6 from 4 to 6. But the real draw is the two, full-length bocce ball courts inside. The vibe is Speakeasy, but without the hassle of Prohibition.

1741 Telegraph, Oakland.

The Den at the Fox. If you happen to snag tickets to TV on the Radio later this month, good for you. You’ll get to explore the inside of a beautiful Art Deco theater, built in 1929 and only restored and reopened in 2009. If you aren’t one of the lucky ones, you can always try winning tickets in trivia at the Den at the Fox. The Den plays trivia on Tuesdays, but it’s not winner take all – teams win raffle tickets for correctly answered questions, but also for ordering drinks. Take it from me – you can come in at the bottom of trivia, but order enough shots to walk out with four floor seats to Chromeo. Follow the Den on Twitter to find out the theme of the bonus round in advance. The Den doesn’t have a large menu, but the fabulous Five Ten Burger truck operates close by.

1807 Telegraph, Oakland.

Tasty

Cosecha. This Mexican café opened over the summer, and offers delicious tacos and other fare in a breezy market space. They also have a bar, pouring Firehouse IPA and local Trumer Pils. At happy hour, which runs from 2 – 6, bottled beer is $2.50 (draught is $3.50). The regular prices are respectable, too. Stop by on Friday during the Old Oakland Farmer’s Market (10-2). Cosecha is nestled in Swan’s Market, an anchor of the historic Old Oakland neighborhood that’s definitely worth exploring.

907 Washington Street, Oakland.


Rudy’s Can’t Fail Café. If you were on campus earlier this year and heard a collective spasm of energy from the south, it wasn’t an earthquake, it was Rudy’s Can’t Fail Café opening its doors and a ton of people freaking out. Rightfully so, of course. Like its parent in Emeryville, Rudy’s is as close to a diner as you’ll get in the East Bay, but with alcohol, a punk aesthetic, and a high caliber of food.

1805 Telegraph, Oakland.


Berkeley’s Proposed Downtown Area Plan

September 6, 2011 in Bay Area basics, Guest blogger, In the news by Ruth Miller | 1 comment


Especially to those new to Berkeley, Telegraph and Bancroft definitely seem like the heart of the city. People weave in and out of shops with big shopping bags, squeeze into window cafes to chat over lunch (or happy hour), and otherwise fill the street and sidewalks with life. As a city planner, that’s how you know you that you’re on to something.

This isn’t to say that Berkeley’s actual downtown, west of campus along Shattuck, is deserted. In fact, it’s definitely worth checking out. There are several small restaurants, a growing number of good bars (“Revival”, indeed), and many buses, cars, bikes, and trains. But what downtown doesn’t have is the same sense of place. When you accidentally wander into Upper Telegraph for the first time, you know you’ve found something special. Downtown Berkeley, with buildings of a similar height but set much farther apart, seems almost anti-climatic for what it is and should be.

In 2010, 64% of Berkeley residents voted to change that. By passing Measure R, almost two thirds of Berkeley voters agreed to a new Downtown Area Plan that would allow downtown Berkeley to grow.

Currently, the two tallest buildings in Downtown Berkeley are the 173-foot Wells Fargo and 180-foot Great Western buildings. When flanked on sides by one, three, and five story buildings, these two really stick out. The Downtown Area Plan would allow property owners on those closest blocks to build new buildings higher and help smooth the skyline. These new, larger buildings would help foster a more vibrant arts district while creating new condos, apartments, retail and office space. The rest of the plan adds more open space, tree-lined streets and plazas, especially along Center Street.

The western block of Center Street, which connects Berkeley’s campus to the Downtown Berkeley BART station, is highlighted in the plan as an opportunity to create an all-pedestrian street. Not only that, but the City would “daylight” a portion of Strawberry Creek, which currently runs under Center Street on its way underneath the city. A generous canopy of new trees and seating would turn an endured and unconsidered passageway into an attractive destination.

Being Berkeley, the plan also includes state of the art integrated stormwater filtration systems, gold LEED certification or higher, wider sidewalks, preservation of historic features, and every effort to provide safe access to people of all abilities.

Of course, some people disagree with the entire idea of putting more people in Downtown, simply because “Berkeley is already dense enough”.

New residents should be forgiven for thinking Berkeley residents are as progressive with their own backyards as they are in the national papers. Inviting prisoners of Guantanamo to live in Berkeley is great, but want to open a Trader Joe’s on University? Sorry, it will cause too much traffic, so we’re going to tie that up in committee for almost a decade.

Even though a majority of every precinct endorsed Measure R, including over 70% from Downtown Berkeley residents, the modest zoning increases could still end up stalled forever. When the plan goes before City Council later this year, expect some of Berkeley’s notorious NIMBY’s to show up. Only in Berkeley do a few vitriolic speakers at a City Council meeting outweigh the wishes of the majority as expressed by ballot measure.

Will Berkeley’s minority of NIMBYs triumph? We’ll have to wait and see. Meanwhile, Berkeley’s Downtown remains oppressed. Have fun in Upper Telegraph, San Francisco, and Oakland.

Switch to our mobile site