UPCOMING EVENNTS
Aurora Picture Show
Saturday, June 5, 8pm
Sunday, June 6, 3pm
We'll Sweep Out the Ashes in the Morning
Curated by Allison Wiese
June in Houston will likely be hot as h-e-double hockey sticks. What more appropriate activities than to muse about our wrongs (or rights)? Treat yourself to a popsicle and a collection of short artist-made film and video works that spans nearly 100 years, all seven of the "deadly sins" as well as a few other taboo-busting behaviors that ruffle the feathers of the building superintendent, certain U.S. Congressmen and the art world. Work by (among others) Brian Dick, Adam Frelin, Joe Gibbons, Andy Mann, Bjorn Melhus, Sterling Ruby, Liz Sisco/Louis Hock/David Avalos, Igor Vamos. Surprise door prizes.
Allison Wiese is Aurora Picture Show's Managing Director, and an artist whose sculptures, installations, and architectural interventions have been shown throughout Texas and the United States. Wiese is a fellow of the MacDowell Colony and was a Core Resident at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston from 2001 to 2003. She learned to walk and talk in Brooklyn, drive in Southern California, and everything else important in Texas. She is an unrepentant jay-walker and grocery store grazer.
Tuesday, June 8, 8pm
Innovation Then and Now: 1970s CAMH Choreographers and 21st Century European Dance Videomakers
Curated by Louie Saletan, Suchu Dance
In conjunction with Houston's 2nd annual Big Range Dance Festival, Aurora is pleased to host a two-part evening exploring innovations in contemporary dance performance on both sides of the Atlantic. Works highlighted represent almost 30 years of innovative choreography as well as advances in media and video technology.
The Choreographers who were active in the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston's frequent dance/installation/performance art happenings of the mid-70s manipulated observers' perception of the dance in real time, while many of today's innovators in dance rely heavily on video shooting and editing techniques to explore the relationship between camera and performer, or to make possible that which is not possible in live dance performance.
Panel Discussion: CAMH choreographers Farrell Dyde, Roberta Stokes, Mary Wolff, (and appearing by pre-recorded video: Polly Motley and Jim Clouser) will join us for an informal panel discussion, moderated by Professor Karen Stokes of the University of Houston's Center for Choreography.
Screening: Curated by Suchu Dance managing director Louie Saletan, a 45 minute screening will showcase a wide range of short but innovative 21st century dance-made-for-video projects from Videoworks, a series produced by The Place, London's vibrant nexus and service organization for European contemporary dance.
Thursday, June 10, 8pm & 10:30pm
Wild Style
Director Charlie Ahearn in person
Co-presented by Austin Film Society
Co-sponsored by Aerosol Warfare
For those craving the true roots of rap, Wild Style (1982) captured the hard core South Bronx scene at its birth. The stars of Wild Style form the pantheon of hip hop's pioneers: DJ's Grand Master Flash, Grand Wizard Theodore, D.St.; rappers Grand Master Caz and The Cold Crush Bros, The Chief Rocker Busy Bee, Double Trouble, Fantastic Freaks and RAMMELLZEE and bboy champions The Rock Steady Crew. Beat Music by legendary Blondie guitarist Chris Stein and Fred Brathwaite.
Wild Style stars the legendary subway artist LEE Quinones and the queen of the graffiti scene, Sandra PINK Fabara. Graffiti Masters DONDI, ZEPHYR and DAZE also bombed for the movie. FAB 5 FREDDY, who along with writer/producer/director Charlie Ahearn, helped create Wild Style, shines as the smooth hip hop impresario PHADE. Wild Style follows the outlaw artists through the train yards to the rap/breakdance clubs.
Charlie Ahearn is a filmmaker and the co-author with Jim Fricke of Yes Yes Ya'll (Da Capo Press), the first and only account of hip-hop's origins, told in the never-before-published words of its founders and stars and highlighted by hundreds of vintage photos and flyers. He lives in New York City.
Saturday, June 19, 8pm & 10pm (live music by Childcraft)
Sunday, June 20, 3pm & 5pm (traditional karaoke)
Sunset Picnic, 6pm-9pm (sponsored by Camfield Catering and Saint Arnold Brewing Company)
Aurora Anniversary Weekend
Extremely Shorts 7: Works 3 Minutes & Under
Craig Baldwin, juror, in attendance
Join Aurora Picture Show for our 6th birthday celebration! This weekend long festival includes four screenings of Extremely Shorts 7, live music and a picnic by sunset. One hour of short films and videos have been selected from a worldwide pool of submissions by this year's juror Craig Baldwin, filmmaker and founder of Other Cinema, San Francisco.
The annual "Extremely Shorts" program, a tribute to Aurora's June 1998 inaugural show, is designed to showcase emerging talent with a DIY approach to media making. The short, three minutes or under format makes film and video making financially and technically accessible, and encourages many first time artists to pick up a camera.
Saturday, July 10, 8pm
Sunday, July 11, 3pm
High Above this Wall: Cinematexas Roadshow
Presented by Ralph McKay, Cinematexas Director
They call Texas the Lone Star State. And lately some Texans have in fact been acting like lone stars at the center of the universe: behaving as if their law is mightiest, existing apart from any other galaxy. But Cinematexas doesn't accept this cosmology. We've seen some astonishing work these last few years--work from all countries, in all genres--work that reflects the inner and outer landscapes of battle, the social and emotional architectures of war. Works by Carola Dertnig (A Room With a View in the Financial District), Julie Speechley (Fields), Paul Hanley (Viva la Guerra--excerpt), David Barker (Seven Days), Victoria Gamburg (Right Road Lost), Susan Youssef (Forbidden to Wander).
Friday, July 23, 8pm
Video Gong Show
Saturday, July 24, 8pm
Remade, re-remade, and re-re-remade
Both shows curated by Mark Allen of Machine Project and C-level (Los Angeles)
Video Gong Show is an open screening/video battle/social sculpture created especially for the Aurora Picture Show. Audience members are handed a "voting button" as they enter the theater. Should they tire of the video being shown, they can express their displeasure by pressing their button. An electronic circuit tabulates the votes in real time and displays the percentage of unhappy viewers on screen. When more than half of the audience are pressing their button, a large gong is rung automatically and the video shuts off. At the end of the evening, fantastic prizes will be awarded to the video that survived the longest (most entertaining), and even more fantastic prizes to the video that survived the shortest (most torturous). Video Gong Show is an open screening, with the general public invited to bring in their videos for riotous acclaim or humiliating mockery. Creator and electronics genius Mark Allen will be present with soldering iron in hand to present the world premier of Video Gong Show.
Remade, re-remade, and re-re-remade
Four artists investigate, reveal, or create hidden texts and underlying narratives present in existing footage. Topics include a meta-critique of Vietnam war nostalgia through video games, the psycho-sexual underpinnings of Andy Hardy, The history of Sexi Midi, and the complete series of infamous "GI Joe Videos" by Internet meme-star Eric Fensler. Curator Mark Allen will be present to explain, justify, celebrate or make excuses, depending on what the situation warrants. Featured Artists are Martin Arnold, Eric Fensler, Kelly Sears, and Eddo Stern.
Amateur Impresario Mark Allen's current interests include tragic procrastination, bikes, parties, riding bikes to parties, expensive hobbies masquerading as art projects, and figuring shit out. Current resident of Los Angeles, one time attendee of the Core Program, and long time fan of the Aurora Picture Show, Mr. Allen will be receiving the 2004 All Texas spirit award for showing up in July once again.
Saturday, June 26, 9pm
Best of Aurora Picture Show, Vol. 2
The Orange Show's Cinema al Fresco
Enjoy the scenery and fresh air at the world famous Orange Show! The selections in Best of Aurora Picture Show, Volume 2 are by no means representative of the only "best" works we've shown at Aurora, but rather is a sampling of some recent titles that rocked the house. Titles by Hackworth Ashley, Enid Baxter Blader, Mariano Cohn, Harrell Fletcher, Adam Frelin, Philippe Hamelin, Eileen Maxson, Bjørn Melhus, Jeroen Offerman, Brad Vanderburg, and J. X. Williams.
Saturday, August 8, 8pm
Sunday, August 9, 3pm
Burning Man: Beyond Black Rock
Gone Off Deep Productions
Director Damon Brown in attendance
Co-sponsored by Art Car Museum
Each summer, Black Rock becomes one of the largest cities in Nevada, with a population of over 30,000 and an infrastructure that provides everything from emergency services and electricity, to daily newspapers and radio broadcasts. For seven days and nights, Burning Man stands as a community free of commerce, bound by a social contract of tolerance and cooperation, and dedicated to the transforming power of art and self expression.
Director Damon Brown goes behind the scene, exploring the philosophy that fuels it, the tireless efforts that drive it, and the transcendent experience that makes it a worldwide cultural force.
Damon Brown most recently served as Director of Multimedia for Substance TV. His feature subjects included poet Robert Creeley, musical group The Polyphonic Spree, the Cinematexas short film festival, author Tim Sanders, photographer Tom Ruddock, and author Daniel Quinn. He also co-directed several current event features ranging from the reactions to the terrorist attacks on NYC to the WEF protests.
Saturday, August 21, 8pm (Program 1)
Sunday, August 22, 3pm (Program 2)
Ann Arbor 42nd Film Festival Tour
Ann Arbor Film Festival is the oldest independent and experimental film festival in North America. The 42nd Tour presents 22 award winning and highlight titles selected by Festival Director Chrisstina Hamilton. Works by Rick Raxlen, Cheryl Park, Lori Hiris, Tony Gault, Jenny Bisch, Doug Vitarelli, Robert Todd, Bill Brown, Sergio Batiz, Bob Makara, Micaela O'Herlihy, Jeanne Liotta, Dominic Angerame, Tim Szetela, Alfonso Alvarez, Naoko Sasaki, Denise Kaufmann, Trevor Fife, Diane Cheklich, Anna Abrahams, Kerry A. Laitala, and Joel Shlemowitz.
Thursday, September 16, 8pm
Houston Gay and Lesbian Film Festival 2004
For details see: www.hglff.org
Saturday, September 19, 8pm
Sunday, September 20, 3pm
Filmmaker Jem Cohen in person
Aurora Picture Show welcomes filmmaker Jem Cohen! Titles to be announced.
Jem Cohen is a New York-based filmmaker. Often shooting in hundreds of locations with little or no additional crew, Cohen collect street footage, portraits, and sounds. The projects built from these archives defy easy categorization, thriving on the collision between documentary, narrative, and experimental approaches. Cohen has made two feature-length documentaries: Instrument (with and about Fugazi) and Benjamin Smoke (co-directed by Peter Sillen). He has worked with musicians including Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Vic Chesnutt, Sparklehorse, Blonde Redhead, R.E.M., Elliott Smith, Patti Smith, and Gil Shaham with the Orpheus Orchestra.
Cohen's work has been broadcast by PBS, the BBC, Planete, and the Sundance Channel. Awards include first prizes at Locarno International Film Festival, Bonn Videonale, Festival Dei Popoli, Doubletake Documentary Festival, San Francisco Film Festival, Film + Arc, Graz, and the Barbara Aronofsky Latham Award 2000. Cohen is a Guggenheim and Rockefeller Fellow. - Video Data Bank
Admission to all Aurora programs is $5, unless otherwise indicated
Aurora Picture Show is located at 800 Aurora Street, Houston, Texas 77009
713-868-2101
www.aurorapictureshow.org
Please send event and cultural news items to info@houstonculture.org as soon as you are able, so we can add them to our calendar, www.houstonculture.org/events and mention them to the listeners of KTRU, Rice University Radio, 91.7fm.
Houston Institute for Culture
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