Story by Omar Villafranca Photos courtesy of Dallas Modern Art A picture is worth a thousand words to writers. So how much is a picture worth to artists? The Dallas Museum of Art explores this question with the help of its new exhibit titled "Degas to Picasso: Painters, Sculptors and the Camera." The 473-piece exhibit features works from 14 Post-Impressionist and Symbolist artists from the turn of the century. Artists' works featured include Frenchmen Auguste Rodin, Edgar Degas and Paul Gauguin, Norwegian Edvard Munch and Spaniard Pablo Picasso. The exhibit is the brainchild of Dorothy Kosinski, the DMA's curator of European art. She said she had the idea in her head for about eight to10 years. The DMA has physically been preparing for this exhibit for the past three years. Some of the pieces of art are on loan from such institutions as the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Musée d'Orsay, Paris, The Tate Gallery in London and several private collections. Artists at the turn of the century were trying to find a place for photography
in the world of art, Kosinski said. Some artists took to the new medium
well, while others dismissed it. Kosinski said artists like Degas, Mucha
and Brancusi took well to photography. She said they used the photos to
see objects in a different light and to catch things the naked eye could
not see. "Machines have come, art has fled, and I am far from thinking that photography can help," Gauguin once said. Gauguin later contradicted his statements when he used a photo postcard from the South Seas as inspiration for one of his pieces on his series from Tahiti. Rodin, most famous for his sculpture "The Thinker," used photographs to sculpt two small sculptures of Balzac, the French author. Visitors can see pictures taken of how the sculptor used pictures to further his art. "You have a series of photographs which interpret his sculptures. He was constantly in dialogue with different and used photographs, in a way, to disseminate his work but also to interpret it. Study it." Kosinski said this exhibit, due to the featured artists, is significant. "This is a hugely important show," Kosinski said. "This is a show of proportions that have not been seen in this museum. This is one of international stature." Other featured pieces of art include Picasso's "Boy With a Pipe", Edgar Degas' "Blue Dancers" and Paul Gauguin's "Tahitian Pastorale." "Degas to Picasso: Painters, Sculptors and the Camera" runs through May 7 at the DMA. Admission is $10 for adults, $8 for students and senior citizens and $5 for children under 12. For ticket information, call the DMA at (214) 922-1331.
Omar Villafranca
By Christina Hager Skiff staff "I'm scary. My feet are cold, and my stomach cries for food. Just a few more minutes before another day in hell begins. I close my eyes as tightly as I can and mumble a quick prayer, even though I know God hates me." So begins "A Man Named Dave: A Story of Triumph and Forgiveness." Written by David Pelzer, this is the conclusion to his life's story, previously told in his books "A Child Called It" and "The Lost Boy." These first two books chronicle Pelzer's sad, abusive childhood. From being forced to sleep on a cot in his garage to being reduced to eating the dog scraps, the horrible and gut-wrenching events of Pelzer's life between 4 and 18 unfold on the pages of these first two novels. In "A Man Named Dave," the readers finally get the chance to witness the final chapter in his life as a formerly abused child. The novel begins with a flashback to 1973 - his abused days - when he is a scared, trembling child cowering in the presence of his sadistically violent mother. After Pelzer tells of his "saving" by a school nurse, the story suddenly forwards to 1979, when an older, yet still-confused David is trying to join the U.S. Air Force. Since he was half-starved for a good part of his childhood, he is still lanky and not very strong. Along with weak eyes and less than adequate schooling, he is at a great disadvantage. He enters with a dream of flying and leaves basic training with the reality that a military cook is all he will ever be. After attending and dropping out of college classes, he finally obtains the basic education needed to even apply for a pilot position. After several different tries, he successfully obtains a job as a boom operator, where he refuels jets midair for the Air Force. Unfortunately, just when it looks like his life is taking a turn for the better, he receives word that his father, who deserted him years ago during the abuse, is dying of cancer. Throughout the book, Pelzer deals with so much heartache, such as confronting his mother and a failed marriage, that it is hard to stomach at times. While the story is excellent and spoken directly from the heart, it is hard to follow unless you have read his previous two books. Nevertheless, the author takes even the most difficult situations and presents them to the audience in a meaningful and enlightening way that everyone can relate to. "A Man Named Dave" truly has a real-life fairy tale ending that leaves the reader feeling that nothing is too difficult to achieve. It also paints a refreshing picture of breaking the cycle of abuse from one generation to another. Whatever the lesson of the story, it leaves the reader with that same fresh hope David Pelzer himself possessed during every step of his journey.
Christina Hager is a freshman English major from Leawood, Kan. She can be reached at (cmhager@delta.is.tcu.edu).
If you or someone you know would like to read and publish a literary commentary or a book reivew, please contact Matt Jones, design/features editor at matthewsjones@hotmail.com or by calling 257-7428.
NEVE Self-titled You may have heard of the band Neve, but chances are, you haven't. It really doesn't matter, because they won't be the next big thing, at least not in the near future. Neve's self-titled debut album already boasts the chart-worthy "It's Over Now," which was featured on last year's "The Faculty" soundtrack. But despite the promise it showed with its hit, the album paled several shades in comparison. As a pop-rock band, its first album neither shined with pop ditties nor did it really rock out. It did come close though, which means this band has potential. My advice: listen before you buy. RANKING: * -Angie Chang
VIOLENT FEMMES Viva Wisconsin The latest release by the Violent Femmes is a back-to-basics recording of an acoustic tour they did in their home state of Wisconsin. A must have for any Femmes fan, this album is 20 tracks of their best songs including favorites such as "Kiss Off" and "Blister in the Sun." This album captures the Femmes at their best: unplugged and live. RANKING: **** -Angie Chang |
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