Alaska News

Controversial flag installation to close early

Mariano Gonzales' star-spangled installation at Alaska Pacific University will come down 10 days earlier than planned. The installation, which addresses American casualties in Afghanistan, appears to be a casualty of a collision between free speech and age-appropriateness, nasty words and concerns over exposing children to such words.

Gonzales' exhibit, installed in the Conoco Phillips Gallery in Grant Hall, consists of three facsimiles of flag-draped coffins on the floor, two hanging flags and a wall-full of responses to the artist's posted question: "Please remind us ... why are Americans still dying in the Middle East."

The answers left by the public range from philosophical, "How many more skyscrapers, had we done nothing at all," to political, "We was amBushed," to potentially inflammatory, "For the Jewish National Socialist State of Israel!"

And some are downright crude. F-word crude.

Ann Hale, director of University Advancement, told me APU was concerned about children encountering the language when they attend theater events scheduled to start in Grant Hall on Friday.

The university offered to swap venues with John Wilcox's mixed media show, "Remnants," now at the neighboring Carr Gottstein Gallery.

Initially, Gonzales agreed. "I consider this to be a good faith effort on the part of APU not to censor my show," he said. "I am also cognizant of some of their concerns relevant to a children's theater production.

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"But after reviewing the CG gallery space I have concluded that my exhibition simply will not fit. The lighting is too bright and the layout of the area, including the arrangement of elements in that space make it impossible to recreate the solemnity of my exhibition." So, he said, he will bring it down at 6 p.m. this Thursday. It was originally scheduled to close Oct. 25.

I got my first look at the installation last Wednesday. As I was taking it in and making notes, a man passed through and asked "Where's the art show?" I pointed to the display that surrounded us.

"It's not what Mariano usually does," I said, meaning the medium; the University of Alaska Anchorage art professor -- a genuine Alaska original, raised and trained in Anchorage -- often infuses his usually two-dimensional work with social or political issues.

After a silent minute or two, the man broke into spontaneous commentary, touching on a whole range of current events and how they may be seen from various points of view. "What do you think?" he finally asked.

"I'm just here to explain what it looks like to people who haven't seen it in 50 words or less," I replied.

Having exceeded those 50 words, however, let me add that I'm glad it can still be viewed for a few more days. I stick my head in a lot of art shows and this was the first one in a long time that made me freeze in my tracks.

Gonzales' construction is not like "What Is the Proper Way to Display a U.S. Flag?," a presentation by "Dread" Scott Tyler which created such a flap at the now-defunct Visual Arts Center of Alaska in 1992. That incendiary display put the Stars and Stripes on the ground and viewers had to tread on it to leave comments.

The current show avoids such secular sacrilege -- if that's not an oxymoron. The flags are deployed according to protocol, as best I can determine; there's a print-out identifying examples of improper displays. It might be viewed as frivolous or dignified, respectful or intentionally tweaky, or perhaps a mix of both. My first reaction was to see a kind of tribute to friends and children of friends who have served, been wounded or slain in the ongoing conflict. The words on the wall, however, struck me as mere static.

While Gonzales certainly has his own opinion on things, this artwork itself felt curiously neutral -- however catalytic its effect on viewers may be.

"It may be possible in the future to find another venue for the display," Gonzales said. "For now, I hope that APU will allow me to leave in place of my exhibit a placard with final comments on this experience." He promised that the placard's content would not be offensive to children.

New folks at Alaska Dance Theatre

Alaska Dance Theatre has announced that Gabriel Otevrel will become the group's artistic director in April 2010. His wife, Brittney Otevrel, will be head of school.

Gabriel was born in Augsburg, Germany. He has danced with several companies in Europe and America, including the Boston Ballet. Brittney was born in Houston, Texas.

Gabriel first came to Alaska to work with ADT in 2003, setting a new work, "White Dreams." Both he and Brittney worked with the company in the 2007-08 season.

The Otevrels' Alaska re-debut will take place May 1 with ADT's "Intersections" concert.

Tickets for Trick or Treat Town online

The Anchorage Museum now has an online box office. At the moment its services are limited, but by the end of the year you should be able to buy advance tickets to the events like the big Star Wars exhibit, which comes to town in February, renew your museum membership or register for the museum's popular art classes.

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For the time being, however, about the only thing you can do is make a donation or buy tickets for Trick or Treat Town. This annual event engages about 700 volunteers in costume to hand out about 400,000 pieces of candy to kids in attendance, who can also play games and enjoy live performances by musicians, dancers and clowns. More than 14,000 people took part last year.

Trick or Treat Town sessions are at 5:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23, and at noon, 2 p.m., 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24 at the ACS Garage, 600 Telephone Avenue. To get the advance tickets, $7, go to the home page at www.anchoragemuseum.org and click on "Tickets." It's a good chance to check out the new system, particularly since tickets will be $10 at the door and quantities are limited.

'Habitat' online

Speaking of the museum, last week we wrote about the delay in erecting Antony Gormley's percent for art state as part of that facility's expansion project. To clarify a couple of matters that have caused some confusion: The piece has previously (including in last week's ArtBeat) been called "House," but we're now assured that the artist has settled on "Habitat" as the name. Also while the statue is in close proximity to a bus stop, it won't actually shelter any riders except those who duck between its legs and under its arms -- which appears easy to do.

The more traditional bus stop structure will include niceties like benches and feature work by Ron Senungetuk. Senungetuk's designs, on glass, are said to be inspired by corralling reindeer at Wales, his home town, and suggest antlers as viewed from overhead. Get a look at Senungetuk's art and take a 3-D "tour" of "House," er, "Habitat," in what is said to be a more true-to-life color than previously seen, at adn.com/artsnob.

Find Mike Dunham online at adn.com/contact/mdunham or call 257-4332.

By MIKE DUNHAM

mdunham@adn.com

Mike Dunham

Mike Dunham has been a reporter and editor at the ADN since 1994, mainly writing about culture, arts and Alaska history. He worked in radio for 20 years before switching to print.

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