-MONTHLY PUBLICATION Volume 3, Issue 6 JULY 15/SEPT 15, 1989 -J ^ ™ fefev. -. ..';.';1-. ..*_-. JA I if # i V Editor-in-Chief Debra Brehmer From the Editor Associate Editor Calendar Editor In the Sunday, July 2 Milwaukee Journal, critic city's smaller groups. Money allocated to save the Business Manager Tom Strini wrote an editorial about the funding ballet comes out of a limited pot. In all probabil­ Mary Therese Gantz of "second tier" arts groups in the city and the ity, other groups, who are struggling already, price we pay to maintain our classically oriented received less funding this year because of our Associate Editor-Music groups—the ballet, symphony, Repertory Thea­ city's little cultural "crisis." There's many smaller ter and Florentine Opera. groups who could occasionally use some bailing Bobby DuPah out, but no one comes flying to the rescue. There He brought up an outrageous possibility. Strini are so few "second tier" arts groups in Milwaukee Associate Editor dared to suggest that perhaps Milwaukee doesn't to start with, and the fact that the city/state and Nathan Guequierre need a mid-sized classical ballet company. What private flinders allow them to survive at the very if, instead, our main dance company was (This is fringe is pathetic. What's even more frightening is the kind of thing one utters in a hushed tone) — the reaction of several senators and other Wash­ Photo Editor black. Black! What if Ko-Thi was the city's pri­ ington officials to the Mapplethorpe show and to Francis Ford mary dance company? Has Strini flipped his lid? artist Andres Serrano's Piss Christ. Objecting to Maybe not. what they saw as religious blasphemy and ob­ Design Assistance scenity in the work, they have questioned the Ko-Thi, the 20 year-old African dance troupe, National Endowment for the Art's funding crite­ Jim Catel draws from a classical, ancient African base, but ria. This attitude endangers the funding of all creates original, contemporary work. They have work that challenges or operates in an unfamil­ Sales Representatives a national reputation, and a large, racially-mixed iar realm. Forces are mobilizing to limit the types Sam Woodburn, Lisa Mahan following that would even be larger if they per­ of work the NEA can fund; I urge you to write to formed a regular season at the Performing Arts your congressperson and senators and make Center. This all makes Strini's proposition rather your opinions heard regarding what could even­ feasible. tually amount to censorship of artists. Printing by Citizen Publishing Ko-Thi is a major artistic force in this city and Locally, if we indeed are going through a time FRIENDS OF ART MUSCLE derserves to be recognized. A first-rate black when the city and state are recognizing the dance troupe coming from the Midwest would "economic impact" or value ofthe arts, we have Perry & Bobbie Dinkin Ellen Checota certainly draw attention. And the city could take to hope that they will acknowledge the role ofthe Barbara & Jack Recht Barbara Kohl-Spiro pride in helping to nuture a group that actually smaller arts groups and individual artists as well. Jim Newhouse Thelma & Sheldon Friedman creates the work they perform. Now that Strini has put this proposition in print Peter Goldberg Mary & Mark Timpany Theo Kitsch Dr. Clarence E. Kusik and brought some of these issues into discussion, Gerald Pelrine Tina Peterman But Strini's proposition raises many issues. Why it's time for all of us to vocally question the phi­ Jay Brown Babcock Mechanical is it so difficult for even the best "second tier" losophy of our civic leaders and funders and shift Christine Prevetti Katie Minahan groups to exist in Milwaukee? And why do we our attention toward securing the stablity of our Richard & Marilyn Radke Richard Cler Dennis Hajewsky Patti Davis take for granted the city's need to foster classical smaller arts groups and individual artists. We Harvey & Lynn Goldstein Robert A. Holzhauer ballet, symphony and opera groups at the same need to carry on the lineage of the past through Robert Johnston Gary T. Black time we accept as status quo the poverty of our classical groups, but if we don't support and Polly & Giles Daeger Joel & Mary Pfeiffer emphasize the creation of new work, our future Judith Kuhn Nicholas Topping smaller groups. The classical groups, of course, Dorothy Brehmer C. Garrett Morriss are very nice things to have around. They give the will be mighty bleak. Karen Johnson Boyd Geralyn Cannon city the sense of sophistication it desperately Tim Holte/Debra Vest Roger Hyman seeks. But what truly makes a city become known Jack & Ellen Weller Dean Weller for its arts is not just the "big three," but the Arthur & Flora Cohen Remy And, on another note: Art Muscle-will celebrate its Sandra Butler David & Madeleine Lubar innovators. third anniversary with the next issue, Sept. 15- Jimmy G. Scharnek William E. Harrold Nov. 15. This year's exhibition will deal with Sidney & Elaine Friedman Mike & Joyce Winter David & Peggy Wells In the last five years, the Milwaukee Symphony work that incorporates found objects (see Op­ has been bailed out of financial disaster several portunity listing, page 5). The magazine is also times. Recently, the city's money people rallied to now being sold in Madison at 54 stores (it's even To become a FRIEND OF ART raise more than $1.2 million to save the ballet. in Woolworths and Pranges!) and throughout MUSCLE, send a check for $50 The Pettits have a deep pocket, and it's wonder­ much of the rest of the state, as well as a limited which entitles you to receive Art ful to know that when one of the big groups gets number nationally. Don't worry, it will remain Muscle for one year and gets your in trouble, somebody will come to their rescue. free in Milwaukee. name on the masthead! Although we can't fault the ballet for taking a risk, people don't realize the effect this has on the Debra Brehmer Art Muscle is published bi-monthly by Art Muscle-Milwaukee, Inc., 909 W. National Ave., P.O. Box 93219, Milwaukee, Wl 53203, (414) 672-8485. Third Class postage paid at Milwaukee, Wl 53202 and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to Art Muscle, P.O. Box 93219, Milwaukee, Wl 53203. Entire contents copyright © Art Muscle- Milwaukee, Inc. All rights reserved, except in reviews. Reproduction in whole or part without permission is prohibited. Art Muscle Cover: Kathleen Mitchell's OscarPetersen Trio, hand-painted photograph, 1989,4by 6feet.Kathleen is a trademark of Art Muscle-Milwaukee, Inc. Mitchell lives in Hartland and teaches desktop publishing. Back Cover: Raymond Kwan, Mourning for the Tiananmen Massacre, 1989. Raymond Kwan, a Subscriptions rates in continental U.S.: $12 native of China, is a photographer for Ferderbar Studios, Milwaukee. Right: Wild Space Dance Company's New Works performance in March at Alverno College. one year; elsewhere, $16 one year. Photos by Jim Brozek. 2 Art Muscle Art Muscle CONTENTS FEATURES THE DECO MAN 18 Debra Brehmer WOODLOT 20 Ann Filemyr AM'S GUIDE TO THE WINDY CITY 22 WOODLAND 24 Renee Deljon THE JAZZ MAN 29 Steve Wurcer DEPARTMENTS AGOG 4 LETTERS TO THE EDITORS 9 POST FACTO - REVIEWS 12 PREVIEWS 13 PERFORMANCE FUTURES 14 VIDEO REMARKS 15 CALENDAR 31 MADISON ROUNDUP 37 CHICAGO ROUNDUP 38 WALK THIS WAY 39 Next Issue: Sept 15-IMov 15 Ad deadline: Aug 25 A rts Davy named editor featuring African masks and decora­ Art museum statistics nounces five new board members: Kate Kate Davy, Alverno College Fine Arts tive arts, Asian and oriental furnish­ The Association of Art Museum Direc­ Davy, Dean of Fine Arts, Alverno Col­ Dean, has been appointed theatre re­ ings, textiles and sculpture. The new tors recently released a statistical survey lege; Dr. Walter Farrell, professor of view editor of Theatre Journal, 2L quar­ Peltz Gallery opened July 1 at 1119 E. of the nation's art museums. The Mil­ Educational Policy and Community terly publication considered the top Knapp in a Victorian house. The gal­ waukee Art Museum ranks as the 24th Studies at UWM; Oscar Mireles, assis­ academic theatre journal in the coun­ lery will feature contemporary paint­ largest museum out ofthe 150 respond­ tant director of the United Community try, published by Johns Hopkins Uni­ ings, prints, drawings, sculpture and ing to the survey. Its total exhibition Center; Karl Rajani, President and CEO versity Press. photography (open Tues. through Sat. space is the 12th greatest. Number of full of St. Francis Hospital; and Jim Wad- 11-4). The gallery will respresent na­ time employees however, falls toward sworth, assistant vice president-Corpo­ Curtis joins architectural firm tional and local artists. Cissie Peltz has the bottom at 71, with number of part rate Communications for Wisconsin Robert Curtis, aMilwaukee sculptor who been a private art dealer for five years timers in 21st place. Number of volun­ Bell. recently completed architecture school, and previously served as corporate teers ranked especially high with the has been hired by Heike/Design Asso­ consultant to the Kit Basquin Gallery. museum in 6th place. Other statistics Wins PEN award ciates, Inc., a Brookfield architecture, include: attendance, 39th; NEA grants, Wisconsin author Jane Hamilton re­ engineering and interior design firm as Art tours 6th; state support, 90th; county support, cently was awarded a PEN/Heming- project designer. A bus trip to a performance by the Bol- 15th; corporate contributions, 29th; total way Foundation Award for Distin­ shoi Ballet Academy at the Madison salaries, 63rd; cost of exhibitions, 64th; guished First Fiction.