01 social, cultural and political devel- sampling of artists, organizations, cultures and spaces. Our library is TAKING SOME OF IT IN opment Center of the Periphery aims and venues who are more than an evolving public experiment that by Les Blank to assess where we as inhabitants familiar with the concept of the explores the changing relationship of the city stand at this point in “amateur”, though their dedica- between analog and digital cul- As a filmmaker, I view everything time in a globalized world and tion, passion, and creative out- tural resources. It’s visited annu- in the world around me as poten- how we can reclaim some of the put rivals those who have been ally by some 1,000 people, most tial subject matter for a film. I’m pioneering sprit of risk taking and deemed professional. Listen to seeking images, text or ideas to in- looking for things that manage social responsibility that has set poetry in a gay men’s bathhouse, corporate into their own work. We to retain a quality of inspiration San Francisco apart from most see art created by the develop- invite you to join us in a discussion that does not fade with time. In other American cities in the past. mentally disabled, watch old film that challenges many current ideas the past this has included music (Cont. on pg 2) reels in a warehouse, witness a play about the relationship between like Dizzy Gillespie’s bebop, Ry where no one has their lines mem- analog and digital cultures, and Cooder and various blues, Cuban, 03 orized, and listen to a man who has to become immersed in reservoirs Polish-American polka, Texas- AMATEUR NIGHT made his living by falsely claiming of little-known cultural materials. Mexican Conjunto, Appalachian, by Beth Lisick to be an expert. (Cont. on pg 3) The events in this course focus on Serbian-American tamburitza and new lives for old materials, issues other world musicians. One of my of appropriation, and the analog/ very first interests was food culture digital detente. They engage the and it still is. My attraction to Al- cultural worlds of film, sound, and ice Waters led to a film about her print. Each of the course compo- restaurant Chez Panisse and garlic. nents has been chosen to be fun, The film Yum Yum Yum took me Pickpocket discovery-oriented, and to inspire back to Louisiana to indulge in further exploration. (Cont. on pg 4) Creole and Cajun cooking. My lat- est film All In This Tea, ten years 05 in the making, follows rare-tea Almanack DISTRIBUTION AND enthusiast David Lee Hoffman to THE REMADE remote areas of China in search of A Bay-Area wide compendium, by Ben Kinmont the perfect leaf. Another film I’ve Autumn of the year been working on for 11 years is on Many artists have sought to control Alabama outsider artist, Butch An- the distribution of their artwork thony, who works with found ma- and the value structure into which terials and junk to create extraor- it would be placed. One of the dinary sculpture. 2009, primary methods used to this end has been the creation of ephemera For Taking Some of It In, I’ve se- such as posters, flyers, zines, pam- lected an event connected to each An experimental school-without-walls: phlets, broadsides, letters, and var- of the afore mentioned interests: 1,2,3,4,5 ious give-aways. Whether generat- music, food, visual art and, of Each season, a temporary faculty of ed within an art project or simply course, documentary film. In all artists, curators, writers and filmmakers as support material, these items these I hope that, as with the best create courses by selecting from public challenge the gallery and institu- film, they can be enjoyed repeat- tional economy as it is difficult to edly, like a good Zydeco song or a events already scheduled to take place assign a monetary value to some- perfect gumbo. (Cont. on pg 1) at venues around the Bay Area. Each thing so easily reproduced. A simi- lar challenge occurs when artists 02 course takes these pre-existing events create scores or instruction pieces CENTER OF THE where multiplicity is an objective PERIPHERY and, like ephemera, the work be- by Jens Hoffmann comes readily accessible. Like a recipe, these are works created for The course Center of the Periphery others to follow and are available looks at San Francisco’s position in Professionals are definitely bet- to be remade without the artist’s an increasingly globalized world. ter suited for some things: psy- 04 knowledge. Both of these practic- The city has over the last hundred chiatry, rollercoaster design, law DO PARALLEL LINES es contribute to the decentraliza- years seen intense cultural, politi- enforcement, to name a few; but MEET AT INFINITY? tion of the art market, opening up cal as well as technological activity what about arts and entertain- by Rick & Megan Prelinger new possibilities for exchange and and has since the days of the Gold ment? That person making you enlarging the discourse. Rush been a product of modern laugh, weep, or finally, after all We are engaged in a variety of This course will look at exam- ambition. Yet, it seems that San these years, feel connected to public cultural practices, most of ples of both methods of working, Francisco has somewhat lost its your place in the universe, just which employ historical materi- of the ways in which ephemera position as one of the world’s may- might not make their living off of als as interventions into the pres- and the reenactment of artistic or cultural centers that can guide their art. Does that matter? And if ent. After opening our private works challenge the assumptions us to new social, political and aes- they’re so original, why aren’t they research library in 2004, we’ve around authorship, value, and dis- thetic experiences. By examining pros, anyway? How does their become deeply interested in the tribution. (Cont. on pg 5) which innovations made in this work hold up when compared? possibilities awakened by hybrid- city played a part in the process of Amateur Night highlights a small izing analog and digital materials, ° ° ° PICKPOCKET ALMANACK _ AUTUMN 2009 01 TAKING SOME OF IT IN by Les Blank As a filmmaker, I view everything in the world around me as potential subject matter for a film. I’m looking for things that manage to retain a quality of inspiration that does not fade with time. In the past this has included music like Dizzy Gillespie’s bebop, Ry Cooder and various blues, Cuban, Polish-American polka, Texas- Mexican Conjunto, Appalachian, Serbian-American tamburitza and other world musicians. One of my very first interests was food culture and it still is. My attraction to Alice Waters led to a film about her restaurant Chez Panisse and garlic. The filmYum Yum Yum took me back to Louisiana to indulge in Creole and Cajun cooking. My latest film All In This Tea, ten years in the making, follows rare-tea enthusiast David Lee Hoffman to re- mote areas of China in search of the perfect leaf. Another film I’ve been working on for 11 years is on Alabama outsider artist, Butch Anthony, who works with found materials and junk to create extraordinary sculpture. For Taking Some of It In, I’ve selected an event connected to each of the afore mentioned interests: music, food, visual art and, of course, documentary film. In all these I hope that, as with the best film, they can be enjoyed repeatedly, like a good Zydeco song or a perfect gumbo. Performance: Dervish (traditional Irish band) Lecture: New Media Documentary: Thursday October 1, 2009 8:00pm Digital Art and Activism Location: Freight and Salvage Wednesday October 14, 2009 4:00pm Location: University of California, Berkeley Lecture: Peter Selz on Botero’s Abu Ghraib Performance: OPENfuture: Sunday October 4, 2009 3:00pm Spinning Marinetti’s Wheels Location: Berkeley Art Museum Saturday October 17, 2009 8:00pm Location: SFMOMA PICKPOCKET ALMANACK _ AUTUMN 2009 02 CENTER OF THE PERIPHERY by Jens Hoffmann The course Center of the Periphery looks at San Francisco’s position in an increasingly globalized world. The city has over the last hundred years seen intense cultural, political as well as technological activity and has since the days of the Gold Rush been a product of modern ambition. Yet, it seems that San Francisco has somewhat lost its position as one of the world’s mayor cultural centers that can guide us to new social, political and aesthetic experiences. By examining which innovations made in this city played a part in the process of social, cultural and political development Center of the Periphery aims to assess where we as inhabitants of the city stand at this point in time in a globalized world and how we can reclaim some of the pioneering sprit of risk taking and social responsibility that has set San Francisco apart from most other American cities in the past. Lecture: New Media Documentary: Lecture: George Kuchar in conversation Digital Art and Activism with Miguel Calderón Wednesday October 14, 2009 4:00pm Saturday November 21, 2009 2:00pm Location: University of California, Berkeley Location: Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Lecture: Donna Haraway Screening: The Cockettes on Film, at 40! Tuesday October 20, 2009 7:00pm Thursday December 3, 2009 7:00pm Location: California College of the Arts (SF) Location: SFMOMA Screening: The Future Isn’t What it Used to Be (program by Anthony Discenza) Wednesday October 28, 2009 8:00pm Location: Southern Exposure PICKPOCKET ALMANACK _ AUTUMN 2009 03 AMATEUR NIGHT by Beth Lisick Professionals are definitely better suited for some things: psychiatry, rollercoaster design, law enforcement, to name a few; but what about arts and entertainment? That person making you laugh, weep, or finally, after all these years, feel connected to your place in the universe, just might not make their living off of their art.