ARTS
Saturday, June 8, 1985
The Michigan Daily
Page 6
Pictured is art-now on display at the Ann Arbor Art Association, 117 W.
Liberty.
Wild
By Susanne Baum
N EXT TIME YOU'RE downtown
in Ann. Arbor, think about
taking a walk. Think about art.
Hey, take a walk on the wild side.
This afternoon is the perfect time.
The Downtown Galleries
Association (D.G.A.) is sponsoring
just such an event from noon to 8
p.m. The event, an effort to show off
new and diverse art in the area, will
consist of a wild walk through seven
downtown galleries. Each location
on the tour will be hosting a new
show and some will feature well-
known local artists.
"Art in downtown Ann Arbor has
recently gone through a Renaissan-
ce," said Selo/Shevel Gallery owner
Elaine Selo. "The interest in art has
increased so much that many new
galleries and museums have been
built - and the old ones have
revitalized their collections."
Selo/Shevel specializes in folk art.
Located on South Main Street, this
gallery will be featuring imported
art from India, Thailand, and
Nepal; and tapestries and rugs from
Egypt and Turkey. American crafts
such as blown glass, ceramics,
clothing, and jewelry will also be
shown.
Local artists Peter Gooch and
Karin Bodycombe will be the
featured artists at the Ann Arbor Art
Association. The gallery, located at
117 West Liberty, serves as a
showcase for emerging professional
artists like Bodycombe and Gooch.
Gooch's water color paintings
have received national as well as in-
ternational attention. His work has
been exhibited. in such far away,
plices as North-Afriies,Afghanistan,
walk
and India, and recently his paintings
took national awards in Los Angeles
and Golden, Colorado.
Bodycombe's work has also
demonstrated national appeal. She
recently competed in the Michigan
Fine Arts Competition, an event
sponsored by the Birmingham
Bloomfield Art Association.
The Lotus Gallery on East Liberty
will also feature art from overseas.
This gallery will be exhibiting an-
tique and contemporary Asian art,
Jade Estate Jewelry, and American
Indian art.
The William Pelletier Gallery will
focus on contemporary
photography. They will also feature
artists working in the other media
and present a series of poetry
readings.
The Latent Image Gallery, the
only non-profit gallery in the Down-
town Galleries Assocation, is collec-
tively-run and exhibits the
photographic art of its 18 owners.
The 16 Hands : A Gallery of Con-
temporary Crafts displays works by
both local and nationally known
craftspeople. Specialties include
jewelry, woodworking, basketry,
and whimsical art.
The Alice Simsar Gallery monthly
exhibits contemporary prints, pain-
tings, sculptures, and works on
paper. Currently on display are
recent works by their own gallery
artists.
"The D.G.A. plans to make the
Gallery Walk a bi-annual event,"
Marsha Chamberlin, executive
Director of the Ann Arbor Art
Association said. "Our goal is to
draw people who usually don't go to
galleries and.introduce them to art
-in an informal, festive manner"
Sisters of Mercy forge
frightening revelation
who quit the band recently. D: Do you think you can make it big
By Richard 'illiams Andrew Eldritch chain-smoked in the U.S.?
throughout as he growled and hung on E: We think we make very main-
IF YOU'RE a righteous new waver, to the mike stand for dear life as he stream American music. We take the
then rock'n'roll is a dirty word weaved in and out of the constant flow same attitude to music as Prince. It's
(well, actually two or three words). of dry ice fumes. Guitarist Wayne just a different combination of very
The Sisters of Mercy's gig at St. An- Hussey and bassist Craig Adams familiar forms. And those forms are
drew's Hall in Detroit Tuesday night stood and played, and that was that; most familiar here. We do best in the
proved again that the Sisters are a it was rock 'n' roll without the thea- countries that have the strongest
rock'n'roll band. And that might be a tries (well, if you can excuse the dry respect for the song.
frightening relevation for a lot of ice). I liked it. It rocked. But it wasn't D: But it doesn't seem as if you
young hipsters. earthshaking like a New Order con- havea definable sound?
Well folks, the Sisters may be lum- cert can be. E: That's the only problem we
ped with all the new dirge, Goth bands Yours truly got the Sisters nailed have- it's unformatable.
but they really aren't like them at all. down to a pre-sound check interview
True, they do have a dancebeat on "and here are some excerpts from the D: But isn't "rock" kind of a bad
almost every song (that keeps the encounter: word now?
wavers oh so happy) but man, they Daily: Was it your decision to come K: We just try to take the cock rock
got those nasty crunching and back to Detroit? and the mindless bozoness out from
swirling geetars and they make a Eldritch: Oh, everybody said there behind it. Musically it's fine. People
pretty big rock sound. was no point. You haven't got much to don't want to have sex with a puppet
The Sisters are an oblique lot. They consolidate in Detroit. dnstdandoavG-sth.Iyuset
may sound like new music, but they D: What has it been like dealing in studs and a G-string. If you just yet
have really long hair and wear dark with Elektra Records? up on stage and sing songs they like
sunglasses and leather things and E: We chose them knowing wha them turn out to want to have sex with
good ole boy hats and even the they are. They do their job and we do
dreaded Led Zeppelin t-shirts. It's ours. They do a few unpleasant things you anyway.
enough to boggle the mind of any to us and we do a few unpleasant drawback, but usually I find there is
righteous new waver. And I loved it. things to them but nothing outside of nothing wrong with them.
And so did most of the audience. the rules. And everybody understands F: It can disappoint an American
The Sisters played a 12-song set the rules of the game. We've been rock audience not to see an animal
with a two-song encore. It was an even doing this too long to get suckered. thrashing away at the back of the
mixture of songs from their debut They let me drive around in the building. Hut if you fill the back of the
Elektra LP, First and Last and Monkee mobile - one of the best daysbsligBwithsokelthebacd othe
Always, and older stuff from their of my life. Anybody who lets me do stage with smoke they tend not to
original slew of singles-plus a few that and pays for it is alright by me. D: It seems people spent too much
surprises-one being (I think, no one D: How did Electra react to your time trying to figure out your lyrics.
could confirm it) Dylan's "Knocking latest album? Do you agree?
on Heaven's Door." It was a raw E: They are happy now that they E: Yeah, but we just tell them it's
sound, nice and loud, but without the actually tried selling it around and about women, drugs, and roads.
embellishments of guitarist Gary Marx, found they can.
ject matter - lines such as flirt with unique lines: I felt a kiss when
The Boomtown Bats- death but never kiss her reinforce peace broke out last night. Ifelt a
In the Long Grass the dark tone. The emotional, shot all over my body. The song
pained number, "Over Again" shows concludes, Love-and the world
(Columbia) the Rats' societal victim comparing spits at you.
Yes, it's a harsh, cold world out his attempts at love with losing a war.
there according to the Boomtown This song is extremely tight and well- -Beth Fertig
Rats. And this grim viewpoint, firmly arranged. Geldorf has some really
evidenced on their new (to the U.S.)
LP In the Long Grass, is what thank- S r n e s iVe
fully steers this band away from that
ding a somewhat nasty twist to their THEY HAVE BEEN hailed as the Tneir irst show in the Detroit area,
potentially pop-sounding melodies. 1 most important band around. In the concert promises to be a new
In the Long Grass opens up with the '84, they were the band of the year in wave event extraordinaire. Although
rebellious, "A Hold of Me." Lead nearly every British rag. Hey, there's most will be going after Morrissey
singer Bob Geldof has an almost no denying the Smiths make a very (i.e., boys and girls), there should
Dylan-esque style as he angrily gasps nice pop thing indeed. also be ardecent contingent of serious
his lines. The music takes on a Meat is Murder is the album these spectators. These serious types will
vengefully possessive quality in a lads are currently supporting, and the be there to witness supreme guitar
way which mirrors the society from reason for their visit to Royal' Oak plucker Johnny Marr, bassist Andy
which he is escaping. Music Theatre tonight. Morrissey, Rourke, and/or drummer-boy Mike
Most of the songs were penned by sensitive young voice of the Smiths, is Joyce.
Geldof, and display great anger and arguably one of the main voices of our Regardless, the Smiths are on top
frustration. The more soothing sound generation. He strikes common these days. And a spot in this sold-out
of "Rain" paints its protagonist as feelings with his wry, plaintive lyrics. location should turn out to be
someone caught in the eye of a The band's sold-out status at Royal a wonderful ogvchological
storm, too disoriented to escape. This Oak is most likely due to a receptive drama- something to think about for
song kasa..potential pep quality.whioh' audience which will do anything fora afewdays after the show.'
is never realized due to the grim sub- pee at this boy afraid. -.fchard Williams
g~
I