The Michigan Daily - Monday, October 16, 1995 - 9A
Beyond the censorship battle lies an intriguing work
By B. Tubbs
For the Daily
After hearing about the censorship
battles surrounding Stephanie Sailor's
controversial "Milk: What A Surprise!"
exhibit, it's about time we take a look at
the art itself. It has been moved from the
Art school and reinstalled at the Alexa
Lee Gallery, located in Nickel's Ar-
cade. "Milk" is an exhibit of images
arranged by Sailor, a University Art
School student. Studying photographic
images, Sailor breaks into something
much broader than the visual quality of
any two dimensional form: The ninth
dimension of psychology.
"Milk" is a series of composed im-
ages that strike at our own hypocritical
life styles. Some people have discred-
ited the exhibit as just magazine cut-
outs, but I say otherwise. There are the
arts of painting, sculpture and photog-
raphy, and there are the arts of math-
ematics, English and chemistry. Art is
the critical analyses of a process.
Stephanie Sailor's "Milk: What a Sur-
prise!" is the complex unveiling of in-
stitutionalized abuseexposed through
rli-i
a
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Milkl
Alexa Lee Gallery
Through Thursday October191
photography.
Each of four picture frames dis-
plays three images found in mass me-
dia publications. White, creamy fluid
is the overriding theme in all. The left
photograph in each frame is a portrait
of either a sexy, flirtatious model,
such as Kate Moss and Naomi
Campbell or a mass media icon, such
as Joan Rivers. The photographs of
the women have been used in the
campaign ads for the Milk and Dairy
Association to increase consumer
sales.
In each ad, the figure has a large,
thick line of white on her upper lip,
supposedly representing milk. I have
never seen milk quite like this before,
especially 1% low-fat milk as the text
suggests. The models also proceed to
say things like "the waif look is out,"
"no more problem thighs," "I've never
dieted," and "get the calcium you need
to make the world a better place." How
absurd can we be? This is only the tip of
the iceberg.t
Now that we are ingesting the art of
a social dilemma, the second picture
in each series again addresses moral
issues. Echoing the white liquid
around the model's mouth, images of
women's faces smeared with cum
scare and seduce. Cover shots of vari-
ous pornographic magazines show
women with gaping mouths under
erect penises, no longer merely in-
sinuating the sexual undertones of the
exhibit.
"Milk what a surprise" speaks of cor-
porately endorsed exploitation. In view-
ing the exhibit, the sexual desire it may
conjure up is initially awkward until the
conscious and sympathetic feelings of
guilt repel and sicken us.
The third appropriated image in each
set brings us back to the specific issue
of milk. There, dairy cows are lined up
in a factory, getting sucked by ma-
chines all day and night.
In the first three series, the long-term
process of growing and milking cows is
explained: Cows' diets are designed to
make them anemic. In the fourth set, the
focus is on the chemicals, drugs, and
Bovine Growth Hormones injected into
the cows and the fact that these transfer
into our milk supply.
The very best caption reads: "Milk:
Is it natural?" I say: "certainly not any
more."
As the title suggest, Stephanie Sailor's
exhibit is a surprise. It stirs our con-
sciousness and questions our social
values. To censor a show of this im-
mense worth is denying any social re-
sponsibility.
"Milk: What a Surprise!" ties to-
gether the mass communities of popu-
lar culture, consumer subversiveness
and general ignorance as well as the
horrors of institutionalized abuse.
How we examine, interpret and exer-
cise our thoughts becomes our own
art. We can congratulate and offer
thanks to Sailor for pushing off the
beaten path.
uses flow at watershed event
SDean Bakopoulos
iily Books Editor
The muses will be flowing as the Sec-
id Annual Ann Arbor Poetry Festival
tuns to the University. Last October,
ver45 Qliterary zealots and curious spec-
tors were drawn to the "Spoken Word
travaganza," and they were floored by
itty and powerful performances.
This year's festival hopes to capitalize
rthe muse-driven momentum. that still
ngers after the summer's successful
ational Poetry Slam. Eight local poets
-e set to give performances that should
ntinue Ann Arbor's growing promi-
ence as a stomping ground for writers.
Returning to the festival is last year's
tampion Ken Cormier, described as an
i0'able, energetic and ingenious per-
mner of quirky often hilarious poems,
ad acoustic originals packed with pop
oks." With his vivid personality and
iginal perceptions, Cormier's perfor-
r1ce is sure to keep the audience com-
Hled. The Ypsilanti resident is a poet,
usician, filmmaker, and screenwriter
ho is currently finishing graduate work
Eastern Michigan University.
Also performing is Chicago native
ecky Alexander, whose theater back-
ound should make for an interesting
ma-meets-poetry" performance. He
aches at the University.
Poet Ron Allen is "A long standing
symbol of hip poetry in Detroit." His
status in the local scene recently landed
him on the cover of the "Metro Times."
The festival is rich in diverse voices as
well, as is evidenced by the presence of
two National Endowment for the Hu-
manitiesawardwinners: BrendaFlanagan
is a creative writing nrnfessor at Fastern
Various Artists
Strange Days Soundtrack
Lightstorm Music/Epic Soundtrax
"Hey, man, everyone else is doing
the soundtrack thing. We've got arecord
company that is pushing us. Why aren't
we on some movie's CD?" Or so we
might imagine the beginning of a con-
versation amongst any of a number of
bands on this soundtrack. Like so many
other soundtracks of late, the one for
"Strange Days" has a diverse lineup
that is a bit too diluted for any one
musical taste, although there is a ten-
dency towards ambiance in the songs.
The Lords of Acid track, "The Real
Thing," is much more soft than any-
thing on their most recent album. It is
also the first of several songs contain-
ing overbearing references on the CD
to the movie, the most overbearing of
which is Prong's cover of the Doors'
"Strange Days." Oddly enough, Prong
is accompanied by Doors keyboardist
Ray Manzarek, although their tough-
guy version of the song overshadows
the creepiness potential of Manzarek's
organ strains.
The defining characteristic ofthe disc
is still that ofambience. Tricky's "Over-
come" and Deep Forest's "Coral
Lounge" and "While the Earth Sleeps"
(with Peter Gabriel) are the primary
examples, while other tracks seem to
embrace the principle in more general
terms.
There are a smattering ofheavy songs
too. Prong, Skunk Anansie, Me Phi Me
with Jeriko One and even "Strange
Days" co-star Juliette Lewis (doing a
cover of PJ Harvey's "I Can Hardly
Wait") all contribute to the harsher side
of the disc. But in the end, the songs
don't sound all that strong, possibly due
to the dilution of the CD by the ambient
tracks.
"Strange Days" is a strange album.
Pretty good for a soundtrack in that
there isn't anything too cheesy, but not
that outstanding. If you like someone
on the album especially, get it. It's just
like all other damnable movie tie-in
CDs.
- Ted Watts
J. Spencer
B/e Moon
Motown Records
I still have fond memories of the first
time I ever heard J. Spencer. Last year,
my roommate brought home a copy of
his "Chimera" LP, and I fell in love
with the untouchable feel he creates
with his soprano saxophone expertise.
Better still, "Chimera" is a perfect blend
of jazz, R&B and rap. "Blue Moon" is
little different, and is therefore just as
great a release as "Chimera." As Spen-
cer says in a title track, filled with
uplifting flute sounds interspersed with
laid-back musical melody, his newest
endeavor is aptly titled as it is much like
the blue moon phenomenon in nature
- a rare expose of unsurpassed beauty.
The pure jazz produced by Spencer
finds a perfect home in "Blue Moon,"
also featuring various other Black mu-
sical forms. Father Dom's rapping and
the a cappella singing in "Bells" strongly
compliments Spencer's sax skills.
Switch-up drum beats and Bonnie
Boyer's voice hit just the right cord in
"If It Feels Good." Stokley shows off
his stunning vocal talent alongside
Spencer's already professed instrumen-
tal talent in "You Should Be Mine," and
the Spencer sax/Walter Hawkins sing-
ing duo in "Lord I Need You" is equally
beautiful.
Of course, (almost) vocal-less cuts
can also be found on "Blue Moon." J.
Spencer's fluttering saxophone perfor-
mance in "I Want You" will make you
shutter as if the hands of that special
someone were slowing caressing and
tickling every inch of your body, and
his instrumental remake of Sade's
"Cherish the Day" will definitely aid
any loving couple in cherishing their
night. Spencer's "Reggae Vibe" will
amaze you with it's ability to produce
an unmistakable reggae feel while si-
multaneously avoiding the harsher,
more staccato beats of traditional reggae
for a much smoother-flowing jazzy
taste.
In "Blue Moon" J. Spencer exudes
high-class elegance and refinement.
Sexiness, suaveness and sophistication
are the 3-S foundation for the 13 intoxi-
cating masterpieces which comprise
"Blue Moon." Spencer has in this, and
his previous, works tapped the raw en-
ergies of love, passion and spirituality
and used them to produce a type of
musical manna fit for the gods. Yet,
through Spencer's grace, we have been
blessed with the chance to feel the feel-
ing that only his music can provide.
"Blue Moon" is here;now is the time to
feast.
- Eugene Bowen
Ekoostik Hookah
dubbabuddah
Self-Released
Ekoostik Hookah are from Colum-
bus, Ohio, where they've been paying
their dues playing around the clubs there
for years. They seem to have built up a
significant following there, and they'll
be coming here before long. Their mu-
sic is pleasant.
But that's about it. The most interest-
ing thing about "dubbubuddah" is how
strikingly uninteresting it is. Their mu-
sic is soulless, emotionless, repetitive
and empty - it's just like listening to
nothing, except more boring. Fora com-
parison, try throwing the Allman Broth-
ers Band, the Black Crowes, Jimmy
Buffett and a bottle of Nyquil into a
musical blender. Then and only then
will you truly find "dubbabuddah."
And to quote from the album's fifth
track, "Loner": "And they're asking
me, 'Why you look like Jesus?' / and I
say it ain't because I try / but when
they're asking me 'How much do you
party?' I say 'I just like to get high, and
high, and high, and higher!' / 'cause
I'm a loner. I'm a loner. And I'm a
stoner. Won't you please leave me
alone?"
No problem, big guy. We'll also leave
"dubbabuddah"alone, while we're at it.
- David Cook
See RECORDS, page 10
Michigan whose poetry will appear in a
new African-American literary anthol-
ogy from Harper Collins. Brenda
Cardenas is an M.F.A. candidate at the
University. Her poetry breaks barriers to
illustrate the Latina/o experience.
Other performers include University
professor Ken Mikolowski, Shaman
Drum's poet-in-residence Keith Taylor
and Jan Worth, a professor at University
of Michigan's Flint campus.
The event continues the growing tide
of poetry that is fast making Ann Arbor
one ofthe country's hottest literary scenes
iri r r i
Ix
uality
1UauIN 41 DI NCB: (mmt f1aTitfliTux1 tTaIou~1I tMYH ORM
Ocober 19,9 am-6 pm & October 20,9 am-1 pm, in Ike Micigan Union
Come to the Expo '95 to learn more about the many ways groups across campus are working
to continuously improve our ability to meet the University's mission.
HMY PO Spaga
Moving Forward With Qualiti InA DifAicUlEnvironment
Prof. Ed Rothman, Statistics, will speak about barriers to improvement.
What can we do to improve an environment to allow, and even promote, change?
October 17, 10:00 am
Wolverine Tower, Suite 16
Effective Meetings: How To Get As Little Done A,Yo.Do N,1.IHalf The lime
Prof. John Tropman, Social Work, Business, will discuss meetings as a work process
and provide helpful tips for making them more efficient and more effective.
October 18, 12:00-1:30 pm
Brown Bag, Kalamazoo Room, Michigan League
IN PAWTOM
Changing The Culture Ad 1How To Get Leadership (Paricularl Eaculhi) Involved
Ellen Gaucher, Senior Associate Director, U Hospitals, will discuss the process for creating a culture
for quality, barriers to effective integration, and strategies to overcome those barriers.
October 19, 9:00 am
Kuenzel Room, Michigan Union
lrivinq On Change
Nathan Norman, Director, Plant Building Services, will discuss the drivers, the blessings
and the detriments of change from the human perspective.
October 20, 10:00 am
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SPECIAL GUEST: GRANT LEE BUFFALO
THIS SUNDAY
- OCT 22