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Archive for the 'In Recent News' Category
Friday, October 5th, 2007
A major upset for the interested citizens of New York City:
Noted actor Gary Farmer will not play with his band the Troublemakers at the upcoming (Oct 12th 2007) exhibition of artist Jay Carrier’s work to be featured in a solo show “guest curated” by Farmer himself.
No statements were given to the press at this time but the show will go on. Visit the American Indian Community House
(www.aich.org) website for further details.
Gary looks sad…Longviews and NAICA are sad too, Gary.
Really really sad.
Thursday, September 20th, 2007
photo: Ken Ige (Star Bulletin)
As everyone knows, NAICA is a strident supporter of indigenous contemporary art practice and filmmaking, and as one of the only online magazines offering coverage of high art and fine independent cinema for free with a global indigenous (pseudo) academic slant, we are inundated with requests for friendship via our Myspace page. It’s hard to choose who shall be blessed with a “top friends” spot. We know all too well: feelings get hurt. It’s an ugly post-Millenium truth that cyber-friendships are just as difficult and rife with drama as they are in real-time. That brings us to a recent upset in the precarious balance of Myspace friendship equity.
In a recent post it was revealed that NAICA’s favored Native son/musical genius (Frontier Justice, anyone?) Val Kilmer removed all Native Americans, including John Trudell and Tatanka Means (Russell Means’ son), from his Top 28 friends list. This seeming slight has sent a shock though-out Indian Country. Apache Indian, Sonny Grant, remarked, “I really can not believe Val would move John out of his Top friends list. I just spent three minutes talking to John Trudell last week and he seemed aglow in the friendship light that was his association with being Val Kilmer’s #1 friend on Myspace.”
When asked if Trudell was aware of the change in his friend status Grant said he was uncertain if Trudell was aware of this new development as he himself had not heard of it until Longviews told him so. However, Grant did say he was certain that if Trudell knew of this he’d write one hell of a scathing indictment/spoken word poem/song that would bring Kilmer to shameful tears.
Cyber-slights are the most vicious because one cannot retaliate in any effective manner other than to post a bulletin which inevitably makes one look like a tool. Therefore, in an effort to re-unite these two revered Native men in cyber-friendship NAICA has vowed to intermittenly interchange Trudell and Kilmer as their Number 1 and Number 2 friends. Hopefully, this sad event in inter-tribal relations can be remedied concilatorily and the Indian removal from Myspace Top 28, or 38, or even 58 can finally stop.
We can only hope.
To all our relations. We are all one family.
(unless you’re non-Native than you’re assed out homes!)
NOTE: No one in Indian Country truly cares about Val Kilmer’s Myspace pages or who his friends are…actually Longviews cannot confirm that this statement is true nor any statements made here in this post or any other post on this blog site.
Wednesday, September 19th, 2007
Gary Farmer is coming to New York City! He’ll be on hand with his band the Troublemakers playing music at the American Indian Community House (www.aich.org). Ostensibly this is a visual arts event curated by the man himself, but you know you really want to go just to see ole Nobody himself blow on his harmonica.
I know NAICA will be there!
Gallery Exhibition: Risen From the Ashes of Two Fires
A Solo Exhibition: Jay Carrier
Friday, October 12 — Wednesday, November 21 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Guest Curator: Gary Farmer
Opening Reception: October 12, 6 - 8 pm
Gallery Talk: October 12, 7 pm
photo: courtesy www.garyfarmergallery.com
Wednesday, September 19th, 2007
 after a recent internet stalking excursion it was revealed that NAICA’s favorite Native American, Val Kilmer, has removed all actual Native Americans from his top friends list on Myspace replacing them with pseudo-thong models, New Age middle age moms, and Laurie Anderson. NAICA can not blame the original Cherokilmer for his inclusion of Ms. Anderson for she shares her bed with Lou Reed, and who wouldn’t want to promote friendship with the first lady of first-wave feminist performance art and the woman who beds down with Reed? But, what’s up with all the thong models and New Age moms?
It is sad to note, however, that Native activist/poet John Trudell is no longer Kilmer’s number one friend on Myspace. He held that coveted position for at least two months this summer. NAICA wonders what precipitated the complete removal of Trudell, and other truly Native Native Americans, from Kilmer’s Top 28 friends?
It is hard to tell. But the fact that Val Kilmer’s “Val Kilmer’s Music page” has been installed as Val Kilmer’s number one friend offers clues-keeping one’s priorities straight may be the culprit. Afterall, promoting one’s own musical endeavors is more favorable than promoting the musical endeavors of others. Or perhaps Kilmer is jealous of Trudell for cyphoning the affections of one, Angelina Jolie?
Only Kilmer knows.
NOTE: NAICA has never been in Val Kilmer’s top 28 list o’ friends, but he shall remain our number 3 for the foreseeable future.
NAICA, in no way, promotes an association with Laurie Anderson, not even through Myspace.
photo: wireimage.com
Tuesday, September 4th, 2007
Sorry so late kids. I was busy trying to scare up enough money for rent and other essentials, you know how the song goes,
its a hard knock life... Anyways, on Monday August 27th I attended La Casita-a multicultural spectacle-in front of the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian in New York City. The NMAI is one of those huge stone structures erected by rich white people in an attempt to debase the status of non-whites. It is nonetheless a beautiful building in spite of its inference. The stairs leading to the main entrance was crowded with pink people, random tourists, Native Americans–real and pretend–harried Wall Street types and all other folks. The evening was nigh and the weather obliged the endeavor.
I arrived a wee bit after the first act which consisted of a conglomeration of indigenous people jumping up and down. I have seen and heard this before in many subway stations around New York. Therefore I cannot say with absolute sincerity that I gave a shit about this performance. Alas nearly ten years in New York has made me jaded. A really sun burnt woman with white hair oscillated to the music next to me. I could tell she really loved Indians, especially little cute ones blowing pan flutes. I call this type of aficionado a Bushbaum, you know a collector of others…yikes…she’ll not only buy your rug but your soul…look out…keep your cute little indin kids at home!
Up next was the venerable Joy Harjo. She was clad in black holding a saxophone with hands corrugated with veins, her flesh imbued with ink with various designs. She peformed a piece titled 1967 Indian School. Unfortunately I missed most of her performance becuase too many people kept talking to me, “No, I don’t remember you and your breathe smells like shit!” I really did not say that (but you should have Sonny!). For her finale, Stevie Nicks, umm I mean Joy Harjo, swirled about and disappeared into a multicolored mural tapestry designed by Manuel Vega.
The evening could have easily moved toward pretension but instead the audience was offered comic relief by the Aztec storyteller Micheal Heralda. He spent the majority of his performance pontificating the virtues of TORTILLA’S! I was transported back to day camp, “I wanna go home!”
Trying not to roll my eyes too many times, Heralda chastised the audience because we didn’t know what some Spanish word was? Duh! At this moment I must admit I preferred pretension to condescension. Bye…Bye…next. In stark contrast John Trudell brought an air of urgency or was it because the stage manager was threatening him with a clock? I was struck by his size, how could a man of slight stature be so intimidating? I retrospectively surmised it is because he tells the stories of those that cannot speak. Every phrase he uttered rang like an indictment:
“Shaman (make a chant), Theres a Name and History, Maybe dead to this reality, Talks to Ghost, Guns and Money, Spiritual Nudity.”
These words stung and festered in my psyche instigating an alarming parade of imagery and discourse. Flash Back: the land we stand upon is covered in grass, the stone and concrete edifices along Broadway are still conjecture, the sighting of masts in the harbor commences our strife. Quite frankly I was overwhelmed. An existential mind fuck! Whew…mean butch stage manager appears…Trudell’s time is up! What he just began! After his performance I sheepishly approached Trudell…”Do you have a moment?” He adjusted his cap and said, “Barely.” Uh okay “A quick picture?” Again I noted how small he was. “Alright, What are your latest projects?” He sighed heavily, “Im releasing a new CD, The Madness and MoreMe’s on the internet September 8th.” Cool! “What or how do you feel about new media i.e. MySpace–how is that opening your view point to a larger audience?” I think he rolled his eyes, “I don’t know enough about it, but would like to explore the potentional for more possibilities.”
Shortly he migrated toward a gaggle of well wishers as I looked on. One of them eagerly exclaimed, “I’m your biggest fan!”
Sunday, June 3rd, 2007
 photo: m colon
my goodness summer does inspire visits to the ole nyc.
it also spawns sidewalk dining, really short shorts-the kind flat and flabby asses hang out of-the likes of which i witnessed at sunday brunch with Pod(cast)emski & Harjo, a classical guitar duo the likes of Medesky & Wood-but Native, and cultural events, lots of them. i digress, of course, because this is a Longviews joint and digressions are our signature.
yes there are things to do in nyc if you’re not broke or dead! too many for one lil ole naica editor to attend, but maybe one of you Longviews listeners would go in my stead? then you can report back and i won’t feel bad that i couldn’t be there or had to choose one event over another as they are all credibly portentous and should be attended in earnest by myself, but such is my one shot existence…yes, those cultural events i mentioned:
The Harj at BAM, June 4, 2007, 6pm-ish: www.bam.org
Alexi at Barnes and Noble Union Sq, June 4, 2007,7pm-ish: www.fallsapart.com/schedule.html
Native Cinema in New York, June 5, 2007, 7pm on the dot: www.nmai.si.edu
Podemski at the Living Room, June 6, 2007, 11pm-ish: http://www.livingroomny.com
Eagle vs Shark advanced screenings in nyc, June 12, 13, 14 2007: to download passes http://www.eaglevsshark.net
Flight of the Conchords, June 13 and 14, 2007, 7pm, Gramercy Theatre: tickets SOLD OUT (sure to be an Indie Fuck Fest!).
in this week’s podcast we regurgitate the above mentioned items, and more. then we careen into pretentiously academian discourse regarding the required genre “Native Cinema.” then we re-live our mortifying lack of googling before going into an interview, though that can also fuck you over with misinformation and/or reveal one’s functioning illiteracy status (like Renee confusing “gonzo journalism” with “gaucho journalism.”) Then we say some other stuff i can’t remember which will have me downloading my own stupid-facted podcast.
c’est la internet.
oui oui
 the big to do [32:15m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (90)
Tuesday, May 15th, 2007
For those still unable to sleep at night because of this confusing mess with the ever-enigmatic Representative Renzi, I have some good news: NPR is on the case. The question of tribal affiliation is still on the table, but at least you will be able to inch a bit closer towards getting your eight hours.
Ted Robbins has the story, or some of it at least.
Tuesday, May 1st, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 1, 2007
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Lacey Pipkin
Public Relations Manager
512-535-0765
press@cinelasamericas.org
http://www.cinelasamericas.org
10th Cine Las Americas International Film Festival Announces Award
Winners
AUSTIN, TX – The 10th Cine Las Americas International Film Festival
proudly announces the winners of the four categories of its jury
competition: Best Narrative Feature, Best Narrative Short, Best
Documentary Feature, and Best Documentary Short.
The festival also recognizes the winners of Audience Awards and Youth
Film Awards.
Best Narrative Feature Film is TATUADO (Tattooed) from Argentine
director Eduardo Raspo. Cynthia Mendez of Barakacine, Raspo’s
production company, says “ This film Eduardo made has a special magic,
luckily it appeals to diverse audiences, and that makes it last.”
TIERRA ROJA (Red Earth, Ramiro Gomez, Paraguay), won the Best
Documentary Feature Award. The film had its United States premiere at
Cine Las Americas, and it was subtitled in English just for its
screening at the festival.
A complete list of winners and jury members follows.
JURY AWARD WINNERS:
Jury Award for Best Narrative Feature
TATUADO (Tatooed, Eduardo Raspo, Argentina, 2005)
Special Jury Mention for Narrative Feature
QUE TAN LEJOS (How Much Further, Tania Hermida, Ecuador, 2006)
Jury Award for Best Documentary Feature
TIERRA ROJA (Red Earth, Ramiro Gómez, Paraguay, 2006)
Jury Award for Best Narrative Short
PRIMERA COMUNION (First Communion, Daniel Eduvijes Carrera, Mexico, 2006)
Special Jury Mention for Best Narrative Short
BESTIARIO (Bestiary, Daniel Castro, Mexico, 2006)
Jury Award for Best Documentary Short
O MAIOR ESPECTACULO DA TERRA (The Greatest Show on Earth, Marcos
Pimentel, Brazil, 2005)
Special Jury Mention for Documentary Short
LA PETITE CHASSE (The Little Hunt, Wapikoni Mobile Team, Pamela
Basilish, Canada, 2005)
AUDIENCE AWARD WINNERS:
Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature
QUE TAN LEJOS (How Much Further, Tania Hermida, Ecuador, 2006)
Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature
TOCAR Y LUCHAR (To Play and to Fight, Alberto Alvero, Venezuela, 2006)
YOUTH FILM AWARD WINNERS:
Jury Award for Best Youth Film
VISIONS OF HUMBOLDT (Community TV Network, USA, 2006)
Special Mention for Youth Film
SIEMPRE AMOR (Eternally Yours, Kenneth Chinea, Puerto Rico, 2006)
Saturday, April 28th, 2007
Well boys and girls, it’s that time again. Misinformed Capitol Hill Scandal Time.
Several months ago, NAICA staff was discussing how to further expand and challenge our modes of coverage when we decided we should get some Congressional politicians to talk to us. Native American politicians of course. Of the three or so we have to choose from in the constituency, we chose Rep. Rick Renzi, of Arizona. This is because one of us heard him in an interview with Terri Gross and figured he’d be down.
Representative Renzi was contacted and contacted yet again, but to no avail. Maybe he was just busy? I mean, who wouldn’t want to talk to NAICA, right?
Yea, he must have been busy. Or under investigation.
According to the Phoenix Business Journal, Renzi “could soon step down in the wake of a federal investigation into his involvement in a federal land swap deal and FBI raids of an insurance agency owned by his wife.”
An Indian involved in a land swap deal??? C’est scandleaux!!!
More from CBS News, “Law enforcement officials confirmed in October that they were scrutinizing a land deal that benefited a Renzi friend and business associate who was also a campaign donor. According to state records and officials involved in the land deal, Renzi helped promote the sale of land that netted his former business partner, James Sandlin, $4.5 million.
The property eventually was to be part of a swap in which potential buyers could exchange it for land owned by the federal government. Such deals are common in the West, where the government owns vast tracts. Renzi had said he wanted to prevent encroaching development near the Fort Huachuca Army post and to protect the environmentally threatened San Pedro River.”
Hmmm, so Renzi, Congressman and Co-Chair of the Native American Caucus, was arranging to regain vast tracts of land owned by the government for “conservation” reasons? Can’t really blame him for that, right? And it would be an easy explanation, but unfortunately (or fortunately?) this muddled controversy does not stop there.
Renzi and his Chief of Staff are also under investigation for allegedly being party to le scandal du jour: the US attorney firings. In October 2006, Renzi learned that he was being investigated for the land-swap deal, among other things. The district attorney conducting the investigation was relieved of his duties a few months later.
The irony of this sweeping investigation continues, as apparently Renzi’s earlier campaign for office received funds from none other than Jack Abramoff, the best Indian arm-twister east of the Mississippi.
So what exactly does this all mean? NAICA has nary a clue. But when it was learned that Abramoff was linked, we just knew something was amiss.
Our (mis)interpretation: Renzi, one of three-ish token Indians in Congress received swindled money from other Native American tribes to further his campaign for office via a sell-your-soul deal with Little Jack Abramoff. Upon obtaining the coveted position (a congressional seat that chairs the largest amount of Native Americans in the country, including large portions of the Navajo nation) he furtively arranges to take back large government-owned tracts of land. (Perhaps to build more casinos for Abramoff to swindle money from?) He then foolishly and overtly fires the DA investigating his office’s actions. If none of this makes sense to you, we’ll assert one more confusing note to the mix: Renzi is a Republican.
What in the sam-hell is going on here?? At least with Abramoff, we knew what motivations belonged to who, and for which reasons. With Renzi, we are starting to think that he may suffer from a personality disorder or something.
“I am humbled to be elected co-chairman of the Congressional Native American Caucus,” Renzi said in a statement after his appointment earlier this year. “During the last four years, I’ve been honored to represent thousands of Native Americans in the House of Representatives, and now I’m pleased to play an even greater role in improving the quality of life for many more First Americans throughout the country.”
The “best laid plans,” right?
One can’t help but feel sorry for this Honest-Abe-faced Congressman from Arizona. And maybe one can’t blame him for his seemingly confused decision-making process, as it must be hard to be a Republican and a Native American in a governmental role. Add some land deals, casino money and partisan agendas to the mix and you have a sure-fire formula for failure.
Stay tuned to NAICA for more misinformed updates on this ongoing investigation. We promise we will do our best to make this whole fiasco as confusing as possible.
(p.s. upon googling “Rick Renzi Native American” for an entire Saturday morning, NAICA has yet to determine which Indian nation he is actually affiliated with. Fishy, verrrry fishy.)
Saturday, April 14th, 2007
Until very recently, like last Monday, I had no idea who Aby Rosen was or how very important he is to mid-town Manhattan, but thanks to a little photo spread of power house New Yorker’s offices in, what else, New York Magazine, now I do. As I was to find out Aby Rosen not only has his main office in the Lever House on Park Avenue, he owns it as well. He also owns the Seagram and is co-owner of the Gramercy Park Hotel-a hotel none of us will ever stay at, including Russell Means. Rosen is very very very wealthy. Like, unbelievably wealthy. He can afford to stay at his Gramercy and buy all sorts of cool stuff, which includes a sizable 60s pop art collection, focusing mostly on original Warhols, Rosen’s favorite artist of that era. In fact, two rather large Warhol panels hang in his office in the Lever House.
After contacting his office on behalf of NAICA and Russell Means, who may or may not find the idea of a fantastically rich German dude owning his Warholian mugshot interesting, I managed to get a few minutes with Rosen to ask him of all the many Warhols to be had why this one?
Read on.
Maria: So, out of all the Andy Warhols you could have, why this one?
Aby Rosen: Love his face. Love his history. A minority man but still very strong, very dignified.
Maria: Did you know before putting the (Warhol) Gun opposite Means’ portrait that he is known for pistol-whipping the shit out of people he doesn’t like?
Rosen: No I didn’t , but I always thought the gun and the Russell go together.
Maria: Well you are correct, guns and Russell do go together. Do you know the history of this painting? Why Warhol chose to make a portrait of Russell Means?
Rosen: No, but I do have a book at home and now that you are doing this Russell Means story I will look it up.
Maria: Yeah I’m curious to know because I couldn’t find any information about it.
Rosen: I just loved this image, I loved his strength. You see when Andy was doing the work and if he liked somebody a lot he worked really strong with the colors and the handpainting on the painting. Most of the time he worked with simple silkscreens rather than the paint on top of it, but he really painted him (Means) really deep and really hard out of respect and the liking of him.
Maria: Of Russell Means’ (painting) personally?
Rosen: Yes, of Russell personally.
Maria: One last question. This is the original correct?
Rosen: Yes, it is.
Maria: If Russell wanted to come and see the painting would you invite him?
Rosen: Yes, of course I would love to show it to him. Please invite him up.
Maria: Yeah he might like that (to self: mmmmm questionable)
Rosen: You know I was just speaking to someone today, another gentleman, who says he has the same exact Russell Means painting, same size, behind his desk.
Maria: Really? Maybe he copied you?
Rosen: No, no I think it is pure coincidence, but I can’t remember his name.
Maria: Actually, one last question. Have you ever heard of the German Indian movement?
Rosen: No I don’t think so.
Maria: Well (photographer) Max Bescher did a series of images on them.
Rosen: Oh yes, now I know. The ones who dress up like plains Indians with tepees?
Maria: Yeah, those are the ones. They do a festival every year.
Rosen: They are parasites.
Maria: (to self) Couldn’t have said it better!
(all photos by Maria Colon, editor of NAICA online.)
To give some context regarding Warhol’s portrait of Russell I did a little more searching and found the following from a website called “Art in Context”
Andy Warhol has been credited with reviving the tradition of grand portraiture from the moribund state it had fallen into during the 20th century. Warhol’s interest in portraiture began in the early 1960s when he began to make drawings and paintings from publicity photographs of celebrities such as Troy Donahue, Marilyn Monroe, and Elvis Presley. These images, which he collected from books and magazines, appealed to Warhol due to their simple, straightforward presentation of the subject. By using a photograph from a magazine or his own Polaroid of the subject, Warhol distances the portrait from its subject, thus allowing him to explore the relationship between the genuine and the fake, the real and the simulated. Like many of Warhol’s portraits, Russell Means was done as a multiple. Warhol would often display these multiple images in decorative rows or grids-a device that further distanced the unique reality of the person from the image. The process of making his portraits was also journalistic and impersonal: Warhol would send the snapshot or Polaroid to a laboratory where it was enlarged in black and white and then transferred to a silkscreen. From the silkscreen, the image was printed on canvas and embellished with touches of artist-applied paint.Russell Means, an Oglala Sioux, gained wide visibility in 1973 when he led a group of Native Americans in a symbolic takeover of Wounded Knee. The siege lasted 71 days. Warhol’s image presents Means as a giant celebrity whose noble features have been softened and glamorized. In Warhol’s portrait, Means’ status as celebrity hero takes precedence over his actuality as a person and his political importance.Marianne Lorenz
SUGGESTED READINGS:
McShine, Kynaston, ed. Andy Warhol: A Retrospective. New York: Museum of Modern Art, 1989.
Whitney, David, ed. Andy Warhol: Portraits of the 70s. New York: Museum of Modern Art, 1989.
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