CRAZY HORSE – Crazy Horse Memorial® will host its annual Native Americans’ Day celebrations on Monday, October 9, 2023. The all-day event features a Native Americans’ Day Program, hands-on activities, and performances by Pamyua, a nationally acclaimed Alaska Native performance group.

The Native Americans’ Day Program begins at 10:00am and will feature speaker Dr. Jacob Weasel (Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe) who recently ascended Mount Everest in his quest to summit the highest points on all seven continents. His journey is aimed to raise funds for his non-profit, The Wopila Project, for playground equipment at Lakota Homes in Rapid City. The Program will also host participation dancing with the familiar face of Starr Chief Eagle who has spent over 10 years teaching visitors at Crazy Horse Memorial® and students in the Rapid City Area School system.

Crazy Horse Memorial Educator of the Year, which honors an individual who has made significant contributions to Native American education in the last year, will be named. The award includes a $1,000 grant to the recipient’s school library or to programs of his or her choice that help indigenous students. Last year’s Crazy Horse Memorial Educator of the Year was Dr. Joseph Marshall III (Sicangu Lakota), an educator and administrator who has worked at both high school and college levels, a founding member of Sinte Gleska University, and the author of over 20 published works that include non-fiction, novels, screenplays, and collections of short stories and essays.

Hands on activities for all ages will feature the creations of dream catchers and bracelets. These activities will be guided by regional Native American artists. In addition to the crafts, hands-on activities such as a coloring wall will be on display so visitors young and old can draw what Native Americans’ Day means to them.

Pamyua will take to the Veranda Stage in the afternoon to share their Inuit culture and unique blend of music and dance through three different interactive sessions at 12:30, 1:30, and 4:30. Pamyua was created by brothers Phillip and Stephen Blanchett with a musical concept to blend Inuit drum/dance melodies with R&B vocal styling and arrangements. Joining the Memorial all the way from Alaska, they bring a high-energy, educational presentation that all ages will enjoy. In coordination with Custer Area Arts Council, Pamyua will be visiting Southern Hills area schools the following week. 

As always, free tatanka stew will be available for lunch to all visitors while supplies last, courtesy of Korczak’s Heritage, Inc., Laughing Water Restaurant®, and Custer State Park.

All crafts, programs, and performances are included at no additional cost when you visit the Memorial. South Dakota was the first state to officially celebrate Native Americans’ Day on the second Monday of October annually since 1990. 

The South Dakota Legislature established the Native Americans’ Day holiday at the urging of Gov. George S. Mickelson, then governor of South Dakota. The transformed holiday was a direct result of correspondence between the editor of Indian Country Today, Tim Giago, and the governor. Giago, an Oglala Lakota hailing from Pine Ridge Indian Reservations, had written a column in the Lakota Times expressing the need for change. In addition to the newly created holiday, Mickelson further declared 1990 as a “Year of Reconciliation” in observance of the 100^th anniversary of the Wounded Knee Massacre.

The first Native Americans’ Day observance was held at Crazy Horse Memorial® and more than 1,200 people attended the event on October 8, 1990. “We can’t turn back the clock,” Gov. Mickelson said, “we can only turn to the future together. What we can do as leaders, both Native American and white, is teach others that we can change attitudes.” The Native Americans’ Day celebrations at Crazy Horse Memorial® will be the 33^rd annual for South Dakota.

For more information, please visit www.crazyhorse.org and follow Crazy Horse Memorial® on all social media and/or contact Amanda Allcock at 605-673-4681 or email Amanda.Allcock@crazyhorse.org.

It’s finally starting to feel like fall outside, and we know you’re eager to take it all in. Although severe weather across the region may cancel outdoor events, don’t worry, there is still plenty of fun in store for the weekend. From breathtaking acrobatics under the big top to inspiring Native contemporary art, be sure to check out these events happening September 22–24.  

Because the forecast calls for a lot of rain this weekend, you will want to check whether the outdoor events listed below are still happening before venturing out. 

Family Flashlight Corn Maze Night 

September 22–23, 6–8:30 p.m.

Do your kids crave a little extra challenge from their corn maze? At Great Country Farms, your family can take on the quintessential fall task in the dark. Finish off the night with cider and s’mores by the fire. 34345 Snickersville Tpk., Bluemont, $14–$16  

Rock the Block Fairfax City 

September 22, 6:30–9:30 p.m.

Bring the lawn chairs and blankets for this family-friendly event that takes over Old Town Fairfax every fourth Friday of the month, through October. Rock out to your favorite hits from the ’90s and ’00s with live music from Uncle Jesse. And don’t forget your appetite. The event will feature gourmet food and a beer garden. Old Town Square: 10415 North St., Fairfax, free admission, food and beer extra 

Lovettsville Oktoberfest 

September 22–23

Celebrate Erntedank, or “Harvest Thanks,” at Lovettsville’s signature event. Traditional German flavor and fresh traditions shine through at the two-day festival, which boasts activities like wiener dog races, stein hoisting competitions, and a parade through town. 6 E. Pennsylvania Ave., Lovettsville, price varies by activity 

The Land Carries Our Ancestors: Contemporary Art by Native Americans 

September 22 through January 15, 2024 

The National Gallery of Art unveils its new exhibition, The Land Carries Our Ancestors: Contemporary Art by Native Americans, curated by prolific visual artist and member of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, Jaune Quick-to-See Smith. The exhibition will feature the work of nearly 50 Native artists from across the U.S., emphasizing the experiences of Indigenous peoples, and their right to self-expression. The National Gallery of Art: East Building, 4th Street at Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC, free 

Old Town Warrenton Fall Festival  

September 23, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. 

More than 100 vendors will sell jewelry, toys, photography, and fine art at this annual festival. Food will include barbecue, crab cakes, and ice cream. Historic Main St., Warrenton, free admission, food extra 

Washington Capitals Charity Garage Sale 

September 23, 11 a.m.–2 p.m. 

The Washington Capitals will host the team’s inaugural charity garage sale, benefiting the Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation. Fans had better check their pocketbooks before heading to this event. Only credit cards will be accepted. The Capitals will sell bobbleheads, T-shirts, and posters. And after you get done shopping, stick around to see the team practice for the home opener against the Pittsburgh Penguins on October 13 at Capital One Arena. Medstar Capitals Iceplex: 627 N. Glebe Rd., Ste. 800, Arlington, free 

Mosaic Fall Fest 

September 23–24, 11 a.m.–6 p.m. 

At Mosaic, you’ll be able to explore vintage goods and artisanal curios from more than 90 vendors or pick up fresh produce to complement your autumnal feast. You can even get cocktails to go from participating locations, so you can sip while you stroll. Plus, the kids will love the games corner, bounce house, and the paint-a-pumpkin station. Live music includes the Vienna Singing Princesses and School of Rock House Band. 2910 District Ave., Fairfax, free admission, complimentary shuttle from Dunn Loring Metro Station, food and beer tickets extra 

Oktoberfest at The Boro 

September 23, 2–5 p.m. 

The Boro’s annual Oktoberfest returns with German food, a polka band, and of course a biergarten serving pumpkin and other traditional beers. The first 150 people receive a branded beer mug. 8350 Broad St., Tysons, free 

The Jonas Brothers 

September 23, 7 p.m.

The Disney Channel–born pop rock sensation made up of brothers Kevin, Joe, and Nick Jonas will showcase five albums in one night. Cross your fingers for crowd favorites like “Year 3000” and “Sucker” to appear on the setlist. Capital One Arena: 601 F St. NW, Washington, DC, starting at $89.95 

Moulin Rouge! The Musical 

Through September 24 

Become a Parisian for the night at this one-of-a-kind musical while you still have the chance. Based on Baz Luhrmann’s film of the same name, Moulin Rouge! The Musical will take its final curtain call this weekend at the Kennedy Center, before traveling to the next leg of its U.S. tour in Pittsburgh. The Kennedy Center: 2700 F St., NW, Washington, DC, starting at $45, recommended for ages 12 and up 

Cirque du Soleil’s ECHO 

Through October 22 

Step into an awe-inspiring world of wonder at Cirque du Soleil’s newest touring production: ECHO. Highlighting the symbiotic relationship between humans and animals, this show of death-defying feats follows the fictional character Future, as she discovers the bonds that tie humanity to our planet. Under the Big Top: 8025 Galleria Dr., Tysons, starting at $49 

David Amoroso: Belleza Brutal 

Through November 4 

Floral motifs meet fierce masculinity in David Amoroso’s latest exhibition. Amoroso’s pop art challenges the stereotypes and binaries associated with masculinity, aiming to alter the viewer’s perception of the subjects of his art. Hylton Performing Arts Center: 10960 George Mason Cir., Manassas, free 

Feature image of Cirque du Soleil’s ECHO by Jean-François Savaria

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By Native News Online Staff

September 21, 2023

Here is Native News Online’s weekly round-up of arts, culture and entertainment offerings around Indian Country.

AAK’W Rock Music Festival
Juneau, AK
September 21-23, 2023

The three day music festival celebrating Indigenous Music and culture will feature 25 major Indigenous musical acts and popular artists representing 35 Indigenous cultures from across the globe. This festival is Alaska’s only global Indigenous music festival and the only one of its kind in the United States. 

4KINSHIP
San Juan, NM
September 23, 2023 

Diné woman owned brand 4KINSHIP is excited to announce the first-ever all-womens skate jam at the Two Grey Hills Skate Park on Navajo Nation. Contestants will be judged on style and performance. Vendor village will host Enchantment Skate Shop, Woodburn Skateboards, and Skate in Beauty. Food and drinks will be provided. 

National Endowment for the Arts
Washington, D.C.
September 29, 2023

Indigenous artists will be recognized by the National Endowment for the Arts as 2023 National Heritage Fellows, the nation’s highest honor in the folk and traditional arts at 5:30 pm at the Library of Congress’ Thomas Jefferson Building. The event is open to the public. 

Powwow for Hope
St. Paul, MN
September 23, 2023 

The 12th Annual Powwow for Hope invites the community to return in person at the Base Camp Facility. This powwow is the nation’s only known cancer awareness powwow, which honors loved ones who have battled cancer or are fighting cancer and provides an opportunity to learn more about cancer prevention and resources in Indian Country. Doors open at 12pm with Grand Entry to follow at 1pm. 

American Indian Day
Miami, FL
September 23-24, 2023

Celebrate American Indian Day with the whole family at the Miccosukee Tribe’s annual festival at the Miccosukee Casino and Resort. At the festival, you’ll get a chance to immerse yourself in the Miccosukee culture with live music and dance performances, authentic food and crafts, alligator demonstrations, airboat rides, fashion shows, and more.  

American Indian Heritage Weekend
Avella, PA
September 23-24, 2023

Learn more about the American Indian cultures that were in the area by talking with visiting members of the region’s historic tribes, who will demonstrate some daily life skills of their ancestors in the 18th century and prehistoric Western Pennsylvania. 

Denver American Indian Festival
Lakewood, CO
September 23, 2023

The Denver American Indian Festival has brought a celebration of American Indian culture, arts, and history to all Denver Metro communities. The event will be hosted at the Lakewood United Methodist Church. 

Woodland Indian Celebration
Grand Rapids, OH
September 23, 2023

Come enjoy two wonderful days of the Native American culture in arts, crafts, dance, food, games, history, music, friendship, and more. Be a part of the Harvest Festival of the Eastern Woodland American Indians of the North East and Great Lakes. 

56th Annual California Native American Day
Sacramento, CA
September 22, 2023

This year’s theme will be “Protecting Our People Through Sovereignty: Past, Present, and Future.” the event celebrates the culture and contributions of California Native Americans. The event will feature a cultural heritage pavilion where attendees will learn more about traditional practices, 80 state and organization exhibitor booths, 25 arts and crafts vendors, and cultural sharing that includes traditional drums, bird songs, and dancing. 

Story Time: Native American Day
St. Collierville, TN
September 22, 2023

Come celebrate Native American culture with readings about the people who cared for this land before Europeans settlers arrived. Enjoy stories, songs, art activities, and creative play that connect with history at the Morton Museum. 

Native American Heritage Day
Westland, MI
September 23, 2023

Come join in and experience the culture of Michigan’s First People with drumming circles and dancers in their beautiful regalia. Native crafts and food will be sold as well, and a reminder to bring your own lawn chairs as seating is limited. 

MMIW Intertribal Powwow
Rehoboth, MA
September 23, 2023

All are welcome to this powwow to bring awareness to Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) within the Native American community. The event will include nonprofit educational booths, arts and crafts, food, dancing, and more. 

Indigenous People’s Day Celebration 
Livermore, CA
September 23, 2023

Experience the power of storytelling, the beauty of traditional song and dance and the enchanting melodies from a flute performance. Engage in a community drum circle, participate in a land acknowledgment ceremony and be inspired by the altar exhibit honoring ancestral traditions. 

More Stories Like This

The Land That Carries Our Ancestors: Contemporary Art by Native Americans Exhibition Begins Sept. 22 at National Gallery of Art
Gifted Native American Flutist Robert Tree Cody Walks On
The Future is Now at Newly Opened Center for Native Futures in Chicago
Here’s What’s Going On In Indian Country, September 14 —September 21

About The Author

Author: Native News Online StaffEmail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Native News Online is one of the most-read publications covering Indian Country and the news that matters to American Indians, Alaska Natives and other Indigenous people. Reach out to us at [email protected].

Details

By Native News Online Staff

September 21, 2023

Here is Native News Online’s weekly round-up of arts, culture and entertainment offerings around Indian Country.

AAK’W Rock Music Festival
Juneau, AK
September 21-23, 2023

The three day music festival celebrating Indigenous Music and culture will feature 25 major Indigenous musical acts and popular artists representing 35 Indigenous cultures from across the globe. This festival is Alaska’s only global Indigenous music festival and the only one of its kind in the United States. 

4KINSHIP
San Juan, NM
September 23, 2023 

Diné woman owned brand 4KINSHIP is excited to announce the first-ever all-womens skate jam at the Two Grey Hills Skate Park on Navajo Nation. Contestants will be judged on style and performance. Vendor village will host Enchantment Skate Shop, Woodburn Skateboards, and Skate in Beauty. Food and drinks will be provided. 

National Endowment for the Arts
Washington, D.C.
September 29, 2023

Indigenous artists will be recognized by the National Endowment for the Arts as 2023 National Heritage Fellows, the nation’s highest honor in the folk and traditional arts at 5:30 pm at the Library of Congress’ Thomas Jefferson Building. The event is open to the public. 

Powwow for Hope
St. Paul, MN
September 23, 2023 

The 12th Annual Powwow for Hope invites the community to return in person at the Base Camp Facility. This powwow is the nation’s only known cancer awareness powwow, which honors loved ones who have battled cancer or are fighting cancer and provides an opportunity to learn more about cancer prevention and resources in Indian Country. Doors open at 12pm with Grand Entry to follow at 1pm. 

American Indian Day
Miami, FL
September 23-24, 2023

Celebrate American Indian Day with the whole family at the Miccosukee Tribe’s annual festival at the Miccosukee Casino and Resort. At the festival, you’ll get a chance to immerse yourself in the Miccosukee culture with live music and dance performances, authentic food and crafts, alligator demonstrations, airboat rides, fashion shows, and more.  

American Indian Heritage Weekend
Avella, PA
September 23-24, 2023

Learn more about the American Indian cultures that were in the area by talking with visiting members of the region’s historic tribes, who will demonstrate some daily life skills of their ancestors in the 18th century and prehistoric Western Pennsylvania. 

Denver American Indian Festival
Lakewood, CO
September 23, 2023

The Denver American Indian Festival has brought a celebration of American Indian culture, arts, and history to all Denver Metro communities. The event will be hosted at the Lakewood United Methodist Church. 

Woodland Indian Celebration
Grand Rapids, OH
September 23, 2023

Come enjoy two wonderful days of the Native American culture in arts, crafts, dance, food, games, history, music, friendship, and more. Be a part of the Harvest Festival of the Eastern Woodland American Indians of the North East and Great Lakes. 

56th Annual California Native American Day
Sacramento, CA
September 22, 2023

This year’s theme will be “Protecting Our People Through Sovereignty: Past, Present, and Future.” the event celebrates the culture and contributions of California Native Americans. The event will feature a cultural heritage pavilion where attendees will learn more about traditional practices, 80 state and organization exhibitor booths, 25 arts and crafts vendors, and cultural sharing that includes traditional drums, bird songs, and dancing. 

Story Time: Native American Day
St. Collierville, TN
September 22, 2023

Come celebrate Native American culture with readings about the people who cared for this land before Europeans settlers arrived. Enjoy stories, songs, art activities, and creative play that connect with history at the Morton Museum. 

Native American Heritage Day
Westland, MI
September 23, 2023

Come join in and experience the culture of Michigan’s First People with drumming circles and dancers in their beautiful regalia. Native crafts and food will be sold as well, and a reminder to bring your own lawn chairs as seating is limited. 

MMIW Intertribal Powwow
Rehoboth, MA
September 23, 2023

All are welcome to this powwow to bring awareness to Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) within the Native American community. The event will include nonprofit educational booths, arts and crafts, food, dancing, and more. 

Indigenous People’s Day Celebration 
Livermore, CA
September 23, 2023

Experience the power of storytelling, the beauty of traditional song and dance and the enchanting melodies from a flute performance. Engage in a community drum circle, participate in a land acknowledgment ceremony and be inspired by the altar exhibit honoring ancestral traditions. 

More Stories Like This

The Land That Carries Our Ancestors: Contemporary Art by Native Americans Exhibition Begins Sept. 22 at National Gallery of Art
Gifted Native American Flutist Robert Tree Cody Walks On
The Future is Now at Newly Opened Center for Native Futures in Chicago
Here’s What’s Going On In Indian Country, September 14 —September 21

About The Author

Author: Native News Online StaffEmail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Native News Online is one of the most-read publications covering Indian Country and the news that matters to American Indians, Alaska Natives and other Indigenous people. Reach out to us at [email protected].

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A legendary Latin pop artist with roots in Lawrence, Massachusetts, was recognized for his success by leaders of the Merrimack Valley city on Thursday, with a music and art center being named in his honor.

Nick Rivera Caminero — known by his stage name, Nicky Jam — was welcomed by local leaders as they announced the remodeling of the Adult Learning Center, which will be turned into a music and art center featuring the Lawrence native’s name.

The announcement was made shortly after 9 a.m. by Mayor Brian DePeña, accompanied by city officials and council members, as well as Lawrence Public Schools, the Lawrence Police Department and other delegations.

Nicky Jam, who is now 42, was born in Massachusetts and moved to Puerto Rico with his family as a child. He’s had a long, storied career with many big hits, including “Fiel a tu Piel,” “Travesuras,” and his acclaimed collaboration with Enrique Iglesias, “El Perdón.”

Caminero grew up in poverty, watching his father fight for “the American dream,” he said. Now, he said, the street where he grew up will also bear his name.

“We literally didn’t have money to pay rent on this street,” he said. The “landlord” would knock on the door and my dad would hide and tell me not to open it… we had to live month after month… it’s incredible that now this happens on that street where we couldn’t pay rent.”

As part of his speech, Nicky Jam said that at the age of eight, he found a flyer for a high school talent event in Lawrence and decided to attend, even though he was not of the required age.

When they saw him rapping, he got his first applause and knew he wanted to do that for the rest of his life. Then, when he moved to Puerto Rico, he was influenced by Caribbean music, dance hall and, while working in a supermarket, he was discovered and signed his first contract.

“I was very young and everything happened very quickly,” he said. “I have been on drugs, I was in jail, I went to Colombia to look for a second chance and I came back like the Phoenix. I rose from the ashes and here I am today in Lawrence, happy. Thank you to my dad for making me here, in this beautiful city, and to the people of Lawrence, thank you, because, although I no longer live here, they give me love and respect. I live grateful.”

Part of this report has been translated from Spanish

It’s the Friday after Fashion Week, and New York is coming up for air. Over Zoom, Catherine Mulligan and Drake Carr are unpacking the projects that have punctuated their first weeks of fall. Mulligan, a New Jersey-born and Brooklyn-based painter, opened a solo show at Tara Downs. Entitled “Bad Girls Club,” the works on view dig at the gravity of contemporary excess and its aesthetic consequences. Carr, whose exhibition “Walk-ins” filled New York Life Gallery with downtown’s demimonde this winter, is recovering from the chaos of the Armory Show. In a presentation by Artists Space, the Michigan native put on a lively drawing en direct performance, bringing his practice of “house call” portrait commissions to the sterile Javits Center.

Although they’ve never met officially, the pair both navigate the city’s late-millennial creative scene, what would have once been called a counterculture. As Mulligan points out in the conversation below, the archetypes they depict in their work are “two sides of this nightlife coin.” Carr’s sleek characters embody the pre-going out rush, the photo shoot where everyone is feeling themselves and the outfits they pulled. Meanwhile, Mulligan’s subjects, with their Cindy Sherman meets Anna Nicole Smith mugs and skeletal yet turgescent figures, stand for a night’s eclipse—the hangover headache, the lost wallet, and the patina of unbrushed teeth. Here, the artists shed light on their tendencies as well as their insecurities.

Catherine Mulligan: I saw your work at the bar [Happyfun Hideaway] a while back. I liked seeing it in that setting.

Drake Carr: Me too! I just did a booth at the Armory Show, where I was doing live drawings, but I also had a few cut-out paintings similar to the ones at Happyfun Hideaway. The best thing that I heard was someone being like, “Oh, shit, those are the ones at Happyfun.” It makes me feel the most proud that it’s part of this shitty bar.

Mulligan: How does it feel changing the context of the work from a bar to a gallery or an art fair?

Carr: I don’t feel weird about taking it out of the bar and putting it there. I’m happy for it to just exist at the bar, but I also have a fantasy of maybe recreating the bar somewhere. I really like how the paintings get fucked up and scratched and gum stuck to them and shoeprints and things like that.

Before I went to your show [at Tara Downs] yesterday, I had a doctor’s appointment two blocks away. I was in the waiting room which was all gray and there was this woman blasting reality TV from her phone speaker and then a guy doing construction right outside the window. Somehow it was a nice prelude to seeing your show—this metal, the gray, the reality TV blasting in a really grating way. Because one thing I love about your paintings is how they look like they survived something. I can imagine a fantasy of these portraits being in one of your mansions and them being demolished and forgotten.

Mulligan: That part is actually really important to me. I think about image mediation and degradation a lot. Kind of like you being at the doctor’s office waiting room, there’s all these textures that color how you see things. The paintings are images, but they’re also objects.

Carr: I love a weathered object. It’s not really a new thing, but wearing raggedy clothing and shirts that are barely held together is certainly a trend. Maybe since everything is mass-produced, it’s nice when you see evidence of something existing for a really long time.

Mulligan: Yeah, I’m really drawn to ruins and ruined things. In the Renaissance, they would go paint the ruins of Rome. It’s just something that’s in us.

Carr: I don’t necessarily think about ancient relics, but I do think about gay bars that don’t exist anymore. A lot of the gay bars that still are around aren’t lived in—everything gets renovated in a really fake, neon way.

Mulligan: What drew me to your work is that it really does look like it would be on a flyer for a gay club or something. It’s graphic, but it’s also formally tight. I see similarity with our approach to the figure that’s vernacular. They are two sides of this nightlife coin—one is a really fun and glamorous euphoric space and one is the comedown.

Carr: When I went to the gallery yesterday, I was the only one there and Tara [Downs] gave me a walkthrough. I told her I was wondering what the similarities were between our work. She said it was an acidic tendency toward the subject. If I think about “acidic” in your paintings, I think of the actual chemical properties of acid degrading or destroying. My insecurity about my paintings is that I veer toward earnestness when I’m thinking about friendship or portraiture. But other times I do feel that she’s kind of right?

When I’m making a big cutout painting or doing a gay bar collage, I’m thinking about these gay or gay-adjacent characters because I bartend part-time at Happyfun Hideaway, and I observe a lot of people, and people can be annoying. The music is too loud, the speakers are blown out, this queen thinks she deserves a discount… It’s not coming from a mean place, but there are grating personalities, and you can’t help but find it beautiful and entertaining.

Mulligan: With both of our work, there’s something with the scale and intensity where it can never really just be making fun of something. You’re very invested in it. There’s empathy there.

Carr: When people talk about your paintings, do you feel like they get it right? Are there certain things that are said that you’re like, “OK, I’m hearing this again, but it’s not really what I was going for?”

Mulligan: I’m kind of pretentious about it. My work is about death, and it’s eternal. People might be thinking of a pop culture reference point, which is not not there, like, I want them to also relate to a collective memory. But there’s a gravitas that I want people to feel in their gut, and I don’t know if that happens based on the reactions I get.

Carr: When people talk about my work, they are usually like, “It’s so ‘80s,” and I totally get it. But I’m not actually trying to talk about the ‘80s, really. Also, being a gay guy and drawing gay drawings, it’s like gay ‘80s equals AIDS. People get stuck at the doorway and then they don’t go further into it, and maybe that’s my fault. I try to not get too hung up on it. What can you do?

Mulligan: Do you think of the feeling of your work as being a kind of nightlife euphoria? I feel like there’s a strong glamor to them.

Carr: I’m sometimes afraid to lean into ugliness, so I go for hyper-stylized works. I like it best when it looks polished but there’s a kind of sinister anxiety beneath. I will say, when I draw people’s portraits, I want them to look and feel beautiful. I sometimes wish I was the type that didn’t give a fuck, but I don’t want someone to look at the portrait that they sat hours for and not be happy with it.

Mulligan: I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that. I mean, look at John Singer Sargent or something. It seems like a great world to live in … I had a show at M+B in Los Angeles two years ago and I thought, Oh, wow, these paintings are so California. And they were just like, “These are so New York.” Do you think about New York with your work?

Carr: Almost to my detriment. I love the mythology and the romantic story of it. I’m obsessed with Andy Warhol. Not really his art but reading about him and the mythology around him. When I’m doing portraits of people, I’m thinking about this social circle. Some of these people I don’t really know but I draw them, so it makes it seem like we’re friends and it benefits us mutually. Commission-based artwork is looked down upon in some ways, but I like working in this commercial way sometimes … What about the future? Do you feel postpartum after a show?

Mulligan: I feel sort of crazy. I worked on it for a year and didn’t really show anybody and then suddenly I’m showing everybody. I’m still not really used to that cycle. It’s like the lights being turned on after you’ve been having nightmares.

Carr: I felt pretty depressed after the Armory. It was something I thought about every single day for months, and I wanted it to be so perfect. My mom came and I collaborated with her and there was so much energy, and then your stuff gets dropped off and you’re just standing in your studio with these boxes. An art fair can be a scary place as an artist because you’re reminded of how one of many you are. Artists Space was amazing to work with—it’s just the nature of an art fair that you are a part of this machine. I tried to find a way to work that felt funny and unusual and satisfying to me, and I think I did. But at the end of the day, you can’t really escape that you are part of the system. You just have to find a way to get something out of it. It’s a very conflicting feeling. Do you ever, right before hanging a show, have like a feeling of, “Oh, fuck, I just made the worst thing ever?”

Mulligan: Every other day. I went back and forth between being really proud of it and being really nauseated looking at it. I feel like the weird stuff is worth doing even if I don’t have that certainty just because it’s a thing that doesn’t already exist in the world in some form.

Utah State University’s Communitas lecture series returns for the Fall 2023 semester with another batch of artists, designers and scholars whose work promotes diversity, equity and togetherness.

Art History Professor Laura Gelfand, series coordinator, says this semester’s lectures will start off strong with the “phenomenal” work of Sasha Su-Ling Welland, the Chair of Gender, Women & Sexuality Studies at the University of Washington.

“She’s doing this work on toxic waste grounds and artistic responses to that — which for me as someone who’s a native Utahn is really exciting, because I count as a down-winder, as do lots of people who are my age, from all of the testing in the West Desert,” Gelfand says.

Communitas is presented by the Department of Art + Design in the Caine College of the Arts. Lectures are free and open to the public but also offered to USU students for credit.

“Communitas has been one of the most unique and enriching courses that I have taken,” USU art history major Radeyah Kaplan said. “The speakers are always engaging, and the stories they tell still manage to be applicable to the lives of the modern art student. We’ve heard from a variety of perspectives, including a photographer who spoke of her battle with M.S., and an Irani artist who shared her struggles assimilating to America. I have left every seminar with a page or two full of invaluable advice.”

Each lecture will be from 5-6 p.m. in the Russell-Wanlass Performance Hall on USU’s Logan campus.

Sept. 21: Sasha Su-Ling Welland

Sasha Su-Ling Welland will present her current research, which focuses on the themes of embodied ecologies, nuclear colonialism, racial capitalism and “the Anthropocene production of everyday carcinogenic relationships” in her hometown of St. Louis.

Oct. 12: Ann Cunningham

Sculptor Ann Cunningham creates low-relief slate pictures dedicated to making information about the world more accessible to people who are blind or visually impaired.

Oct. 19: Arlene Goldbard

Arlene Goldbard is a visual artist and the author of In the Camp of Angels Freedom and The Culture of Possibility: Art, Artists & The Future. She focuses on the intersection of culture, politics and spirituality.

Oct. 26: Ala Hason

Ala Hason, office director of HKS Dubai, works with clients to discover ways that architecture can help them achieve their goals. He defines a successful project as one that is influenced by local context and heritage, and he brings a global perspective and expertise in urban design to his work.

Nov. 16: Brooks Oliver

Ceramic artist Brooks Oliver aims to reimagine and reinterpret the familiar functional vessel.

“My work inherently blurs the boundaries between craft, design, industry, and technology as I am inspired by the charged grey areas between these binaries,” Oliver says.

For more information on Communitas, visit the Caine College of the Arts website.

By providing the public with a creative and intimate way of interacting with Maui’s native species, artists help spark conservation and inspire care for the exceptional environments surrounding us.

MAKAWAO — Hui No’eau Visual Arts Center in collaboration with East Maui Watershed Partnership (EMWP) present the 19th annual Mālama Wao Akua – a juried art exhibition celebrating the native species of Maui Nui.

This special exhibition will be on display in the hui’s gallery space now through Nov. 3. The gallery is open Tuesday to Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. with free admission.

This collaborative exhibition aims to raise awareness about protecting our islands’ unique ecosystems and species. The Hui and EMWP believe artists have a powerful and vital role to play in our local conservation efforts.

This year’s jurors were Kirk Kurokawa, visual artist; and Dr. Scott Fisher, Director of ʻĀina Stewardship at Hawaiian Islands Land Trust, who selected works among 254 entries from elementary school, middle school, high school and adult divisions.

A total of 84 Maui artists are represented in the exhibition, all highlighting and bringing awareness to the native plant and animal species of Maui Nui (Maui, Lana’i, Moloka’i, Kaho’olawe).

The community is invited to learn more about Maui’s conservation efforts from leading experts during the exhibition’s “Talk Story” Thursdays. Talks are free, open to the public, and will take place on the following dates:

– Sept. 21 at 5 p.m.: Zach Pezzillo, Technician for Maui Nui Plant Extinction Prevention Program;

– Oct. 12 at 5 p.m.: Michael Walker – State Fire Protection Forester, DLNR/DOFAW;

– Oct. 19 at 5 p.m.: Keahi Bustamente, Maui Nui Program Coordinator for Hawaiʻi Invertebrate Program, DLNR/DOFAW;

– Nov. 2 at 5 p.m.: Dr. Arthur Medeiros, Program Manager for Auwahi Forest Restoration Project.

Additionally, each Friday throughout the exhibition from 10 a.m. to noon, a conservation gallery docent will be on hand to provide an enhanced gallery viewing experience. Visit huinoeau.com or malamawaoakua.org to learn more about exhibition-related events.

Support for the exhibition is provided by Hawai’i Tourism Authority through the Community Enrichment Program.

For more information about the exhibition, contact Hui No’eau Exhibitions Manager Josephine Bergill-Gentile at josephine@huinoeau.com or (808) 572-6560, extension 23.

Contact Allison Borell at East Maui Watershed Partnership for information about community and school programs, or for information about the watershed, at pr@eastmauiwatershed.org or (808) 268-1475.