There’s an interesting post in Kris Vire’s blog Storefront Rebellion about the article in the Chicago Tribune last Friday regarding new year’s resolutions for the casual theater-going folk (and yes, I posted a comment). I am incensed by the continuous patronizing tone that the Chicago Tribune arts and culture editors adopt towards Chicago audiences. I mean, recommending Paula Vogel’s How I Learned to Drive, staple of South Florida community theaters, as “…something untested, unknown and a bit avant-garde…”? The play is about as avant-garde as meatloaf on a cafeteria line! One of the things that’s been perturbing me right now is how we Chicagoans still have a ways to go to admit to ourselves proudly and confidently that we live in a cultural capital full of world-class talent and arts experiences (see my August: Osage County post a couple of entries down). And how can we when our largest circulation newspaper treats us as if we’re just half a generation removed from orangutans?
Somewhat of a 180 degree turn from this topic is my bafflement at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago’s “Fear No Art” campaign. The posters are ubiquitous on CTA buses, and I do have to give the MCA some props for adopting an aggressive stance around marketing its live performance programs. Yes, we need more people to go to the MCA to see acclaimed performance artist Laurie Anderson in the much buzzed-about multi-disciplinary piece Homeland this spring; or Bill T. Jones’s dance masterpiece Chapel/Charter, or the farewell performance of internationally-known Chicago-based performance artists, Goat Island. But which PR consultant or marketer actually thought that plastering Diamanda Galas’ Goth-meets-Chanel look or the belligerent-looking plastic doll head from Societas Raffaello Sanzio’s play, Hey Girl (which I am seeing next weekend) on MCA marketing materials and backs of buses would be great audience-grabbers? I think the posters look intimidating, detached, pretentiously artsy, and turn the slogan “Fear No Art” into “Fear Art”! Am I the only one turned off by this marketing campaign? I’d be interested to hear from my dear blogger friends and marketing-oriented readers (Galloping Nelly, I am looking at you!).
I saw the much-buzzed about Juno last Friday night. Funny enough, quirky, with some preciously clever one-liners, and a wonderfully real and nuanced performance from Ellen Page (I definitely think she is a strong Oscar Best Actress nominee possibility). But I really wasn’t sure what the fuss is about. The movie is like that artsy guy with the hip vibe, sexy glasses, and colorful shoes you meet at an art gallery. He enthralls you for half an hour with his biting one-liners and fun factoids about multi-media art, but then you decide you really don’t want to go home with him since it’ll turn out to be a long, tiresome night.
January 14th, 2008 at 5:36 pm
I totally agree with your remarks on the MCA’s add campaign. Though the posters read “Fear No Art” the message that comes across is the exact opposite.
I would also agree with you that How I Learned to Drive is in no way avant-garde. I can’t conceive how someone could label it as such.
I thought Juno was a little over-buzzed, but if it hadn’t been, I wonder if your review would be the same. I think the film was very understated in its conception. It doesn’t feel like a film that should have a lot of buzz behind it as it tries to be so honest in its portrayal of the life events of this young girl. I think that without the hype, I might have been able to view it for what it was, and not compare that with what I thought it was going to be based on the build up. I think this is a situation where the hype didn’t help this film. And if one liners were all you took away- at least they were great one liners! The scene with Allison Janney and the ultrasound tech. was brilliant.