Scatter links: BodyVox, more fun with Hank, read U.S.A.!
Friend of Art Scatter D.K. Row, the reporting machine of Portland’s art scene, has a good behind-the-scenes cover story in the O! section of the Sunday Oregonian about dance company BodyVox’s bold move (especially considering the state of the economy these days) into its own space in Northwest Portland. Row doesn’t just get into the economics, he also touches on the sometimes bruised feelings and occasional jealousies on the dance scene: As Row points out, BodyVox has access to some deep pockets that other contemporary dance organizations can’t touch. Read Row’s story here. And revisit Art Scatter’s own report from last fall, when BodyVox first showed off its new digs.
Meanwhile, nobody seems to want to have a beer with Henry James, although a few people suggest a cup of tea, or maybe a sherry. The Oregonian’s Laura Grimes follows up on her delightful piece from last Sunday about trying to read The Ambassadors (see below) with a second report on her adventures with Hank — this time with a lot of sterling literary responses from readers. The online version here includes a lot more responses than the print version in this Sunday’s Oregonian books pages. (For some reason or other we feel compelled to reveal that Ms. Grimes is married to one-third of Art Scatter. We leave it to the mathematicians among you to figure out exactly what that means.)
Finally, a shout-out to Liesl Schillinger for her review in this week’s New York Times Book Review of Louise Erdrich’s new collection of short stories, The Red Convertible. Quite sensibly, Schilinger writes admiringly about Erdrich: That’s as it should be. But what caught our eye was her opening salvo, a vociferous defense of American lit in general against the cold Arctic glare of those sneering Swedes of the Nobel establishment (she takes her argument, of course, much further than this, in some interesting ways):“Last fall, the permanent secretary of the Swedish Academy, the group that hands out the Nobel Prize in Literature, disparaged American letters, saying our fiction was ‘too isolated, too insular’ and ‘too sensitive to trends’ in our own ‘mass culture’ (in short, too American) to matter much in the wider world. But it’s the very Americanness of our literature — the hybrid nature of our national makeup, our mania for self-invention and reinvention — that captured the international imagination at a time when most readers could never visit the country they dreamed about. It still does today.
“Americanness needs no apology; it’s the strength of our letters.
Thanks, Liesl. We needed that. Young and crude and immature we may be, but we are also creative and energetic and — yes — idealistic, and we still believe that art can and should be a democratic expression. Your question near the end of your essay — “(I)s the capacity for the quiet use of leisure, something essential to reading, on the wane?” — is pertinent to the entire world, a place that interestingly includes Sweden and the United States alike.We hereby appoint Ms. Schillinger an honorary Friend of Art Scatter. Sadly, this honor comes with no Nobel prize money attached.
January 5th, 2009 at 9:10 am
A gentle correction Art Scatter dear: it’s Louise Erdrich, not Ehrlich but I completely agree that the Nobel committee is full of aquavit. They don’t usually give prizes in literature for literary merit anyway–look at the Americans who have got them in the past: Pearl Buck for example and arguably Sinclair Lewis wasn’t a great writer but rather a great sociologist, and that rare bird in the field, with a sense of humor.
As for D.K. Row’s piece on BodyVox and its new building, which is going to be swell–I too attended a press preview, I wish there had been greater emphasis on Hampton/Roland’s generosity in ways other than financial, and fewer slams, subtle as they were, at other players in the dance community. Space, for classes, for rehearsals, to create work is even scarcer than money in the modern dance community: BodyVox has consistently donated their current space to impoverished colleagues and I hope will continue to do so in the new space. And while BodyVox does tour a great deal, Do Jump which never seems to get the credit it deserves, is perhaps better known outside Portland than in it, because of touring, and Imago too tours all over the country. There was a patronizing tone about Portland and the modern dance community in the quotation from Lane Hunter which I don’t imagine he intended but it stuck in my craw–our little town has been good to him.
Beyond that, I think the quality of some of the work BodyVox puts on the stage has suffered from the indefatigable touring–D.K. is right: the dancers are gorgeous, but some of the shows have looked rather hastily thrown together with the artistic directors perhaps stretched too thin for rehearsal time or time to think. That’s the source of some concern on the part of colleagues strapped for cash: the feeling is that Roland/Hampton can afford to spend a lot of time creating, and it pays off when they do. Their version of Carmina Burana is one of the best, and the result of a careful process. So was A Thousand Little Cities. So. It’s my hope that once the building is done, BodyVox will spend more time at home making the good work they’re capable of, and that they will continue to support their colleagues by providing rehearsal space as well as the 150-seat theater that we do indeed need.
January 5th, 2009 at 10:23 am
Oh good lord, of COURSE it’s Erdrich, and Mr. Scatter knows that very well: What was in that drink, anyway? Mr. Scatter will now correct that mistake in the original post, so nobody who doesn’t bother with responses will ever know it occurred.
January 5th, 2009 at 10:32 am
I’ll never tell, Mr. Scatter…
January 5th, 2009 at 12:04 pm
D.K. Row did a fine and fair job on the BodyVox piece. I’ve witnessed a certain amount of snarkiness aimed unfairly at BodyVox from within the arts community since the company was launched—largely born of resentment methinks. I’ll even admit to having peered down my snooty nose when some of their choreography strayed too far into the cute. But then I have to be honest and admit that they’ve assembled a talented company that’s doing good work with distinct personality (and there’s nothing wrong with being “accessible” and having fun).
Mostly, I have to admire an arts organization that has successfully coupled vision, ambition and business acumen in a way that has allowed them to grow. They haven’t been sitting around whining about the lack of opportunities, but have found ways to create them. Plus, the generosity and community spirit that Jamey and Ashley demonstrate are genuine and heartfelt. I had the great fortune to have worked on a few projects with Jamey’s civic-minded father, John Hampton, before he shuffled off this mortal coil–-the admirable chips off that old block clearly found their landing spot in the next generation.
As for Ms. Grimes’ articles on reading “The Ambassadors,” I’ve just launched my own initiative to make it through “Tristram Shandy” this year. It’s a slow slog, but I find myself more amused than annoyed at Sterne’s florid excesses and digressions. Soon, I’ll be posting about the experience over at cultureshockpdx.blogspot.com.
Finally, for what it’s worth, here’s my vote to have MUW’s commentaries appear on Art Scatter’s front pages more often in 2009.
January 5th, 2009 at 4:50 pm
Thank you for the vote of confidence, MTC. Perverse woman that I am, I mightily enjoyed reading Tristram Shandy when I was in college and it was required–Mr. Sterne methinks was a forerunner of James Joyce, marble page and all. And by the way, I like reading your comments, too–looking forward to what you have to say about Tristram Shandy.
January 14th, 2009 at 12:28 pm
Nobel bashing and Tristram Shandy praising all in one spot! Two of my favorite things. How did I miss this post before?
I also look forward to hearing your thoughts on T.S., Gentleman. One of my favorites, ever since I read it in college. It was the first “post-modern novel” you know.
Have you already watched A Cock and Bull Story? It doesn’t really “give away” the book — how could it? — so no need to wait until you finish reading. If you haven’t watched it yet, it might increase your enthusiasm for the book.
Just where was Uncle Toby injured in the war?
January 15th, 2009 at 3:02 pm
“Cock and Bull Story” is a fabulously fun movie that is the whole reason I got around to finally picking up Tristram Shandy in the first place! For a film about an “unfilmable novel,” it does a remarkable job of capturing the spirit and “idea” of the book. Highly recommended!