Dan Graham, New Space for Showing Videos 1995 T.B. Walker Acquisition Fund, 2002

Mirror, Mirror Art project

Hello, I’m Alanna, the new Family Programs intern, assisting with Free First Saturday. I’ll be posting periodically on events relating to Raising Creative Kids, as seen from my behind-the-scenes perspective in the Education and Community Programs Department. For my first blogging assignment I decided to sit down with Ilene Krug Mojsilov, The Walker’s Art Lab Coordinator to see how the upcoming Dan Graham exhibition would be used to fuel a creative art activity that she’s designed for Nov 7^th Free First Saturday.

Dan Graham is a conceptual artist, among many things—a photographer, performer, video artist and critic. He has been working since the 1960’s in New York and is considered a pioneering figure in many modes of art. His retrospective, Dan Graham: Beyond, organized by the Museum of Contemporary art, Los Angeles opens at The Walker on Oct 31.

A lot of Dan Graham’s pieces are works of installation. How do you get kids to understand the concept of an installation?

Well first I get them to define the word “install.” I start out with the question: “Who knows what it means to install something? I liken the idea to a kitchen that needs to be redone and how an object like a stove, fits in the space.

Dan Graham’s work often challenges viewer’s perceptions. He creates environments where the viewers see themselves and are seen by others. Tell me how your art activity relates to this idea of perception.

The activity is called Mirror, Mirror. It is made from human-made materials, different from natural materials. Plastic, glass, lumber, steel, and metal are examples of elements used in architecture. I ask children to manipulate materials like plastic, Mylar, and foam core so that they can envision what a space could be. In this way, the art becomes self-reflective, as they can infuse their own lives in it. I ask the kids to use three different types of surfaces, transparent, meaning material you can see through; translucent, material you can see partially through; and opaque, material you cannot see through.

What are the reasons or intentions behind the project?

I like people to play with the idea of space by using materials that play with light.

We all perceive space differently. Light and shadow are ingredients in this recipe for a space. I also hope that this activity gives participants a way to delineate personal and public space.

How will the kids get this?

I always like to relate an artistic work to their own experience. I tell them, “Think of your bedroom.” In this way, the children are able to use the materials with specific purposes that arise from their own imaginations of familiar places.

Can this work for all ages?

Yes. Older kids can see the project as an interior design project. To younger kids, it can be an outdoor installation. It would be suitable for 3 years olds to teens.

Ilene is giving accessibility to contemporary art. It is a genre I admit I am not familiar with.

This seems to be an experience where the children are introduced to conceptual art without even knowing it. You’re offering an experience where they don’t get bogged down with definitions.

Exactly. They don’t get bogged down with definitions.

We are both smiling

It seems like you enjoy the experiential side of learning.

I like to learn that way…I like when there’s a challenge.

Our conversation dips into discourse about teaching methods. I am beginning to discover Ilene’s passion—her identity as an independent thinker, gutsy, intuitive and someone who discovered her own kinesthetic learning style early in life. She draws on this strength in challenging kids in the creative process.

I want all people to experience the creative process. I do my job because I’m discovering something.

How do you initially think of ideas?

I am inspired by other artists and exhibitions. I think: What could I do with this? What can I take? I borrow from these influences. That’s what makes working in museum education so interesting. There is always something new, a new exhibition…I never get stuck.

Do you ever run out of ideas?

No…like cleaning out my closet. I find new ways of looking at the everyday. That’s always been part of my experience…finding connections to the present.

Using Dan Graham’s exhibit, Mirror Mirror will construct a creative way for children to connect with their present.

On Saturday, September 5^th there’s another exciting Free First Saturday event happening at the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, Super Sculptures, inspired by the mythical sculptures in the Garden.  To see a collection of superheroes living in the Garden click here.  Events run from 10am-3pm, and all activities and Walker admission are totally FREE.

In anticipation of the Flexing Force performance by local bodybuilders, I asked our performers a few questions to help us better understand the sport of bodybuilding . Here’s what Laurey Heinrich, Michelle Soldo, and Ponce Saysomphou had to say:
 

Laurey Heinrich

How did you first get interested in the sport of bodybuilding?

LH: I sold memberships at a gym and was surrounded by people who were interested or competed in bodybuilding shows. I was absolutely fascinated by strong women who could still look feminine. A female competitor told me that I have the body shape to do competitions.

MS: I’ve always been athletic. In high school and college I ran track and played soccer. Both sports involved strength training. During the 20 years that followed, through law school and due to very long work hours, I became less and less physically active. In August 2005, six months before my 40th birthday, I thought back about the things I used to do, the sports I used to play, the healthy and active life style I used to have…it was then I realized it was time to make some important lifestyle changes. 

Michelle Soldo

What does a typical weekly training schedule look like for you?
MS: On weekdays I’m typically up at 4:30 a.m. I have coffee, eat the first of 7 daily meals and take the first of 3 daily courses of supplements. I’m in the gym by 5:30 a.m. I do 45 to 60 minutes of cardio every weekday morning. I prefer step mill and elliptical machines. I also train abs 2 to 3 mornings a week and sit in the sauna as often as time permits. I return home by 7:00 a.m., shower, dress for work and I’m off to the races. I begin work at 8:00 a.m. If I’m lucky, my work day ends at 6:30 p.m. After work I meet my training partner at the gym. We train a single body part each day, followed by 30 minutes of step mill or elliptical, or a 3 to 4 mile run. I get home by 9:00 p.m., eat my 7th and final  meal of the day and prepare my meals for the next day. I’m typically in bed by 10:30 p.m.

Over weekends, my training partner and I go for a long run on Saturday morning – which is typically between 6 and 8 miles, Saturday evening we may also lift a single body part, and Sunday is a day of rest, unless I’m training for a contest, then it’s a day of cardio.

PS: I workout 5 days a week. 2 hours a day. Unless I’m prepping for a show then I’m working out 7 days a week.

Ponce Saysomphou

Do you have to have a special diet when training? If so, tell me about it.
LH: Clean eating is a must. I eat whole grains, a lot of protein, and healthy fats and a lot of water.

PS: In my offseason I don’t really have a special diet. I’m just trying to gain more mass. But if I was training for a show, then my diet is very strict. It’s basically a high protein and low carb diet. I usually keep it simple nothing too complicated.

What kind of special preparation is involved leading up to a competition/event?
LH: I would say so much of the preparation for a show in mental! The diet and training are intense and you need to remain focused. There are many hours spent at the gym, cooking, planning your meals, and setting up appointments for suit fittings and tanning, etc.

MS: When I prepare for a contest, I lift weights 5 days a week, train abs 3 days a week, do a lot of cardio – typically 45 minutes to 1 hour and 45 minutes a day – 6 days a week. I also tan several times a week. Three days out from a contest, I begin to reduce my water intake from 200 ounces of water a day to 8 ounces the day before the contest. The day before the contest, I have spray tan professionally applied from head to toe. Contest morning, I set the alarm for 3:00 a.m. when I get up to have a bowl of oatmeal. I sleep until 6 a.m., put on my posing suit and mentally prepare for prejudging which typically begins at 8:00 a.m. At that point, I’ve done all I can do and I focus on enjoying the moment that I’ve worked so hard to get to.

PS: I usually train about 8-9 weeks for an event/competition, eating a very strict diet of high protein and low carbs, and doing cardio everyday for about 30 min.

Funniest/craziest bodybuilding moment?
LH: For about a month after I won the 2008 NANBF Ms. Natural Minnesota my 5 year old daughter would announce to strangers…”My Mom is the CHAMPION of Minnesota!” and of course no one knew what she was talking about.

MS: The first time I was professionally spray tanned for a contest, my skin color was so dark that when I stood up against a dark wall, you could only see the whites of my eyes and my teeth.

PS: The craziest moment was when I won my class in Natual Mr.U.S.A and got my pro card. I always wanted to become a pro natural bodybuilder. I just didn’t think it would happen that soon. I thought it was pretty awesome.

Are there any common misconceptions about bodybuilding?
LH: Yes! Some misconceptions are that all bodybuilders use steroids, they are not intelligent, and they are not flexible. That is far from the truth! Many of us use good old fashioned hard work to train and eat right. Bodybuilding takes a lot of discipline and the right knowledge is extremely important. And some bodybuilders are extremely flexible and actually do the splits on stage!

MS: There are many common misperceptions about bodybuilding. Two primary misconceptions relate to nutrition and motive.

In regard to nutrition, people often incorrectly assume we starve ourselves. We don’t. We eat more than most people, but choose our food carefully to maximize muscle growth.

In regard to motive, people incorrectly assume all bodybuilders pursue bodybuilding because they are vain. Some are. Some are not. For many like me, bodybuilding is a personal hobby, a personal passion – it’s not an attention seeking endeavor. Some people spend hours scrap booking, reading, playing golf, woodworking, watching sports, watching television, going to movies, gardening….I spend that time in the gym. In the words of my wise older brother Buddy Soldo, “The Soldo’s are artists. You Michelle, you’re canvas is your body. You’ve found you’re gift. Don’t waste it.”

What super power do you wish you had?
LH: To change people into whatever they would like to become.

MS: That’s a really great question. If there’s a superhero whose super power is the world’s fastest metabolism and they can eat all of the chocolate cookies they want without gaining weight, that’s the super power I want.

PS: I wish I had super strength and could burn fat without doing cardio.

Have you ever beaten anyone up?
LH: uugghh….no, because everyone is too afraid to take me on!!! j/k

MS: Yep – I sparred all through Junior High – no kidding!

PS: I’ve never beaten up anyone before.

Who was your favorite super hero when you were a kid?
LH: Wonder Woman and the Bionic Man!!

MS: I was a big Wonder Woman fan. I liked her outfit. When Xena the Warrior Princess was big, I liked her too. She’s the superhero I plan to emulate on Free First Saturday.

Can you give us any hints as to what families can expect to see on September 5th?
LH: You will see me evolve from a cocoon, into a butterfly, into a bodybuilding super hero.

MS: I anticipate that families will see athletes who love the sport of bodybuilding. Their enthusiasm and love of the sport will be evident through the unique routines they perform and will be evident in their smiles. Our goal is that everyone has a great time. Come join us!

PS: I’m looking forward to the event. It will be entertaining and fun! I can’t wait.

As if family life isn’t challenging enough, Manhattanite Colin Beavan takes it to the ultimate test when he decides to embark on an experiment to see if leading a life with zero environmental impact affects happiness. To make it work, however, his coffee- and shopping-addicted wife and their toddler have to join his quest. The film, which screens at the Walker September 16th (did I mention it’s FREE?!) follows this life-changing adventure as the family adapts to their new lifestyle, the couple struggles with their marriage, and the criticisms fly after Beavan’s many media appearances.

Co-director of No Impact Man, Laura Gabbert graciously answered some questions about the making of the film while visiting with family in Minneapolis.

What got you interested in this project?

Colin’s wife, Michelle Conlin is an old friend I grew up with in Minneapolis. I knew Colin was embarking on this experience early on so my filmmaking partners and I asked him if we could make a film about it.

What made you think this would be a good documentary?

Colin’s project was interesting to me as a filmmaker because it was a character-driven, solution-based approach to the environmental crisis. As we embarked on the filmmaking, we were excited by the immediacy and the intimacy of observing one family attempting to make these changes in their lives.

How did you convince Michelle and Colin to let you make a documentary film of No Impact Man (NIM)?

Michelle was game from the beginning. She’s a journalist and knew it would be good for the project. Colin was leary of a documentary crew following him around and observing his family life, but eventually he agreed that a documentary film could explore different dimensions of the project than his book.

When did the filming begin and can you give a sense of how much time you spent with the family over the year?

NIM began in November 2006, and we started filming about one week into the project. Justin Schein (co-director/cinematographer), who is based in Brooklyn, was there twice a week for shooting. I made regular visits to New York (from L.A.) 6 to 7 times over the year, and I slept on Michelle and Colin’s sofa each time so that I could shoot them late at night or first thing in the morning. We followed the Beavan/Conlins for the entire year and for about six months after the project ended.

Can you explain how you and Justin adapted your filmmaking to reduce your footprint?

Colin requested we make as green a film as possible. Documentary filmmaking already has less environmental impact than a Hollywood production. I had to reduce my air travel in half. Since the film was shot in NY and edited in LA we used the internet to send cuts back and forth. In NY no cars or lights were used, and all tracking shots of the Beavans riding a bicycle were done from a bike. The filming was all local since the Beavans didn’t travel. Justin decided to use the old DV camera he had instead of purchasing a new HD one, and he used 4 rechargeable batteries all year long. Six months into the project when the Beavans turned off their electricity, we shot only with natural light. We went with a grainy look as our subjects lived by candlelight.

Do you think you’ll try to incorporate these practices into future projects?

Definitely. There are new environmental codes for fiction and nonfiction filmmaking and technology is making it much easier to be green.

Did you ever think Colin and Michelle would reach a breaking point?

The publicity explosion around the experiment was the most challenging thing for Colin and Michelle, especially after the NY Times article came out (“The Year Without Toilet Paper” March 2007). Colin was inundated with requests by the press and this started getting in the way of the experiment. Colin was thrust into the position of being a spokesperson for the environmental movement and this was a surprise and challenge for him at first. (Although since the NIM year, he’s become a prolific educator and public speaker.) Colin and Michelle each had their ups and downs during the course of the year. Half way through the year Michelle had what she calls a “conversion experience” and began to feel more motivated politically as she began to see the positive effects the experiment was having on her health and her family.

How did you see the Beavan/Conlin family evolve over the course of the year?

By stripping away things like shopping and entertainment they got back to the basics of spending time with one another, they rediscovered things they had lost. It was the Walden side of the experiment. It made them healthier and happier. They focused inward a little more. Paradoxically, they also became more engaged in environmental issues in their community. They became more engaged politically.

One of the ideas behind the Walker’s Raising Creative Kids initiative is that parents are key models in developing their children’s creativity. Certainly the NIM year must have forced Colin and Michelle to think outside the box when it came to parenting. Can you comment on the creative aspect of their family life during NIM?

They spent a lot more time together as a family and a lot more time out exploring the city. Because they had no light or electricity in their apartment, it forced them outside and they embraced the city in ways they hadn’t previously. They biked everywhere in the summer and spent evenings along the Hudson River and in their community garden. Because one of the rules of the experiment was “not buying anything new”, in order to buy their three year old daughter Christmas presents, they shopped at their local consignment and second-hand children’s stores. There was a great post in Colin’s NIM blog related to this idea of what to do without TV.

Colin and Isabella at Market, photo courtesy Oscilloscope Laboratories

How has NIM changed you and your family’s lifestyle?

A lot of this stuff just makes sense to kids–composting, for example. When Colin challenged us to make changes in our own lives, this was something my family adopted. My kids (an 8 yr. old and a 5 yr. old) intuitively understood composting and they got a kick out of it. If someone at our house tries to throw vegetable scraps in the garbage, my kids are there to correct them. We’ve started a vegetable garden, and the kids enjoy seeing where their vegetables come from and harvesting and eating their own produce. We do our best to carpool, which is challenging in L.A., and we participate in local environmental organizations such as Tree People’s tree plantings around the city.

Do Colin, Michelle, and Isabella continue to live according to the same rules of the NIM year? Have any allowances been made for the sake of convenience?

They’re low impact now as opposed to no impact. There’s still no air conditioning, but air travel is allowed, and they share a plot at the community garden. Their main mode of transportation is their bicycles, but if it’s raining or snowing, they’ll take the subway. They’re not nearly as strict, but definitely more mindful about their choices. NIM was a full-time job…to make your own bread every week and do your laundry by hand only works if one adult in the family doesn’t need to be at the office from 9–5 (Michelle maintained her job at BusinessWeek throughout NIM). What they learned is that it’s pretty easy to reduce your impact by 75%, but it’s the last 25% that’s really hard.

What’s your next project?

There are several. Habeas at the Gate, a narrative film based on a friendship between a Guatanamo detainee and his Park Avenue lawyer, and The F Word, a documentary about the state of feminism today.

Thanks Laura. I can’t wait to see No Impact Man when it screens at the Walker!

I’m excited the Walker is screening it. I actually took art and dance classes at the Walker when I was a child.

No Impact Man makes its Minneapolis premiere at the Walker’s Cinema on Wednesday, September 16, 7:30 pm before opening at the Lagoon Cinema on October 2nd. The Walker screening is free and will be introduced by co-director, Laura Gabbert. Colin Beavan’s book, No Impact Man The Adventures of a Guilty Liberal Who Attempts to Save the Planet, and the Discoveries He Makes About Himself and Our Way of Life in the Process hits shelves in September and you can read his daily posts on the No Impact Man blog.

I recently asked Galen Treuer, Artistic Director of Live Action Set, a few questions about exploring dementia and Alzheimer’s through theater. Treuer and his Live Action Set colleague Noah Bremer co-directed the company’s My Father’s Bookshelf at the Guthrie in June, a play that looked at the powerful effects Alzheimer’s disease has on individuals, families and communities.

Treuer’s efforts illustrate an interest within performing arts to bring the subject of memory loss to the fore. Another local performing arts group engaging people with memory loss is Kairos Dance Theatre. Their The Dancing Heart keeps people living with dementia tapped into the world through movement.

Below is my conversation with Treuer.

Why Alzheimer’s? What got you interested in the subject of dementia and society’s response to this disease?

The idea started a weekend a couple of years ago at my parents’ house. I realized I knew them when they were my age – about thirty – and I started thinking about all the stories I would never hear from them. I imagined making a piece about aging and intergenerational exchange. At the time I was reading “A User’s Guide to the Brain” by John J. Ratey, actually I’d been reading it off and on for the past few years, and was interested in doing a play with neuroscience in it. After talking this idea over with Noah Bremer, we came on the idea of dementia as a good subject for interrupting the story telling. Initially I was drawn to the obscure forms of dementia, but as I read more about Alzheimer’s it became clear we could make something more relevant, less sensational by focusing on the most common form of dementia.

What elements of theater make it an effective media for sharing stories of memory loss?

Theater is a live art. You share the experience with the audience physically, in the moment. People with Alzheimer’s often lose words and the ability to share specific stories, but they gain an ability to live in the present moment. They are not worried about what is going to do tomorrow or the embarrassing thing they said 10 minutes ago. They are concerned with the here and now. Also, our style of theater lends itself to non-linear story telling. Time is flexible, and stories repeat or don’t follow a traditional narrative order. In Alzheimer’s time becomes confused and the linear path of experience breaks down. Also, connection and personal history are the most important thing for people with Alzheimer’s. If someone can’t communicate, at least they can feel like they belong and are heard by creating a connection. And personal histories are the last thing to be forgotten, so they are a great way to build connections. Theater is the energetic connection between an audience and performer. It helps people practice emotionally empathy, and it is a great venue for sharing personal stories.

Theater can also create a neutral ground where scientists, social workers, caregivers, and family members can observe the challenges and nuances of a very personal and scary disease without it being overwhelmingly personal or clinical. The arts create metaphorical space where people can synthesize new perspectives.

At the Walker we’re currently exploring visual arts programming that keeps people with Alzheimer’s and their caregivers engaged in the community. Do you believe joy is possible for people living with Alzheimer’s and that art — visual, performance, musical — may assist in eliciting positive, enriching experiences for them?

Joy is absolutely possible for people living with Alzheimer’s – both those with the disease and their family members. Art is a powerful tool for connecting. It is very emotional and metaphorical. Art provides space to connect and discover each other. There is a lot of wisdom in older individuals (even those with Alzheimer’s), and it’s a joy for both parties whenever you get to share it. Music and dance are especially powerful. I spent an afternoon in a locked memory ward in St. Paul, and when the woman leading the activities started singing the entire room transformed. Everyone became attentive, began humming and started smiling. That afternoon I sat next to a man who had a little radio playing big band music; he just wanted to hold my hand, tap out the rhythm, and tell me,“Yeah, that’s it!” Later, I heard he was never a musician or really all that into music until after he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.

In an interview for MPR your directorial partner, Noah Bremer, mentions the importance of laughter and humor for people living with Alzheimer’s and their caregivers. Can you speak to the role you understand humor playing in coping with an ultimately deadly disease?

The most telling thing I noticed in our research was that every nurse I met who spent years in direct contact with Alzheimer’s patients had a wicked sense of humor. In January I spent an hour talking with two nurses at the New York Mills, MN Elders Home about their experience with Alzheimer’s. We probably spent 3/4 of the time laughing. Without laughing, I don’t know how you could deal with the looming tragedy of the disease. It’s also a really great way to keep your interactions dignified. I find humor empowering. It lets us approach uncomfortable topics and laugh at our mistakes and our fears.

In creating My Father’s Bookshelf we needed to use humor, otherwise the play would have been too painful to watch. Ultimately the humor also let the audience connect with Bob (the main character), to love him and respect him. It seems like it made for a more pointed, accessible, and personal tragedy that sat with the audience rather than on the stage.

What was the most meaningful thing you learned during your research and preparation for “My Father’s Bookshelf”

Age related dementia is an epidemic. We will all have to deal with someone who has it at some point, and it’s absolutely possible that I might get it. My family tends to live will into their 80’s, and half of people over 85 show signs of some form of dementia. That said, the way to deal with this is through connection and understanding. It’s what everybody wants no matter how old they are or if they have a disease. We can all start practicing right now. Start collecting stories.

Watch Treuer’s conversation with nurse Ellen Swanson about My Father’s Bookshelf:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Haley Bonar, Photo by Cameron Wittig

M.anifest, Photo courtesy the artist

Favorite 4^th of July memory?

HB: Watching the fireworks from Star Village in Rapid City, SD with my sisters on a blanket drinking coke.

Favorite type of firework?

HB: The ones that feel like they’re getting really close as they grow bigger.

M: The type that goes ka-boom and sends colorful sparks sky high. You can tell I’m no expert in fireworks nomenclature :)

Sparklers or Snaps?

HB: Sparklers are more magical!

Best lawn game?

HB: Lying down and reading a book.

M: Football (or soccer as called in these parts)

Best grill food?

HB: Summer squash and sweet potato

M: Chicken and plantains. My friend Mandla in Brooklyn Park makes the best barbeque grilled chicken in Minnesota. I stand by it!

What’s this country mean to you?

HB: Except for the littering of chain restaurants and stores across the land, it is one of the most beautiful countries around. I love the Black Hills, Oregon, Wisconsin, the UP (Upper Peninsula, MI), Montana, Northern Minnesota, boundary waters… so many awesome places to see.

M: It means a lot of opportunities as well as many contradictions. The land of the free you know. It means the epicenter of world political power. It means diversity in a beautifully strange way. You can find just about any kind of person in America: black, white, broke-as-hell, rich-as-well, liberal, neo-nazi, preacher, organic food eating, gun toting libertarians, and the list goes on. Lastly it means a good part of my adult life and music life thus far.

What song do you associate with 4^th of July?

HB: Born in the USA (even though I wasn’t!)

What song do you associate with independence?

M: “God bless our homeland Ghana.” I do dig the star spangled banner though…nice melody. I’m about to check Wikipedia to find out who wrote it.

What are you most looking forward to about spending your holiday at the Walker?

HB: Singing for you fine people.

M: Looking forward to seeing lots of people all coming out to have a good time. Good vibes and merry-making. We can forget about the recession for a day I suppose.

Where will you be watching fireworks on Saturday night?

HB: Not sure but hopefully somewhere with all my best friends and family.

M: Not quite sure yet, but I’ll be trying somewhere different this year. Preferably a less crowded location

A free outdoor Independence Day concert will be kicked off by Sumunar Gamelan Ensemble at 11 am, followed by Haley Bonar at 1 pm, and M.anifest at 2 pm near the Spoonbridge and Cherry.

Todd Deutsch, Oscar(Vader) , 2007 Courtesy the artist

Since I first saw them on his website, I’ve found Todd Deutsch’s photographs of family life absolutely captivating. I’ve caught myself studying the images for the evidence of everyday life with kids: spaghetti in the living room, scattered shoes, chicken nuggets and naked noodles, a couch stripped bare of its cushions. And toys – LEGOs – everywhere.  Chaos and mess and play, all anchored – or set loose? -  by intensely focused kid energy.

The photographs – and my interest in artist/parents – made me curious about  Deutsch, his work, and his home life. How do his kids feel when dad’s camera is focused on them? With three kids, how does he get any work done?

Deutsch will be speaking about his photographs of gamers and family, and how he keeps it all in balance, at the Walker next Tuesday, May 5 at 7:00pm.  A few weeks ago, I met Todd at a coffee shop to talk a little about his life, work, and what he’d be discussing at the Walker.

The Basics:
Todd and his wife have three boys, and are expecting a forth. Todd works primarily at home – he does not have a separate studio. During the academic year, he teaches at the College of St. Katherine, and between teaching and the time he spends with the kids at home, he doesn’t have much time to make work. In the summer, he’s off, but so are the boys. Finding time to make photographs is always tricky, but because the studio is at home, he’s always around and being with the kids is just part of his working process.

About being an artist and a father:
The two roles – dad and artist – are always in tension, always competing. But the camera also provides a perspective on daily life: it slows things down a bit, gives you a chance to revisit and reflect.

Where is your studio?
It’s at home at the kitchen table.  My workspace is in my house – I work on the computer. The boys have taken over most of the house. It would be nice to have a separate space, at times, but for now, this works.

When do you work? After bedtime?
Mostly I work when the boys are around – I am not an evening or night person. I get a couple of weeks each year when they’re still in school, but my teaching has finished, otherwise, they’re with me when I am working.

How do you get work done with the kids around?
I used to work sculpturally – building three-dimensional, sculptural objects out of photographs. Now, I am working at home, and there’s no time, no money for a studio, no money for those kinds of materials.

I’ve learned to work in smaller blocks of time. With the boys, I can work for about 10 or 15 minutes at a stretch, but I’m always getting interrupted to go put out fires. Working digitally has made that possible. When I am working on a series, I edit work with small prints that I spread out on the table.

How do the kids feel about being photographed?
I’ve has been photographing the kids for years, since my first son was born. When I get out the camera, they’re interested in the camera at first, but get bored, and then stop paying attention to it and go back to their own stuff.

They’ve grown up with me making photographs. It is all happening at home – I ‘m making the photographs, and doing my work – but once they’re printed and leave the house, it’s a different thing.

About making art with the kids:
We have the family camera and my camera. We’ve made some stop motion movies – take photos with the lowest resolution possible, and put them together into a movie. With some help, they can do it. If I start making something, they’ll get interested – but if we are really into it – they’ll back off. They want to get their own interests.

How do you stay connected? Who do you talk to about art?
I always worked alone, even when I had a studio with other artists around. My wife is an RN, but we met at art school. So I can run work by her and she’ll understand and be able to respond both as a parent and as an artist. And she understands how important it is to me to keep making work, even though it takes time and attention -– she understands that side of being an artist.

So, how DO you balance everything?
Making art is kind of a selfish activity. You’re constantly conflicted, constantly in a process of choosing how to spend your time. So, choosing to spend a couple of hours in the studio is hard. I know the kids are around – I can hear them in the next room. It could be different with a separate studio, but then I wouldn’t see them.The key is having a partner who is supportive – it is a miracle that anyone would help you with this!

When did you realize you wanted to be an artist?
Very early – as long as I can remember.

How did you express creativity as a child?
I drew a lot and put a lot of pictures of people up on the wall.

How would you describe the art that you made as a child?
Pictures of faces.

How did your family or teachers influence your career as an artist, if at all?
They were very supportive – gave me lots of paper / drawing materials – very encouraging etc.

What kinds of music did your parents play around the house?
They played Billie Holiday, Frank Sinatra, old Swing. My older siblings were always playing the Beach Boys and the Beatles.

Did you know any working artists growing up who inspired you?
Not really, though my mother painted.

What artist turned your world upside-down as a teenager?
Warhol – I loved Warhol as a teenager.

What was your favorite book?
A photo book of Elton John and Undoubted Queen – about Queen Elizabeth II, a large photo book my grandmother had.

What was your first job?
I worked for my parents in their candle shop.

Did you have an imaginary friend and if so, what was he/she like?
I did. She was like a genie.

What did you collect as a child?
Pictures (photos) of people – ice skaters, tennis players, musicians.

Who was your favorite pop-star growing up?
David Cassidy, Shaun Cassidy, Elton John, David Bowie – in that order.

Is it quiet when you work? If not, what do you listen to / watch?
I listen to a lot of different kinds of music.

Whose portrait are you still waiting to paint?
Jay Z

Be sure to catch Gary Stevens, along with Julian Maynard Smith (Station House Opera) and Wendy Houstoun (Forced Entertainment), in one of three performances of ‘Ape’, co-presented with Bryant Lake Bowl, Red Eye, and Open Eye Figure Theatre.

How and when did you begin working for the Teletubbies program?

I had been working for Ragdoll, the company that produced the Teletubbies, for some time. Ann Wood, the producer had seen me in a performance called ‘If the Cap Fits’, where I put on more and more jackets and trousers until I looked like a giant onion. I could have planted the Teletubby seed, who knows. I introduced Andrew Davenport [co-creator of Teletubbies] to the company through some pilots and experiments that I conducted. Andrew became a puppeteer with them before conceiving and writing the Teletubbies. So, I was there at the beginning (1997) and before the beginning as a consultant. I sang the theme tune and did some of the voice-over work.

Language and slapstick humor are a common thread between your own work and the Teletubbies program. Words and actions endlessly recur in scenes like Tinky Winky searching for Po in a game of hide and seek, just as the characters in your show ‘Ape’ (see video clip here) vie for control in a continual game of repeat-the-speak, both resulting in pure comedy.

In ‘Ape’ there is an agreement game. They seem to be having a conversation but they are building on what has previously been said. They do not have any opinions or ideas of their own. They do not know who they are, so they try to get along by doing the safest thing, which is to agree. They play with nuanced copies. They do not own their speech; there is a hint of Tourette’s syndrome. The Teletubbies enjoy speech and the sound of words. Andrew originally studied Phonetics and Linguistics at University College London. There is something childlike about both kinds of behaviour, but there is something alien about both as well.

What influenced your own interests in language and comedy? Did you grow up in a humorous family?

Yes. I hardly said or did anything straight as a child. In fact, I would get into trouble for assuming that everyone knew that I was joking. Quite often, they did not.

Teletubbies nurtures a young child’s ability to develop cognitively and make those early connections to talking, listening, and moving through use of repetition, large movements, bright colors, and a deliberately slow pace. I’m curious to know, how much research went into producing each episode?

There was from the outset a repertoire of phrases. They had their own language. Lots of research went into the initial idea that could be drawn on for each episode. It is harder than you think to write for the Teletubbies. I was inclined to introduce some anarchic element that would be ironed out in committee. Ann Wood and Andrew were the people that inhabited the world of the Teletubbies.

You and Andrew Davenport, worked together years before the series began in a project of yours called ‘Animal‘. What is this show about and what were your roles? Was this the first time you two met? Do you continue to collaborate?

I saw Andrew at the ICA in London performing in a show with Kate France. It must have been about 1988 or 89. I asked them both to work on ‘Animal’ with me. It was a complex show but basically there was some doubt about the humanity of the performer’s behaviour. Andrew was obedient and got very upset if anyone left the stage and waited in a state of agitation for the person to return, only to floor them in an embrace in his excitement and enthusiasm. He did not literarily behave like a dog, but there was something distinctly dog-like about the general behaviour. I also worked with him on another show called ‘Name‘, which involved three performers running around playing far more characters, young, old, male and female. We have not seen much of each other since then.

Are there any episodes you’re particularly proud of?

The whole project was a brave thing for the company to take on. It was an enormous investment and risk. Nothing quite that big had been attempted in children’s television. Everyone hoped it would be successful of course, but no one anticipated how popular it would become. So there is no individual programme that distinguishes itself for me; it is the concept and conviction that makes me proud of Andrew and Ann. I had very little to do with it.

Which character-Tinky Winky, Dipsy, Laa-Laa, or Po is your favorite? Why?

I think Laa-Laa is my favourite. I don’t know why, perhaps it is because she is yellow.

Each of them has a special personal belonging they identify with: Tinky Winky a red bag, Dipsy a tall hat, Laa-Laa an orange ball, and Po, a blue scooter. What would you say is your most treasured object?

I think it has to be my iPhone, I am ashamed to say, although I carry a bag around with me all the time, which is brown and very manly.

Many adults not familiar with Teletubbies might find it brain-numbingly slow, super repetitive, and well, just bizarre. Roaming the pastoral Teletubby Land, these psychedelically-colored, baby-talking space people love technology and one another, and spend most of their time playing games and giving hugs. In your opinion, why was Teletubbies such a successful phenomenon in children’s television?

I don’t know why it was so successful. I was interested in the idea of lingering on a scene or image so that a child could have time for their thoughts, rather than be led by a fast paced narrative. Coming from a visual arts background, the norm is a still image: photography and painting. Animation and narrative is something to contend with. Someone made a similar complaint about a video installation of mine called, ‘Slow Life’, where everyone moves very slowly in real time. I tried to explain to them that although it was slow for a film, it was fast for a painting. If children are going to watch television then it is better for the child to be creative in response to it. The programme aspired to function as a toy.

Not everyone embraced the Teletubbies, including the late Jerry Falwell and Polish politician, Ewa Sowińska who were convinced Tinky Winky was promoting homosexuality to children based on the fact that he carried a handbag. How did you and the creators of the show react to such accusations?

The Teletubbies do not have a strong sense of a self-image. They are indeterminate. Tinky Winky does not have a sophisticated understanding of the social, cultural and sexual connotations of the bag. I think he likes it because it is shiny and red.

In case you haven’t see the show, don’t worry all 365 episodes will be aired for years to come all over the world (on PBS in the U.S.). Here’s a taste:

This upcoming Free First Saturday, February 7^th, is truly important.  We’re celebrating mnartists.org, the Walker’s online program that supports the state’s creative community.  Come for FREE admission and rub elbows with many of the area’s most innovative and vibrant arts organizations, including Highpoint Center for Printmaking, Juxtaposition Arts, Universal Dance Destiny, and In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre and more.

Also featured is a performance by local piano virtuoso Michael “The Hook” Deutsch.  Michael’s ingenious creativity and extraordinary technique are amazing to experience.  After losing his left hand in an accident nearly 30 years ago, Michael overcame this obstacle and taught himself blues and jazz piano.  “What I do is I try to keep the blues alive,” he says in an interview on current.com.  “It’s part of our American heritage.  Blues and jazz-we gotta keep it going.  They don’t teach this stuff in schools.”

Watch this video for more info and to see how Michael modified his prosthesis to suit his playing technique.

Free First Saturday is the Walker’s free day for families.  On the first Saturday of every month, Walker galleries are open and free of admission fees from 10 am-5 pm.  Free family-friendly activities and performances are scheduled throughout the day.  Call the box office at 612.375.7600 for more info.

Thanks, Larry for answering some of my questions about the Fancy Dance. You can watch the Yazzies’ performance “Sharing the Gift” at 11 am and 1 pm in the Walker Cinema.

Larry Yazzie, courtesy the artist

Can you explain the Fancy Dance and its origins?

The Oklahoma Feather Dance or “Fancy Dance” is one of the most popular styles of dance seen at modern powwows. It originated as the Fancy War Dance by the Hethuska society in Oklahoma and was invented by Gus McDonald, the first World Champion Fancy War Dancer.

Who dances the Fancy Dance, and are there certain occasions when the Fancy Dance is performed?

Mostly young men and boys. Fancy Dance is usually the highlight at powwows and special events because of the energy and colorful regalia.

How long have you been dancing?

I’ve been dancing for most of my life since the age of 5.

You learned the Fancy Dance from your grandmother and grandfather, and have passed the tradition on to your 10-year-old son, Jessup. Was he a quick study?

Jessup began dancing since he could walk at the tender age of two. Jessup has already developed his own technique and style.

How often do you two dance together?

We dance together whenever possible at powwows and special events.

You were named World Champion for the Northern Style Fancy Dance in 1995, and Jessup has won junior division competitions at powwows across the United States and Canada. Can you describe the level of training and amount of practice that goes into preparing for a powwow?

It requires endurance and stamina to perform the Fancy Dance and takes a lot of training and running. It’s like preparing for a marathon. I also won the world championship in 2007.

Jessup Yazzie, courtesy of the artist

One of the most striking things about your performances (in addition to the dance itself) is the elaborate clothing you wear. Do the colors and style of dress have any symbolic meaning?

The regalia reflects my life and tribal identity-the Meskwaki people of central Iowa.

You’re taking a brief break from a national and international tour with the Native Pride Dancers, which will pick up again in the New Year. What are some of the special places you have traveled to, any tour highlights?

Within the last several years I have been invited to Australia, Ireland, Japan twice, Brazil and numerous cities across the U.S.

What motivates you to continue dancing?

Dancing allows me to be creative and keeps me in top shape especially for my age. It challenges me to improve as a competitor.

Do you and your son Jessup share any other creative outlets?

We enjoy sharing our culture through song & dance by teaching our dance to other children.

What do you want young audiences to take away from your performances at Free First Saturday?

To show what our elders have passed down to us and to be proud of who we are as Native Peoples, and to let the young audience know the Native Americans are the Indigenous people of North America.