Andy Sturdevant, cultural polymath
… at least for as long as it takes you to get to a nice, warm bar. Salon Saloon: Twin Cities Art & Culture review , hosted by Andy Sturdevant (at left) is a live, onstage variety show (or variety-show concept, if you will), whose inaugural “Icebreaker”-themed show takes place tonight at the Nomad World Pub in Cedar/Riverside.
You may not know Sturdevant by name, but if you get out much, you have probably seen him around town. The range of places where he might be spotted reflects his many and varied talents: he’s an artist, he’s writer on art, a contributor to the Electric Arc Radio series, a curator and dedicated volunteer at the Soap Factory. He’s also a dandy and aficionado of facial hair, as well as an amateur historian (one who greatly favors Minneapolis over the twin city across the Mississippi). And yes, he does have a blog.
In turn, Salon Saloon’s eclectic lineup reflects its host’s many and varied interests; if you’re looking for precedents for this kind of event, a good one might be the erstwhile Little Gray Books Lectures Series that John Hodgman produced for a few years earlier in this decade at a club in Williamsburg, Brooklyn (before encountering wider-spread fame in those PC vs. Mac ads). But given our previous encounters with Mr. Sturdevant, we’re certain that he will bring his own distinctive personality to bear on Salon Saloon (which continues on the first Tuesday of each month).
“one who greatly favors Minneapolis over the twin city across the Mississippi”
Thanks for making us sound like lepers! Can’t even stand to type ‘Saint Paul,’ eh. Thanks for letting me and my peeps know that those of us in “the twin city across the Mississippi” aren’t valued members of the local art scene. I’ll make sure not to support the Walker, since my contributions are so undesirable.
Comment by St. Paulie Girl — February 3, 2009 @ 10:57 am
That is pretty disrepectful to those in Saint Paul. Doesn’t the museum repect its patrons and members who live on that unmentionable side? Sounds like you really don’t. I’m with St. Paulie Girl, I think I’ll pass on my membership renewel, since my money is undesirable. Thanks for the memories guys, it was fun!
Comment by Passer-by — February 3, 2009 @ 11:18 am
Geez! I really don’t think that comment was meant to indicate that the Walker doesn’t value St. Paul – I think it was just pointing out that Andy Strudevant’s historical research has thus far been primarily focused on Minneapolis, and a particular artists’ community that he featured in a show at the Soap Factory.
As for the event being mentioned in the post – it is called \Twin Cities Art & Culture Review\ specifically because it is meant to feature the best from both cities (and actually, the entire metro).
Tonight’s event will feature Ice Sculptors whose recently contributed work to the winter carnival – as well as a film expert from Macalester.
Comment by Shanai — February 3, 2009 @ 12:11 pm
St. Paulie Girl, Passer-by…
As 1/3 of the team behind Salon Saloon, I’d like to personally offer you the chance to redirect your outrage at Mr. Sturdevant at tonight’s Salon Saloon. Our event is strongly encouraging audience interaction and (between you and me) somebody needs to hold Andy’s feet to the fire so he can set the record straight.
But in all seriousness, please don’t withhold your support of the Walker Art Center because of our host’s metropolitan bias (be it true or not).
Comment by Colin — February 3, 2009 @ 12:25 pm
Re:Passer-by, St. Paulie Girl
Just like St. Paul to roll over and give up.
Respect is earned not given out just because someone got a good deal on real estate for the capitol.
Also, lighten up. Its called a rivalry.
Comment by Sveden — February 3, 2009 @ 12:54 pm
Hello St. Paulie Girl and Passer-by –
I’m the writer of the post, which you might want to re-read. As Shanai and Colin pointed out, the parenthetical statement about St. Paul and Minneapolis has nothing to do with the Walker. I was communicating something Mr. Sturdevant (who has no association with the Walker) once told me: that he focuses his historical interest on Minneapolis rather than St. Paul. Which is kind of ironic, since St. Paul is usually considered to have more “history” than Minneapolis. Which may be why he wishes to focus on Minneapolis …
But the main point is, I was writing about an individual amateur historian. I was not writing about the Walker or its policies. And if you do take Colin up on his offer – well, Andy, my apologies in advance for (inadvertently! unwittingly! totally!) setting the fire.
Comment by Julie Caniglia — February 3, 2009 @ 1:35 pm
@Colin I’m not outraged, I’m disappointed in the Walker for publishing such things. If it was quote from someone, then it should be in parentheses. otherwise it is a Walker-endorsed statement. Being such, they’re really talking to and about those in St. Paul. And thanks for the invite, but the last thing I will do it patronize such an event if this is the tone. I’ll leave it to the smug Mpls. “elite” so that they can continue to look down their noses at St. Paul in peace.
@Sveden You’re yet another pretentious f%@k from Mpls. Save your demands for others to earn respect for tonight when you’re safe, in the cradle of those who zip codes are enough for your idea of respect. If I started to point out to you how much Mpls has taken from St. Paul (like Art Crawl) you just might realize what a great little place St. Paul is. Such a realization could shake you to the core of your little smug existance and then what? What could you be smug about after that?
Lighten up, it’s just the truth.
Comment by Passer-by — February 3, 2009 @ 1:38 pm
Dear Passery-by,
I am sorry I have offended you. It was a joke as I pointed out in my original comment.
I have nothing to do with this event and just thought it was amusing that someone would take such umbrage at a harmless little jab by Mr. Sturdevant. I am an a$$hole, but I am not pretentious.
If you’d care to email me a list of all the art related things that Minneapolis has stolen from St. Paul I’d gladly look into it and learn a little about this art scene I know so little about.
M8R-ba5r501@mailinator.com
Yours,
Sveden
Comment by Sveden — February 3, 2009 @ 1:45 pm
I would just second Julie and ask people to reread the original post. It was about an independent arts event. It was not a mission statement or a battle cry.
If saying that a person expresses a particular fondness for one city over another is considered inflammatory enough to withdraw support for a major arts organization, for a piddly-diddly little local arts event, or to start dropping the F-bomb….maybe we all need to sit down to talk?
Tonight! At Salon Saloon!
I really do encourage you to come check it out tonight’s event. I think you will be pleasantly surprised at the love for both twin cities, and at our non-elitest ways. The whole point of this particular event is to break down some of those misconceptions and walls between artists and communities in the Twin Cities. It’s easy to rant at “strangers” on the internet, harder to come out and have a beer with people you may not feel comfortable around, but I promise it will be a good time.
Comment by Shanai — February 3, 2009 @ 2:19 pm
I am with Shanai. I am coming all the way from that place where the history comes from (not Europe as Eddie Izzard asserts, but the great city of Saint Paul) to attend Salon Saloon tonight! I am a native Saint Paul girl, with a thick sense of rivalry, and nowhere in that parenthetical comment of Andy’s did I find a lick of offensive sentiment. But, eh, that’s just me. We should all get down to Salon Saloon where we can work out whatever we feel for these twin towns with our feelings on ice sculptures, hockey fights, and outdoor art in the Minnesota winter!
Comment by Rena — February 3, 2009 @ 5:27 pm
St. Pauli Girl, don’t you know that any forum troll worth its salt hangs out on the Star Tribune forums? Walker blogs are for normal people.
I predict that your boycott of the Walker, like every other Internet boycott since 1994, will last exactly as long as the Walker doesn’t have anything you want to see.
Best regards,
Chucky Mocha
Comment by Chucky Mocha — February 3, 2009 @ 6:13 pm
Lets keep this civil, folks. The Walker loves St. Paul. There’s no need to troll or call out others for trolling.
Comment by site admin — February 3, 2009 @ 6:27 pm
@ Chucky Mocha So, if I don’t loom over a site all day and respond immediately, I’m a troll? Seriously, I am a reader of this blog, (ok, honestly WAS, which means I won’t be back) via RSS, (sorry if that isn’t normal enough for you) and when I read that statement, I felt the need to stand up and say something FOR ME. I’m not calling for any boycotts; I’m simply making the choice FOR ME to not give my money to those who feel I’m a second-class resident because my area code is 651 (I know, that’s not a normal area code.) I have every right to do that and I think it’s fair to let the Walker know why.
All of this “rivalry” exists in Minneapolis. People over here don’t care. We like our little city and we’re happy here. People on the other side of the river seem to have something wedged somewhere when it comes to Saint Paul. They also seem to feel the need to always talk trash and just be rude in general over the idea of Saint Paul. A superiority complex perhaps? Whatever, Minneapolis still doesn’t compare to Chicago, no matter how hard it tries. Still can’t get Chinese delivered at 3 a.m., liquor stores still close long before midnight, still don’t have a mass rail transit system (on train that makes 10 stops in the city proper certainly doesn’t count for much, now does it?) and you still have all that traffic and crime. None of the benefits, all of the headaches.
Gee, sounds fun. Any apartments available?
Comment by St. Paulie Girl — February 3, 2009 @ 7:49 pm
I just moved back from New York City after having lived on the East Coast for seven years (in NYC and Philly). I grew up in Saint Paul. The kind of scensterism you speak of, Saint Paulie Girl, is something I don’t see here. It is what I knew well of Williamsburg kids in Brooklyn, but not the Twin Cities. I love Saint Paul. I moved back to Saint Paul. But I love city bustle and craze too, I love Minneapolis, I love Chicago, I love New York. Who hates anymore? How Bush Administration is that?
Comment by Rena — February 3, 2009 @ 7:58 pm
Wow. Salon Saloon was fun. Thanks to Julie for posting – and to anyone else who came out to the event!
Comment by Shanai — February 4, 2009 @ 12:21 pm
… It was fun!
On another note…
Sneetches are a group of vaguely avian yellow creatures who live on a beach. Some Sneetches have a green star on their bellies, and in the beginning of the story the presence or absence of a star is the basis for discrimination. Sneetches who have stars on their bellies are part of the “in crowd”, while Sneetches without stars are shunned and consequently mopey.
In the story, a “fix-it-up chappie” named Sylvester McMonkey McBean appears, driving a cart of strange machines. He offers the Sneetches without stars a chance to have them by going through his Star-On machine, for three dollars. The treatment is instantly popular, but this upsets the original star-bellied Sneetches, as they are in danger of losing their method for discriminating between Sneetches. Then McBean tells them about his Star-Off machine, costing ten dollars. The Sneetches formerly with stars happily pay the money to have them removed in order to remain special.
However, McBean does not share the prejudices of the Sneetches, and allows the recently starred Sneetches through this machine as well. Ultimately this escalates, with the Sneetches running from one machine to the next,
“until neither the Plain nor the Star-Bellies knew
whether this one was that one or that one was this one
or which one was what one… or what one was who.”
This continues until the Sneetches are penniless and McBean departs a rich man, amused by their folly. Despite his assertion that “you can’t teach a Sneetch,” the Sneetches learn from this experience that neither plain-belly nor star-belly Sneetches are superior, and they are able to get along and become friends.
This story is referenced in punk rock band Dead Kennedys’ song Holiday in Cambodia.
Comment by Eric Carlson — February 6, 2009 @ 11:55 am