Marfa.Org - Marfa Texas News & Views

Conor Oberst Rolls Into Town

2008-11-18T15:30:00.004-07:00

Rolling Stone's 2008 songwriter of the year, Conor Oberst, will be in Marfa performing at the Goode Crowley Theater.

Conor Oberst became known in the late nineties as the heart and soul of Bright Eyes, an acclaimed indie/folk band known for its creative and moving collaborations. While experimenting with other musical projects, Bright Eyes has been, for all intents and purposes, Oberst's main musical vehicle for the last decade. With the release of his latest album and tour, Omaha’s preeminent singer songwriter has ducked out from under his weighted alias and with the aid of The Mystic Valley Band has reinvented himself.

Oberst will perform a new collection of songs - introspective folk and rock steeped in Americana. Known for the diversity of his work, and often compared to Bob Dylan, Oberst’s musicianship favors immediacy over perfection: he continually constructs verses rather than repeat hooks or write them down, feeling that his songs are never completed.

Always the chameleonic musician, Oberst has switched between punk rock, orchestral pop and squawking electronica on various projects, but Conor Oberst is a treatise on what he does best: folk/rock at its most earnest, introspective, and musically accomplished.

Conor Oberst's new LP was made in Tepoztlán, Morelos, México during the months of January and February, 2008. In Tepoztlán – a place known for Aztec Magic and Extra-Terrestrial Sightings – a temporary studio was created in a mountain villa called Valle Místico at the outskirts of the town. It was there that Oberst and the band lived and worked in near perfect harmony, often unaware of the hour or the day. The result is his first solo album in thirteen years, following Water (1993), Here’s To Special Treatment (1994) and Soundtrack To My Movie (1995).

The Conor Oberst and The Mystic Valley Band performance is presented by Ballroom Marfa and has been made possible by the generous support of C3, Blackmott Productions and Ballroom Marfa Front Row Members.

Conor Oberst and The Mystic Valley Band

with The Felice Brothers and RIG 1

Sunday 23 November 2008

Doors 6.30pm, Show 7pm

Goode Crowley Theater

Tickets $20 available on frontgatetickets.com

Election Results on The Dial with Local Spin

2008-11-03T13:14:00.001-07:00

KRTS 93.5 FM will be providing election results on local, state, and national races on Tuesday night. Radio coverage begins at 6 PM.

In addition to breaking news and national commentary from NPR News, Marfa Public Radio will be connecting with journalists from: our regional newspapers, as well as Washington Post, New York Times, NBC, Politico.com, Salon.com, etc.

Please join them for all-night coverage, beginning at 6 PM.

Open Letter from Marfa Studio of Arts

2008-10-28T09:42:00.003-06:00

Dear Friends of Marfa,

The Marfa schools eliminated arts education for children years ago. The lack of arts education is simply not acceptable for a town that is known as an art destination point.

A non-profit organization, MARFA STUDIO OF ARTS, is trying to fill this void. MSA implemented the SITES program which provides arts classes to children at the elementary school level. We hope to expand the program to include additional classes. Providing children with arts education is the sole focus of the organization.

Unfortunately, during our fall fundraiser, MSA received only 36 donations. Because of this, we are reaching out to all friends of Marfa and requesting that people provide a donation. Any amount, even just $10, helps support this program.

MSA has created an endowment fund that provides some revenue for the organization. In addition, MSA has been successful in obtaining grants from various organizations, including the Texas Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts. The Sites program, however, requires additional amounts to help provide for teacher salaries, art materials, etc. It would be great if the school system would have ensured arts education, but it has not. Thus, it is up to the Friends of Marfa.

Reading, Writing and Arithmetic are the core foundation of a child’s education. But art is a key to imagination, optimism and dreams.

Donations can be provided to:

MSA
PO Box 1189
Marfa, TX 79843
Malinda Beeman, Director
Vilis Inde, President

The image was created by Mercedes, when she was in the 6th grade program.
An assortment of 4 different cactus cards can be purchased for $10 + shipping. Contact info@indejacobs.com if you are interested.

JAPANTHER andKILLER DREAMER

2008-10-28T09:38:00.001-06:00

Friday 31st October 2008
Doors 8.30pm / Show 9pmGoode Crowley Theater
Tickets $10 at the door

Ballroom Marfa is thrilled to bring Brooklyn based noise-rock pop-punk duo, Japanther, back to Marfa for a special Halloween show “The Dancing Mummies Curse”. Supporting them is San Pedro band Killer Dreamer, and Gorgamoth with a small puppet performance of “The Tell Tale Heart”.

Ian Vanek and Matt Reilly formed Japanther in 2001 while at school at Pratt Institute, NY. Since then they have had over sixteen releases with the indie-labels Tapes Records and Menlo Park Recordings, including the full length albums: Leather Wings (2003); Dump the Body In Rikki Lake (2003); Master of Pigeons (2005); Wolfenswan (2005); Don’t Trust Anyone Over Thirty (2006); and Skuffed Up My Huffy (2007). Japanther are currently on tour promoting their newest album release by Wantage USA: Tut Tut Now Shake Ya Butt, which Village Voice featured as one of 10 albums to get excited about this fall: “Vanek and Reilly are the right kind of art-school damaged: impatient, ambitious, visual, interested in spectacle and circumstance.”Vice magazine described Japanther’s sound as “like Iron Maiden, Throbbing Gristle, and Lightening Bolt gave birth to a squealing little baby with flaming guitars for arms. Their shows are chaotic and danger-charged love-fests and they are frighteningly dedicated to keeping it underground”.Neither punk-act nor art-band adequately describe Vanek and Reilly, who play to audiences as diverse as the Art Miami Basel crowd and electronic/indie music festival goers in Juarez. They are known for very original collaborations, among them: Don’t Trust Anyone Over Thirty, a musical rock puppet show with Dan Graham, Tony Oursler, Rodney Graham and Laurent P. Berger; Dump the Body in Rikki Lake, a collaboration with Being John Malkovich puppeteer, Philip Huber; and most recently, Dangerous When Wet, where the duo teamed up with New York University synchronized swimming troupe, Aquadoom. Japanther first performed in Marfa in 2007, debuting “Laugh Dance” with the movement artists Sonya Robbins and Layla Childs.On their current tour, Japanther are joined by Killer Dreamer who are celebrating the release of their latest action zombie punk album, 1,000 Years of Servitude.

Join Ballroom Marfa at the Goode Crowley Theater for a night of super-hard, incredibly fast and eminently danceable punk from two of the independent scene’s most exciting bands. Come dressed for Halloween – door prizes for best costume.

MBco Book Signing: Sasha Watson

2008-10-15T12:24:00.002-06:00

Sasha Watson will sign and read from her young adult novel, Vidalia in Paris, at the Marfa Book Company on Saturday, October 18 at 4 p.m.

Vidalia in Paris was released by Viking Press on October 2nd and it tells the story of Vidalia, who wins a scholarship to study art in Paris for the summer. When Vidalia falls in love with an art thief, her plans go awry. Kirkus reviews says, "Watson's supple, low-key first novel distills beautifully the feelings of excitement that a young art student experiences when in Paris for the first time. [She] portrays Paris with a doting accuracy and delineates all the torments of first love."

KRTS Fundraiser and Open House

2008-10-15T12:21:00.000-06:00

KRTS, Marfa Public Radio, at 93.5 FM, launches it's second, on-air Fund Drive this Friday, October 17; it will last one week, ending Friday October 24.

The station encourages all listeners to become members during this week. There will be familiar voices, new programs, special prizes, and on-air excitement. Call 800-903-KRTS.

Based in Marfa, KRTS is the regional radio station for the Transpecos, covering a wide range. This local non-profit 501(c)3 is supported by area contributions - both individual members and business underwriters. The station relies on the daily support of dozens of volunteers. KRTS has a Spring and Fall Fund Drive. It's first-ever Fund Drive, the Spring Drive, was a great success; the station added more than 400 members: new and renewing. Through the bi-annual fund drives, members pay for programming from NPR, Radio Bilingue and other news providers and cover the costs of daily operations.

The station will host an Open House on Friday evening, October 17, the first day of the Drive, at 7-9 PM. The public is invited to tour the station, visit with volunteers, and enjoy food, drink, and music.

Signs of Marfa, Photographic Journal

2008-10-13T09:39:00.000-06:00

"Signs of Marfa"

Yes, finally, a photographic journal of Marfa - called "Signs of Marfa". Vilis Inde presents photographs that portray Marfa as it once was and as it is today.

There are two types of signs relating to Marfa: the natural beauty of the surroundings and the manmade signs. "Signs of Marfa" presents both, although the primary focus is on the manmade signs. Many have weathered and are hardly visible, while others are fresh and announce yet another new venture. Combined, the 175 photographs in the book summarizes the history and people of Marfa and shows what it has become.

"Signs of Marfa" is available in either hardcover or softcover from http://www.blurb.com/. This site allows you to take a look at the first 15 pages of the 80 page book. You will enjoy this.

Benefit Prints Now On View at Chinati

2008-10-09T09:56:00.002-06:00

The Chinati Foundation is currently exhibiting a selection of artist's prints created specifically to benefit the museum. On view are works by John Chamberlain, Gunther Förg, Ilya Kabakov, Robert Mangold, John Wesley, and Christopher Wool. Each print is signed and numbered and is available for purchase. you can view online or stop by the museum this weekend to see the exhibition of prints as well as the permanent installations on view.

JOHN CHAMBERLAIN Untitled, 2005 Photograph19 1/2 x 24 inchesEdition of 9, each signed and numbered by the artist

JOHN WESLEY Night Titanic, 2001 Five color silkscreen30 x 30 1/2 inches, on Somerset Radiant White,printed by Brand X, New YorkEdition of 30, each signed and numbered by the artist

Support Chinati, become a member.

This Weekend at inde/jacobs

2008-10-09T08:58:00.003-06:00

News from inde/jacobs fine art:

inde/jacobs is pleased to announce exhibitions in two spaces during the Columbus Day weekend. The current gallery space at 200 E. San Antonio will show the work by Erika Blumenfeld (recipient of a Guggenheim Fellow Award - 2008), Danae Falliers, David Hirschi, Ted Olliers, Hadi Tabatabai (recipient of the Pollock - Krazner Award - 2008) and Eric Tillinghast.

Work by Donald Judd and Dan Flavin will be shown in the gallery space that is "under construction" at 208 E San Antonio. The framed pieces will be shown on plywood walls. Visitors will get a preview of the spatial qualities of the design by Claesson Koivisto Rune. We pray to any and all gods, without disrespecting any of them, that the new space will be finished in the spring of 2009.

Hours for the weekend: Fri & Sat: 10-9 & Sun: 10-1. General hours: Wed - Sat: 12-5.
Image: Dan Flavin etching from 1975, edtion of 20

Thunderbird Tonight!

2008-10-09T07:39:00.000-06:00

PAT KEESEY LIVE
THUNDERBIRD LOUNGE
Surprise Show
Thursday the 9th of October, 9pm
Tonight!
Thunderbird Lounge, Marfa Texas
AALLLLLRRRIGHT !
pass it on...

Jeff Zilm, Artist-In-Residence @ Locker Plant

2008-10-08T09:48:00.003-06:00

On Thursday, October 9, from 6:00 to 8:00PM, the Chinati Foundation will host an opening and reception for artist in residence Jeff Zilm at the Locker Plant on East Oak Street. The exhibition, entitled The Pharmacist The Errand Boy The Bank Dick, includes six paintings made by the artist during his residency, as well as a new video. To coincide with Chinati's inauguration of the Olle Baertling exhibition, Zilm's show will be open to the public this Saturday from 10:00 to 5:00 and Sunday from 10:00 to 2:00.

Jeff Zilm makes paintings and videos that take as their starting point the physical properties of film stock. For ten years or so Zilm has been collecting 16 and 35mm films, which he uses as his base material. Using detergent, Zilm strips the emulsion off a film he's collected, then mixes the liquefied emulsion with acrylic paint. This compound is then sprayed and brushed onto a canvas or panel. The paintings that result, large or small, are delicate chiaroscuros, with subtly modulated blacks and grays.

Jeff Zilm graduated with a BFA from the University of North Texas. He has shown his paintings and videos in a number of group shows in museums and galleries in Texas and New York, including the Contemporary Arts Museum, Houston and Marty Walker Gallery, Dallas (both 2007); the Dallas Museum of Art (2006); Texas Gallery, Houston (2005); the Jewish Museum and Pat Hearn Gallery, New York (both 2001); and others.

El Cosmico Updates

2008-10-07T15:41:00.001-06:00

From El Cosmico:

Dearest Cosmicans,

We can't wait to see you in Marfa on Friday. We want to mention a couple of things that will help in your party preparations.

WEATHER

It gets cold in Marfa at night. Please bring ample bedding and attire - even if you are staying in a trailer. There is a chance of rain on Sunday, so you might want to come prepared for that too. Days are lovely and warm.

MUSIC

We are excited to let you know that in addition to our very special guest Alejandro Escovedo on Friday night (9 pm) we have a surprise evening of music on Saturday as well. You have to be there to find out who.

FOOD/DRINKS

Just a reminder that we will not be selling food onsite. We will be selling beer and wine and will have free bubble water (thanks to the great people at Topo Chico!). Please bring all your own provisions and utensils needed to prepare and eat them. We will provide BBQ's and charcoal. We will also have Jo's coffee available onsite.

FUN STUFF

Many exciting events are going on in Marfa this weekend in addition to the El Cosmico party. It is the Chinati Foundation's annual weekend - this means free entry into all Chinati exhibits on Saturday and Sunday. There are also some great exhibits at the local galleries around town - we will have info onsite. And don't forget the epic baseball showdown between the Texas Playboys led by Captain Jack Sanders and Marfa's own Los Yonke Gallos (with Senor Joey Benton at the helm) on Saturday afternoon at 3:30 pm!

See you in West Texas!

Telos Exhibition @ Christopher's

2008-10-07T15:31:00.002-06:00

Steve Dubov, Shawn Camp, and Heather Tolleson form this collective from Austin who's work explores the compulsion to industrialize the organic.

With this body of work, each member of Telos seeks to study, synthesize, and scrutinize the place where man meets nature, himself, and the divine. Utilizing materials and processes unique to them, they struggle passionately with what it is to be human—as informer and informed.

Location: Christopher's, 105 East Oak Street, Marfa, Texas 79843

Opening Reception Time: Friday, October 10, 7 to 11pm

Exhibition dates: Friday, October 10 through Saturday, October 11

Waypoint:Marfa Weekend Happenings

2008-10-06T17:21:00.002-06:00

For it's 3rd annual (n)open house weekend, Waypoint:Marfa will host Fresquez-Meisner-Wilkes, and exhibition of new work by Charles Fresquez, Ben Meisner, and Leslie Wilkes. The Exhibition will open Saturday, October 11th from 6-10p.m., and will remain open for the weekend from 12 - 5 p.m. Fresquez-Meisner-Wilkes will close on Sunday December 14th, 2008.

Opening: Sat., The 11th 5-9 p.m.

208 S. Summer St.Marfa, TX 79843

Plus special guest: Ryder Jon Piotrs Nomadic Gallery featuring work by: Lauren Boldon, William Cannings, Piotr Chizinski, Omar Hernandez, James W. Johnson, Andrea Moon, Chad Plunket, Ryder Richards, Sue Anne Rische, Jeffery Wheeler and Jonathan Whitfill.

Musical Apearances byDiamond Center and Friends La Panza and Red Leaves. Show begins after opening ends. This event is free and open to the public.

Jamie Berlant @ The Do Right

2008-10-06T17:06:00.001-06:00

Artist Jamie Berlant's show "Semblance of Control" will be at The Do Right Hall on Dallas Street.

2008-10-05T17:18:00.000-06:00

FPL : "Everything You Ever Wanted To Know"

2008-10-04T15:27:00.000-06:00

Everything You Ever Wanted To Know
Drawings, lists and correspondence by Caroline Rankin and Lorna Leedy at Fancy Pony Land
203 E San Antonio st. / Marfa

Opening: Saturday, Oct. 11th 5-9pm or so
Refreshments, good times

Fancy Pony Land will be open from 11am-6 or 7pm daily Oct. 8th-12th

Happenings on the Weekend of October 10, 11, and 12

2008-10-03T15:35:00.003-06:00

A little bird sent me an email (can little birds type?) with a list of gallery openings and other events around town on the weekend of the Chinati Members Dinner. There are openings on Friday night at inde/jacobs, Galleri Urbane, Exhibitions 2D, Eugene Binder, and Samuel Owens Gallery.

Other events listed are The Do Right, Fancy Pony Land, El Cosmico, and of course Ballroom Marfa.

Check out the flyer:

gallery%20openings_e-mail.pdf

Maria Zerres at the Ayn Foundation

2008-09-27T07:20:00.002-06:00

The Ayn Foundation is pleased to present paintings by German artist, Maria Zerres titled September Eleven, in Marfa, Texas. Zerres said that she was deeply affected by the violent destruction of New York's twin towers in September 2001. Zerres describes the towers' office light as a sort of beacon for her life as she walked with her children at night in the area around her apartment. Twelve large-scale paintings fill the Ayn Foundation gallery with Zerres' memory of the September eleven event.

The Ayn Foundation would like to thank the artist for her generous loan.
Viewing hours are 12-5 pm weekends or by appointment.

The Marfa.Org ®@ŋd¤m‡zЄ®

2008-09-26T09:20:00.002-06:00

Chinati Foundation Members Dinner [chinati.org]
Olle Baertling [Baertling Foundation website]
Friends call Jake Brisbin Country Boy who Improved Lives
Marfa Lends Flood Victims a Helping Hand
Food Shark on the web.
To Save Energy, Cities Darken Street Lights [NY Times]
Marfa Residents Want City Street Lights Turned Back On
Medical Responder Problem Affecting the City of Marfa
Ayn Foundation, Marfa Project
Alejandro Escovedo plays El Cosmico, 10.10.08

Galleri Urbane Opening Tonight

2008-09-18T09:36:00.001-06:00

Tonight, Sept 18 from 6-9 p.m is the opening of Galleri Urbane's Fall Exhibit “reaction to space”, featuring gallery artists, Gail Peter Borden, a former Chinati Artist In Resident, Ted Larsen, a recent recipient of the Pollack-Krasner Award and Marfa artist Jason Willaford, with visiting artists, Monica Goldsmith, recently added to New American Painters 2008 and Austin artist Rebecca Rothfus.

This year’s group exhibit “reaction to space” is a compilation of 5 artists and their parallel interpretations, questioning how line and mass interact, how manmade and natural structures in the exterior or interior view play against and within space.“ Reaction to Space” will be on exhibit in Gallery One and Four.

In Gallery Two a solo exhibit “STACKS” featuring gallery artist Kate Carr. Stacking and layering have long been tools of Ms Carr’s visual vocabulary, with the use of cloth and wood, the artist associates these utilitarian materials with line. Edges of cloth and wood are stacked or coiled into repeated multiples—creating densely textured, multi-layered fields that hum with line.

In Gallery Three will be selected group of PLATE de composites by gallery artist Michael Berman. The plate itself is a relic, cut and filed by hand, layered with paint into which the photograph has been set, abraded back through the pentimenti, rubbed with graphite and pure pigments, and, finally, waxed. Mr. Berman’s work has been exhibited throughout the U.S and is included in the Metropolitan Museum of Art and The Amon Carter Museum to name a few, Mr Berman is also a recent recipient of The Guggenheim Award 2008.

Also new to the gallery, will be 4 interior and exterior wood sculpture from artist Munson Hunt, the gallery has selected 3 pieces from the HIVE series, The gallery will also have new work from gallery artists Peter Voshefski and Andrea Zuill. View a portion of the fall show at the Galleri Urbane website.

El Cosmico Party Coincides with Chinati Dinner

2008-09-17T19:52:00.003-06:00

"Now I see the secret of making the best person: it is to grow in the open air and to eat and sleep with the earth." Walt Whitman

El Cosmico's party this year happens (?) to fall on the same weekend as Chinati's Members Dinner (October 10 and 11, 2008). El Cosmico will have all the same great events as last year and they hope to see you by the campfire.

This year there will be a very special night of music by Alejandro Escovedo - Friday night at 9 pm. This show is included in the price of camping. If you aren't camping at EC, cost is $10 at the front gate. If you are, it's $30 per tent/ trailer.

The Second Annual sandlot baseball showdown between... read all about it

KRTS: Upcoming Talk Show Guests

2008-09-16T11:33:00.002-06:00

Local and visiting personalities are interviewed weekdays on TALK AT TEN on Marfa Public Radio (KRTS, 93.5 FM).

The Trans-Pecos talk show is broadcast weekdays at 10 AM; it is replayed weekday evenings at 6:30 PM.

UPCOMING GUESTS: Thursday Sept 18: Marfa artist Adam Bork, with new exhibit at Marfa Book Company. Friday, Sept 19: Oscar Mestas, Regional Urban Forester, with "Tree 101." bonus show Friday Sept 19 (at 3:30 PM): Touring musician Cory Morrow Monday, Sept 22: Tim Roberts on rock art in Big Bend Ranch State Park Tues to Thurs, Sept 23-25: Artists from The Marfa Sessions, new installation from Ballroom Marfa

AND ONGOING THIS WEEK: Tuesday, Sept 16: Singer-songwriter Erin Ivey, performing tonight in Marfa. Wednesday, Sept 17: Marfa city councilman David Beebe on rising garbage rates; also Marfan John Wotowicz, explaining the current upheaval in the finance industry.

Ballroom: THE MARFA SESSIONS

2008-09-14T20:16:00.003-06:00

Saturday, 27 September 2008 - Sunday, 1 February 2009

>>Performance by Steve Roden & Stephen Vitiello: Fri. 26th, Chinati, Dusk
>>David Toop & Joshua Kun in conversation: Sat. 27th, Liberty Hall, 4pm
>>Music with Kurt Wagner of Lambchop & DJ Damon Locks: Sat. 27th, Liberty Hall, 9pm

The Marfa Sessions, curated by Regine Basha, Rebecca Gates and Lucy Raven presents a series of individual sound projects, each engaging some aspect of Marfa's geographic, historical and unique social character. Basha, Gates and Raven have selected fifteen artists with specific interests in sound work and its potential as a transgressive medium within place and geography. Seven of these artists have been invited for individual site visits and residencies in Marfa, Texas in the year before the exhibition to collect field recordings, record interviews and document the landscape. The Marfa Sessions includes new contributions from Nina Katchadourian, Christina Kubisch and Kaffe Matthews, as well as collaborative work by Deborah Stratman/Steven Badgett, Steve Roden/Stephen Vitello and Steve Rowell/Simparch. Pertinent work from Emily Jacir, Louise Lawler, Inigo Manglano-Ovalle, Angel Nevarez & Valerie Tevere, Dario Robleto, and Julianne Swartz will also be featured in specific locations for the exhibition.

Following the opening reception on Saturday 27 September, there will be a conversation at Ballroom Marfa between authors Josh Kun and David Toop on the various ways of listening to place, and the overlaps of history and personal memory.

Curated by Regine Basha, Rebecca Gates and Lucy Raven

The Marfa.Org ®@ŋd¤m‡zЄ®

2008-09-13T16:49:00.000-06:00

Medical Responder Problem Affecting Marfa
Residents Want Street Lights Turned Back On
Enrollment: Sul Ross Up, Alpine Up, Marfa Down
Ballroom Marfa Seeking Interns
For a position description and application email: info@ballroommarfa.org.