Film screenings expose, encourage diversity

Written by Rob Ketcham

Tuesday, 20 January 2009 17:59

While many students choose to focus solely on racial awareness during Martin Luther King, Jr. Days of Dialogue, two “Diversity Through Art” short film screenings Jan. 21 and 22 will try to shed light on diversity as a whole.

The screenings are just two of many events highlighted for the University of Wyoming’s MLK, Jr. Days of Dialogue celebration.

Co-sponsored by the Iron Skull junior honorary service, each hour-long session will begin at 4 p.m. in the Wyoming Union Family Room.

Brandon Gellis, UW supervisor of Institutional Publications and staff adviser of Iron Skull, will host the two screenings, which will each consist of three 10-15 minute documentaries, followed by an optional period of questions and discussion.

Gellis, who is pursuing his Master’s of Fine Arts in graphic design from the Academy of Art in San Francisco, was inspired to plan and host the short-film screenings after completing an art class called “Crossing Borders.” In the class, he said students learned about diversity, individuality, gender, race and sexuality through art.

For the first “Diversity Through Art” viewing today, Gellis wants to open with a short documentary titled “African Art.” He said the film displays the art of African tribes, such as wood sculptures that acted as tribal head dresses, and accentuates the art’s spiritual significance. The film also discusses the European colonial interpretation in the 1900s concerning the similarities between the previously mentioned tribal artwork and Picasso’s modernist pieces.

Following “African Art,” Gellis intends to feature “Ida Applebroog,” a self-titled documentary. Gellis said Applebroog’s work consisted mostly of one-dimensional, abstract drawings of people that are meant to convey the power of women through feminism.

“The thing I like about Ida is that she doesn’t look at feminism as a way to retaliate against men,” Gellis said. “Instead, she looks at it as a way to show that there’s a level of power within the female gender as well as the male gender.”

After putting a great deal of thought into the decision, Gellis ultimately wants to end the first “Diversity Through Art” session with a silent documentary named “Baraka.” Whether it’s a picture of an airplane flying over Tokyo or a panoramic view of the Grand Canyon, Gellis said this documentary is intended to help the audience view the featured artwork from a visual perspective.

“I want to end with that in the first session because I like the fact that it gives the viewer the opportunity to really become one with the experience and see what the work means to them,” he said. “It’s really a matter of interpretation, and to me, that’s what art is.”

For the second short-film screening tomorrow, Gellis said he wants to open with a film titled “Kahlo: A Portrait of an Artist.” He said the documentary will focus on Mexican painter Frida Kahlo, whose work consisted mostly of surreal and symbolic self portraits.

On choosing the film for the session, Gellis said, “I think it’s a good representation and good synopsis of someone who was a strong female leader within a very machismo community in Mexico City.”

Following the film on Kahlo, Gellis will continue by showing “Cai Guo-Qiang,” a documentary that explores art created using gunpowder.

While the use of gunpowder in art is certainly unusual, Gellis said Guo-Qiang “continually looks at the obstacles and challenges his medium makes him address, therefore helping him learn to appreciate the way in which nature intends his art to form.”

To cap off the “Diversity Through Art” screening, Gellis will present the audience with “Michael Ray Charles,” a self-titled documentary where Charles questions and closely looks at stereotypes concerning African-Americans in U.S. history.

“It’s an important film because Charles addresses race in art relevant to true American history,” Gellis said.

In the end, Gellis said he is hopeful of the impact the six short films can have on those who attend the event.

“Basically, I want people to take something away that makes them a stronger person,” Gellis said.

Though it’s free to attend the screenings, Gellis said that art supply donations are welcome in support of the Everyone Needs the Arts fundraiser.

Email the This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Add this page to your favorite Social Bookmarking websites