The Lincoln Squirrel – News, features and photos from Lincoln, Mass.

arts

Coming up in Lincoln

Film about Lincoln architect Henry B. Hoover – Oct. 25

At its members’ appreciation event on Friday, October 25 at 7 p.m. at the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum, the Friends of Modern Architecture/Lincoln (FoMA) will hold a premier screening of the film Breaking Ground: The Architecture of Henry B. Hoover.

Commissioned by Hoover’s children, Harry Hoover and Lucretia Giese, and directed and produced by Molly Bedell, the film features biographical background, interviews, and stills and footage of several Hoover houses. Hoover (1902-1998) received his M.Arch. from the Harvard Graduate School of Design in 1926 and was among the pioneers of modernism in Lincoln.

Hoover designed some 100 houses from 1937 to 1988, with his last important commission in 1972.  For Hoover, the site was all-important.  Writing about one house, he commented, “the design has been taken care of by the site… the view was hidden by a ledge outcropping. Distance and height were unseen until one climbed around the cliff side, when space seemed to burst open. It was superb.” His objective was to try to “preserve that surprise.”

FoMA is especially pleased to hold the event at the deCordova, which was founded in 1950 and was an important center for contemporary art during this period. Besides highlighting New England art, it was a community center for lectures, music, and studio art classes. “The kind of museum I believe in is a social force; I’ve always treated art as a celebration,” said founding director Fred Walkey, noting the importance that modernists placed on the idea of community. Modern architecture celebrated art and science and was meant to inspire community through thoughtful design that which was affordable and accessible to all.

Space for the event is limited; members are admitted free but must RSVP in advance. There is a $25 fee for non-members. To become a member, go to the FoMA website and follow the “Join” link at the top of the page. Hors d’oeuvres, wine, beer, and beverages will be served.

FoMA works to preserve Lincoln’s Modern architectural heritage. The town’s collection of Modern houses spans the range of a short-lived idealistic architectural period ranging from the 1930s through the 1960s.

Drumlin Farm Food Day – Oct. 26

Come for a day of tasty fun as Drumlin Farm celebrates statewide Food Day on Saturday, October 26 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Explore in the garden with farm staff, meet some native wildlife, and enjoy a taste from Drumlin’s farm stand. Farm teachers will be on hand to share the bounty of the fall harvest and help you learn how tasty sustainable agriculture can be. All activities are free with admission, which is $8 for adults, $6 for seniors and children 2-12, and free for Mass Audubon members.

Special programs throughout the day:

  • 10 a.m. — A Taste of Drumlin: Sample the fruits (and veggies!) of the season.
  • 10:30 a.m. — Flying over Fields for Food: Visit with one of the wild birds that loves a farmland habitat.
  • 11:30 a.m. — Garden Exploration: Open your senses during a garden scavenger hunt.
  • 12:30 p.m. —  Beyond Butter: Shake the jar with us to find out how easy it is to make your own flavored herb butter.
  • 2 p.m. — A Taste of Drumlin: Sample the fruits (and veggies!) of the season.
  • 2:30 p.m. — Chickens and Eggs: Scramble up a few fresh eggs with us and meet one of the chickens that laid them.
  • 3:30 p.m. — Turtles Eat their Veggies: Meet one of our resident reptiles and watch him enjoy a favorite treat.
  • 3:45 p.m. —  Seeing Seeds: Explore the magic of how a seed turns into a new plant.

Lincoln Garden Club hosts talk on sustainable landscaping – Nov. 4

The Lincoln Garden Club and co-sponsor Greening Lincoln welcome Mark Richardson, the newly appointed Director of Horticulture at the New England Wild Flower Society, on Monday, November 4 at 7 p.m. in Bemis Hall.

Richardson, who oversees Garden in the Woods in Framingham and Nasami Farm in Whately, Mass., will update us on the new standards in sustainable landscaping. He will give examples in public gardens as well as our own Lincoln properties. He holds BS and MS degrees in urban horticulture and has lectured at Longwood Gardens and Brookside Gardens.

This is the Garden Club’s  biggest program of the year and the public is invited, so bring extra friends and family for this function you wouldn’t want to miss.

Plenty to do this weekend in Lincoln

pumpkinStonegate Gardens pumpkin festival

Saturday and Sunday, October 12 and 13
11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Stonegate Gardens

The weekend of fun and games to celebrate fall includes a pumpkin hunt, where kids search for baby pumpkins around the nursery and gardens. There will be snacks and prizes for everyone. There’s also pumpkin painting—Stonegate will have paints and decorations so visitors can create scary, pretty, wild, or wacky pumpkin people.

Lincoln Fire Department open house

Saturday, October 12
10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Lincoln Fire Department

In recognition of Fire Prevention Week next week, the Lincoln Fire Department will host an open house on Saturday, October 12 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The event, which is open to all area families, includes opportunities for kids to check out the fire station, the fire equipment, and fire trucks as well as snacks, pizza and drinks. This year’s Fire Prevention Week theme, “Get Cookin’ with Fire Safety,” emphasizes the dangers in the kitchen and how to avoid them.

Used book sale

Saturday, October 12
9 a.m. to noon, Bemis Hall

Fill a paper grocery bag with adult and children’s books for only $10! (sales tax is now included) at the Friends of the Lincoln Library’s monthly used book sale. They also have a selection of individually priced special books. We always need more books so donations may be left in the wooden boxes in the entrance of Bemis Hall Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (no textbooks, magazines or no books that are musty or written in, please.)

ARTfull Explorations at deCordova

Sunday, October 13
1-3 p.m. drop-in, deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum

Celebrate the opening of the 2013 deCordova Biennial as a family. Close-looking questions will guide you through the galleries to discover several Biennial artists who work with film and then create your own animation using old and new techniques. This monthly program is designed for families with children ages 2-12, but all are welcome.

Council on Aging announces October activities

bemisFor more information on any of these events, visit the Council on Aging website.

Save the Date: Flu Shot Clinic at Bemis Hall on November 2

Come to the Board of Health/COA flu clinic at Bemis Hall on Saturday, November 2 from 9-11 a.m. In accordance with federal CDC and state Department of Public Health guidelines, this clinic is for those 60 and over. Please wear a short-sleeved shirt. Vaccine supplies may be limited, so come early. A $2 donation to the Friends of the Lincoln Council on Aging is requested. Those who attend are also invited to bring non-perishable food that is not past its shelf life expiration date for the St. Vincent de Paul Grocery Distribution Program at St. Joseph Church.

October 4 at 10 a.m.
Coffee with Lincoln’s Town Administrator

Come to Bemis Hall on Friday, October 4 at 10 a.m. for coffee with Town Administrator Tim Higgins. Tim will update you on some of the projects going on around town and news, especially related to this fall’s “State of the Town” meeting, and answer your questions about town services and initiatives. He would also like to know your ideas and suggestions. Get to know Tim in an informal setting and chat about those aspects of the town that are most important to you.

October 7 at 9 a.m.
Watercolors with Jane

Rediscover the joyful soul within you through art and nature in Jane Cooper’s watercolor class. Jane will offer fun dabbling in watercolor painting of scenes of nature, landscapes or perhaps some favorite sky. Two sessions of four classes will be offered each Monday and Friday beginning October 7 (first session) and October 28 (second session) from 9-11 a.m. The cost is $15. Call the COA at 781-259-8811 to sign up.

October 7 at 12:30 p.m.
Lincoln Academy—
Dr. Arthur Siegel and Chief Kevin Mooney on the Boston Marathon Disaster

Come to Bemis Hall on Monday, October 7 at 12:30 to hear Dr. Arthur Siegel and Chief Kevin Mooney discuss the Boston Marathon disaster. Bring a bag lunch. The Council on Aging will provide beverages and dessert. The lectures last about an hour, including a question and answer period. Participants are welcome to stay after the program to continue their discussion. 

October 9 at 10 a.m.
Discuss Civil Rights at our Fireside Chat

If you enjoy a lively, but respectful discussion of topics in the news, come to the COA’s next “Fireside Chat” with Sharon Antia, who will facilitate an exploration of civil rights on Wednesday, October 9 at 10 a.m. at Bemis Hall. The chat’s rules are simple: No one is right and no one is wrong. Ask questions to understand and spend little to no time arguing your point. Questioning and answering, it’s a great way to explore issues, don’t you think? 

October 10 (leave Lincoln Station Mall at 9 a.m.)
Trip to Historic Saugus Iron Works

Travel to the banks of the Saugus River on Thursday, October 10 to explore the birthplace of the American iron and steel industry. Discover where European iron makers brought their skills in the 17th century to a young Massachusetts colony at the site of the archaeological excavations done by Lincoln native Roland W. Robbins. Enjoy morning options of a guided tour, orientation film, museum visit and nature trails at this nine-acre national park. You will depart from the Lincoln Mall at 9 a.m. by Doherty school bus. After a morning at the site, you ‘ll travel to Marblehead for lunch at a seafood restaurant at your own expense with the group. The bus will depart Marblehead by 2 p.m., arriving back at the Lincoln Mall by 3 p.m.

The non-refundable cost of the trip is $8 made payable by check to FLCOA Trips and mailed with your email or phone number to Rob Todd, 126 Old Concord Rd., Lincoln, MA 01773. Payment must be made by Saturday, October 5. Questions? Email Rob at hmbt@comcast.net or call 781-259-8820.

October 11 at 10 a.m.
Ayurveda, Part II: Living According to Nature’s Rhythms

Ayurveda, a 5,000-year-old holistic health care system still in practice all over the world, focuses on keeping our body, mind, and spirit in balance in order to maintain health and well being. Come join Tracey Cornogg, an Ayurvedic educator and consultant, on Friday, October 11 at 10 a.m., when she continues the very well-received discussion she began this past summer. This talk will focus on making changes in diet and daily practices based on Ayurvedic principles that are life enhancing as well as energizing to both body and mind. You do not need to have come to the first program to attend, though you may wish to stop by the COA to pick up the introductory handout.

October 11 at 1 p.m.
Check your Medication at a Brown Bag Pharmacy

Prescription and non-prescription medications, herbal remedies, and vitamin supplements can all interact with dangerous consequences. Come bring all your medications, herbs, and supplements to a “Brown Bag Pharmacy” on Friday, October 11 at 1 p.m. at Bemis Hall and have Christine McLellan, a pharmacist from Emerson Hospital, review them to check for possible interactions, side effects, or other problems. Please call the COA at 781-259-8811 to sign up for a 15-minute appointment.

October 15 at 11:30 a.m. – St. Anne’s Church
Enjoy “Senior Dining”

Lincoln seniors are invited to a gourmet meal in an elegant setting at 11:30 on Tuesday, October 15 at St. Anne’s Church. You must reserve by calling the COA at 781-259-8811 at least a week ahead. The cost is $5. Caregivers are welcome to come with those for whom they are caring. Let the COA know if you need transportation or a seating partner. The lunch is co-sponsored by the COA, the Friends of the COA, Minuteman Senior Services, and St. Anne’s.

October 16 at 10 a.m.
Are you Interested in Joining a Chorale?

If you would be interested in joining a chorale, with weekly rehearsals culminating in performances, come to Bemis Hall on Wednesday, October 16 at 10 a.m. Mezzo-soprano and choral director Letitia Stevens will discuss her plans to initiate a chorale for older adults under the auspices of Encore Chorales, an organization that supports chorales for older adults throughout the country. Letitia will share her ideas about repertoire and scheduling and answer your questions; she looks forward to meeting you.

October 17 at 10 a.m.

The World in your Pocket: Smartphones

So you received a smartphone as a gift from your children. What now? For many people, their smartphone is their phone, their computer, their GPS, their information on shops and restaurants, the weather, and more, all-in-one and traveling with them wherever they go. What is a smartphone? What can they do and why would you want to have one? How much do they cost and where do you buy the phone and sign up for service? Find out when Avram Kalisky comes to Bemis Hall on Thursday, October 17 at 10 am! Bring your questions, concerns, and, if you have one, your smartphone!

October 17 and 24 at 2:15 p.m.
Let the Scenes Begin! An Improvisation Workshop

Celebrate the “spirited” month of October with a lively improvisation workshop! Improvisation is a theatre technique in which participants create scenes without the use of a script or rehearsal. It is also a powerful tool for anyone who enjoys exercising their creativity, acting spontaneously, and working with others as they create both comic and thought-provoking scenes. Theatre games will be used as warmups. No acting experience is necessary! Led by Leslie Kilgore, “Let the Scenes Begin!” will be offered on two Thursdays, October 17 and 24, from 2:15 to 3:30 p.m. at Bemis Hall.

October 18 at 10 a.m.
Balancing Life Cycle Loss with Living: A Discussion

Our experiences, especially those of loss, constantly change us across the life cycle. Come join Niki Pugach, MSW, of Parmenter VNA and Hospice on Friday, October 18 at 10 a.m. at Bemis Hall when she briefly summarizes the presentation last month on life cycle changes and what we can do to adapt, yet still honor those losses, then leads a discussion of your experiences, thoughts and ideas, and concerns. 

October 18 at 1 p.m.
Lincoln Academy at the Movies—
Saptapadii with the film’s writer/actor and assistant director

The COA is proud to participate in the Discover India! Lincoln Cultural Festival 2013 with a special screening of the 2013 feature film Saptapadii and a discussion with writer/actor Chandu Shah and Assistant Director Eshani Shah on Friday, October 18 at 1 p.m. at Bemis Hall. Saptapadii is the story of how a wealthy Indian couple’s life and relationship is turned upside down when the husband learns that his wife’s attempts to cure a traumatized child while on vacation at a beautiful hill station can have disastrous consequences for his business and open up possibilities of independence for her.

October 21 at 12:30 p.m.
Lincoln Academy—
Mark Hopkins: Good Graffiti—A Sampling of Spanish Street Art

Come to Bemis Hall on Monday, October 21 at 12:30 to hear Mark Hopkins discuss “Good Graffiti: A Sampling of Spanish Street Art.” Bring a bag lunch. The Council on Aging will provide beverages and dessert. The lectures last about an hour, including a question and answer period. Participants are welcome to stay after the program to continue their discussion.

October 21 at 1:45 p.m.
Enjoy an Afternoon of Bridge and Desserts

Enjoy a fun afternoon with desserts and bridge on Monday, October 21 at 1:45 p.m. at Bemis Hall. Play with old friends or find some new partners after enjoying a selection of homemade desserts. All skill levels are welcome. If there is enough interest, the COA will offer more bridge opportunities and Bridge Dessert afternoons. Please sign up by calling the COA at 781-259-8811!

October 25 at 10 a.m.
2014 Medicare Open Enrollment and Supplemental Insurance Update Session

Find out what changes could affect your Medicare coverage and how much you will pay in 2014 when Don Milan and Anne Meade, Lincoln’s counselors from the Minuteman Senior Services SHINE health benefits counseling program, come to Bemis Hall on Friday, October 25 at 10 am. This is an especially important time to be sure you understand and are satisfied with your benefits.

This year’s Medicare open enrollment period from October 15 to December 7, 2013 is your primary opportunity to change your plans, effective January 1, 2014. Representatives from the major supplemental health insurance plans serving Lincoln (Harvard Pilgrim, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Tufts, Humana, Fallon, and AARP/United Health Care) will give 2014 information. It’s a unique opportunity for you to learn about their products and get answers to questions. Also present will be representatives of Prescription Advantage (the state’s secondary prescription assistance program) and Priscilla Leach (Lincoln’s Veterans Service Officer). This program was very helpful to many Lincoln residents last year.

October 25 at 1 p.m.
Choosing the Right Home Contractor

Your home is your biggest investment, so you want to make sure that whoever makes renovations and repairs to it is qualified and will treat you fairly and in a business-like way. Find out how to choose and work with the right contractor when Dan Walsh, Lincoln’s Building Commissioner, comes to Bemis Hall on Friday, October 25 at 1 p.m. He’ll explain about the process for getting good estimates, determining if a contractor has the proper credentials and insurance, criteria for choosing a contractor, legal requirements for contracts and permits, inspecting the work when completed, and what to do if you have a problem or complaint. Come with your questions and concerns.

October 28 at 12:30 p.m.
Lincoln Academy—
Barbara Slayter: Unraveling the Complex Relationships Among Food Security, Health, and Livelihoods for Rural Women in Sub-Saharan Africa

Come to Bemis Hall on Mondays at 12:30 to hear Barbara Slayter discuss “Unraveling the Complex Relationships among Food Security, Health, and Livelihoods for Rural Women in Sub-Saharan Africa.” Bring a bag lunch. The Council on Aging will provide beverages and dessert. The lectures last about an hour, including a question and answer period. Participants are welcome to stay after the program to continue their discussion.

October 31 at 10 a.m.
Fall Accessory Swap

Dress up your fall and winter wardrobe without spending a penny! Ria Vet will once again be facilitating an accessory swap on Thursday, October 31 at 10 a.m. at Bemis Hall. Just bring in a few accessories you no longer want and see if someone else has brought in the perfect accompaniment to your new dress or maybe a bit of bling for your holiday outfit that you would like to take home with you. Be sure to get here on time if you don’t want to miss getting the best stuff.

Saturday, November 16
Mark Twain & Harriet Beecher Stowe

Come join the COA on Saturday, November 16 to visit the fascinating homes of Mark Twain and Harriet Beecher Stowe. These two famous authors, who shared many interests, lived but a few yards apart in a section of Hartford known as Nook Farm. Twain wrote his most famous books while living in his ostentatious 19-room mansion. Stowe, the woman who wrote the book that started the Great War, lived by contrast in a modest Victorian next door. The trip will depart from the Lincoln Mall at 8:45 a.m. on a comfortable coach for this full-day excursion, with a delicious box lunch included. You’ll enjoy guided tours, and also have time to visit the small museums and view the short documentary films at each site. You will arrive back at the Lincoln Mall about 4:30 p.m. The non-refundable cost is $39, partially supported by the Hurff Fund. Send checks, payable to FLCOA Trips, to Virginia O’Brien, 4 Linway Road, Lincoln, MA 01773. Please include phone number and email address. Space is limited, and payment must be made by Friday, November 1. Questions? Contact Virginia O’Brien at vobrien39@yahoo.com or 781-259-1291.

Apply for a Lincoln Cultural Council grant by Oct. 15

muralThe Lincoln Cultural Council (LCC) has announced that the postmark deadline for organizations, schools and individuals to apply for grants that support community-oriented arts, humanities, and science projects is October 15, 2013. This year the LCC intends to award about $4,250 in grants to multiple recipients.

These grants support a variety of artistic projects and activities, including exhibits, festivals, short-term artist residencies or performances, workshops and lectures. Grant recipients need not be residents of Lincoln, but a Lincoln tie-in is a plus and a Lincoln venue is preferred. All events should be open and easily accessible to the general public and should be events that Lincoln residents will likely attend.

The LCC strives to support a wide variety of cultural activities and is particularly interested in proposals that combine the interests and resources of several different culturally oriented entities so that all of our respective resources can be leveraged. Cultural projects are intended to represent in the broadest sense the study, pursuit, performance, exhibition, and/or appreciation of the arts, humanities, and interpretive sciences.

The LCC is part of a network of 329 Local Cultural Councils serving all 351 Massachusetts cities and towns. The program is the largest grassroots cultural funding network in the nation, supporting thousands of community-based projects in the arts, sciences and humanities every year. The state legislature provides nearly $2 million each year to the Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC), a state agency. The National Endowment for the Arts also contributes funds to the MCC which then allocates funds to each community. The MCC distributes more than $3.3 million to over 5,000 projects across the state.

Projects previously funded by the Lincoln Cultural Council include:

  • Travis Roy’s motivational talk on Living with Disability (sponsored with others)
  • Buccaneers of Buzz: Celebrating the Honey Bee, a multimedia event and concert was presented by Rialto Arts (awarded a 2009 Gold Star Award from the Massachusetts Cultural Council)
  • A new mural celebrating language and culture at Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High (sponsored with others)
  • Historic New England lectures and presentations at Gropius House and Codman Estates
  • Various concerts, poetry, and theatre performances, and even an edible wild plants educational session
  • Startup funding for an after0school Printshop at Lincoln Public Schools
  • Design and development of an interpretive wetlands walk through Lincoln’s conservation land

More information:

…or contact co-chairs Melinda Abraham (mkabraham@att.net, 781-257-5353) or Lisa Putukian (lputukian@verizon.net, 781-259-0885.

Film society presents “Beyond Bollywood” series

india movie compositeBy the Lincoln Library Film Society

To coincide with the Desai Foundation’s Discover India! festival in Lincoln next month, the Lincoln Library Film Society will present “Beyond Bollywood: The Many Faces of Indian Art Cinema.” Every Tuesday in October, the LLFS will screen works from Indian filmmakers that showcase a taste of the country’s output outside mainstream and commercial production. The free screenings will take place at 7 p.m. in the Lincoln Public Library’s Tarbell Room. Coffee and snacks will be provided.

Normally when we think of Indian movies, Bollywood is the first thing that comes to mind—dashing heroes, glamorous starlets, romance sprinkled with action and melodrama, with elaborate musical numbers every few minutes. But away from Mumbai’s multibillion-dollar Hindi film industry (the world’s largest), India has a vibrant independent film movement just waiting to be explored. Last year’s “Beyond Bollywood” celebration brought a number of interesting screenings, including documentaries, dramas, and experimental short films from various regions and time periods. This year welcomes a similar mixture showing some of the highlights from the lesser-known points on the map of Indian cinema.

2013 marks an important anniversary for the movies in India—the first Indian feature film, Dadasaheb Phalke’s Raja Harishchandra, was released in 1913. To celebrate this milestone, we will be screening the existing portion of that film (the first and last reels, since the middle two are now lost), along with the best and brightest of India’s independent film movements. Contemporary luminaries will rub shoulders with excellent discoveries from the past, and it’s all “beyond Bollywood.”

The films and dates:

Tuesday, October 1

King Harishchandra (Raja Harishchandra)

India / 1913 / silent with English intertitles / 53 minutes

Just outside the Indian holy city of Nashik stands a memorial to the so-called “father” of Indian cinema, D.G. Phalke, who released this, the first Indian feature film, on May 3, 1913. At once a starting point for popular blockbusters to come (as a religious/historical epic), a nationalist inspiration for the Marathi-language film industry, and a valiant trumpet of the 20th-Century swadeshi (Indian-made) movement, King Harishchandra represents the genesis of Indian film. Working with an all-Indian crew, Phalke depicted the story, from the Ramayana, of a noble king who lets go of all of his wealth, and even his own family, only to be rewarded by the gods for his sacrifice. What remains of this film has been restored by the National Film Archive of India.

Joyce

India / 1980 / in English / 17 minutes

In this student thesis film by Jill Misquitta, a young woman leaves her home to wander the streets at night. She takes shelter in a Catholic church, and the strange rituals, arcane chanting, and darkness of her religious upbringing come flooding back to her.

A Day with the Builders

India / 1973 / no dialogue / 13 minutes

Each morning, they awaken in the cracks between Mumbai’s high-rises. Slowly they set to work making the bricks that will form future high-rises. And so it goes, for this lifetime—and for many more lifetimes to come.

Tuesday, October 8

Frozen

India / 2007 / in Ladakhi & Hindi with English subtitles / 109 minutes

Filmed against the snow-covered deserts and ancient stone villages of Ladakh (a Tibetan kingdom that is now a part of Kashmir), and with a Ladakhi cast, Shivajee Chandrabhushan’s Frozen is a haunting story that unfolds through entrancing cinematography and icy, razor-sharp sound design. Its chiaroscuro style, sifting through glacier white and inky black tones, matches the breathtaking landscapes that surround the mise-en-scène. Karma, a Ladakhi man who makes apricot jam for a living, struggles through financial debts and a harsh existence in the desolate high Himalayas to support his eccentric teenage daughter Lasya. Meanwhile the army is literally at their doorstep, as the family home has the misfortune of being located near the line of control between India and Pakistan, with helicopters and jeeps circling in the eternal glare of floodlights.

Tuesday, October 15

Nainsukh

India & Switzerland / 2010 / in Dogri & Kangri with English subtitles / 82 minutes

Moments from the life of the 18th-Century miniaturist painter Nainsukh of Guler appear in picaresque fragments and rigorous, stately tableau. Here Nainsukh’s own work forms the basis of director Amit Dutta’s compositions, which he assembles harmoniously with natural sound and beautifully-rendered locations, to create unique paintings of movement and light.

Tuesday, October 22

Video Game

India / 2005 / in Malayalam with English subtitles. 29 minutes

Part road movie, part rumination on cinema and memory, Video Game plies the rutted dirt roads of backcountry India, using an old black Ambassador car as a symbol of identity and obsolescence. In revisiting past footage that he shot, experimental Keralan filmmaker Vipin Vijay also revisits the shooting locations, where jungle encroaches on ruins, just as digital video overtakes celluloid.

John & Jane

India / 2005 / in English and Hindi with English subtitles / 78 minutes

Capping off an evening of experimental documentary work, this is an astonishing look into the surreal underside of working in a call center. Filmmaker Ashim Ahluwalia’s mesmerizing and disconcerting John and Jane follows a handful of young men and women who are themselves chasing the dream of modern, urban India. While its denizens are drawn continually towards the flashy apartment buildings just on the horizon, the film itself dwells in the ghostly, neon-lit outskirts of sprawling Mumbai. Comforted by their delusions, these characters assimilate a dream version of American affluence in order to transcend their difficult surroundings.

Tuesday, October 29

27 Down

India / 1973 / in Hindi with English subtitles / 113 minutes

Well ahead of its time in its plain-spoken realism, unscripted approach, and reliance on available light, 27 Down is still a strikingly beautiful, remarkably fresh film, a good forty years after it was made. It tells the story of a young man named Sanjay, fascinated as a child by trains, who inherits his father’s job as a railway conductor. His nomadic existence, traveling around the country, comes to represent his imprisonment by duty to his family, responsibility to his work, and his settling into an unhappy, arranged marriage. The high-contrast black-and-white imagery of the film bristles with the rhythms of everyday life in a way seldom seen in Indian cinema, while the tightly-focused lenses study the actors’ subtle yet spontaneous performances as though through an emotional microscope. A marvelous discovery from the past, 27 Down feels connected to the present through its naturalism, since rail travel is still so integral to the ordinary lives people across the subcontinent. Millions every day, in fact.

Iranian films on tap tonight

movie reelThe Lincoln Library Film Society will resume screenings tonight (September 10) at 7 p.m. with another installment of “cinemavericks”—innovative filmmakers who did their own thing and guided the art form beyond its inherited strictures. The LLFS will screen the film work of Forough Farrokhzad (1935-1967), one of Iran’s greatest 20th-century poets. Although she only made one film in her short life, it is considered today to be one of the finest moments in Iranian cinema. The House is Black merges visuals with poetry like no other film has done, configuring searing images of reality to match the lines of Farrokhzad’s beautifully sparse and devastating words.

Artist aims to help us connect with animals

Miranda Loud

Miranda Loud

By Alice Waugh

Do animals have feelings just as people do? Do they communicate? Do they deserve our consideration and respect as fellow species? Lincoln native Miranda Loud answers a heartfelt “yes” to these questions through her story-telling work in video and photography, including the photos and stories of dogs that have been hanging in the Lincoln Public Library this summer.

[Read more…] about Artist aims to help us connect with animals

deCordova’s Kois defends “hands-on” art

art copyIn response to a New York Times opinion piece bemoaning the trend in contemporary art museums toward hands-on, “walk-through experiences” as opposed to traditional pieces meant for stationary contemplation, DeCordova Museum and Sculpture Park director Dennis Kois wrote a piece defending the more participatory approach.

“We have found that one type of art does not cheapen the other,” Kois wrote in Slate. “Some of our audience appreciates both; some favor one over the other. But unquestionably both are contemporary art and both are equally important for us, as a contemporary art museum, to present… Just as the boundaries of our culture and world have expanded exponentially in the past decades, our art and our museums have expanded to keep pace. It’s foolish to say that one type of art—object or experience—is better than the other. Why would, or should, museums, or our visitors, be forced to choose?”