Friday 3/8 – Thursday 3/14
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In 1915, using the political intrigues of World War I as cover, Turkish nationalists forced the deportation of almost two million Armenians from Ottoman Turkey. En route to Syria and Mesopotamia, 600,000 to 1.5 million are estimated to have starved or been massacred. The survivors fled into exile, and most of their stories remained untold as they tried to shed difficult memories and start new lives. Today through April 26, nine award-winning Armenian-American artists from across the country will present Inheritance: Art and Images Beyond a Silenced Genocide–an exhibit of painting, drawing, photography, sculpture, and film exploring the “intergenerational transmission of trauma”–at Beacon Street Gallery, 4131 N. Broadway. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Friday, noon to 6, and Saturday, 11 to 4; there’s a free opening reception on Sunday, March 10, from 2 until 6. Call 773-525-7579 or visit www.beaconst.org for more information.
9 SATURDAY “The concept of the ‘album’ is not limited to the music industry,” says New York-based artist Andy Friedman, who publishes cartoons in the New Yorker under the name Larry Hat. “A visual artist makes a new expression with the individual works when they are housed in the format of a book.” His first, Drawings & Other Failures, was released last year by City Salvage Records, and Friedman considers the collection of poignant and slightly melancholy pencil drawings, Polaroids, and poetry a sound track without songs. Tonight at 7, Jon Resh, local zine publisher and author of the punk rock chronicle Amped, will lead a free discussion on the intersections between poetry, prose, music, and visual art with Friedman, Chicago printmaker Jay Ryan, and composer and musician David Amram, who’s touring to promote his new book, Offbeat: Collaborating With Kerouac. It’s at Quimby’s Bookstore, 1854 W. North (773-342-0910), and blues guitarist Paul Curreri will perform. At 9:30 Amram and Curreri will appear at the Hideout (1354 W. Wabansia, 773-227-4433) with Elizabeth Conant, Kevin Tkacz, and Eric Montzka. It’s $7.
14 THURSDAY Lefty loudmouth Michael Moore’s 1989 movie Roger & Me–which tries to show that General Motors single-handedly ruined the economy of Flint, Michigan–quickly made him the hero of many an underdog. His wide-eyed, PO’d manner has since landed him two TV shows, acting and producing credits in several other movies, and a book deal. Now everything from taxes to large corporations to medicine to the media–and including the circumstances surrounding the publication of his latest book, Stupid White Men…and Other Sorry Excuses for the State of the Nation!–is fuel for his fire. The book was scheduled to hit stores October 2, but was instead warehoused for three months while HarperCollins tried–unsuccessfully–to get Moore to tone down his criticism of George W. Bush. Moore will speak tonight at 7 at Walter Payton College Prep, 1034 N. Wells. Entry for two is free with purchase of one copy of the book, and seating is limited. Call 312-642-5044 or visit www.michaelmoore.com for more information.
