literalley ventura: late nov news–auction, film, poetry!

This weekend marks the bitter end of November and the fresh start on December… highlights are two poetry events involving Jen Hofer in LA (Fri LA><ART, Mon REDCAT), a HUGE HUGE HUGE antique auction at the Ventucky County Fairgrounds, and BH Fairchild at Santa Barbara City College…

READ ON FOR DETAILS…

GOING ONCE! GOING TWICE! GONE! Yep those are the words associated with an auctioneer…and I want to give you a heads up about a HUGE (did you hear HUGE?)antique auction Sunday Dec. 2 at the Ventucky Fairgrounds. Preview is Saturday. The sale includes select items from an estate and tons of lots from an antique store. Most auctions have 350-500 lots; this one is set to have 800!!! It will start at 10am and be over when the last lot is sold. Many of the lots are “smalls” collectibles, that kind of thing but there’s also plenty of antique furniture. Last month’s auction saw beautiful antiques going for 75% less than what you would pay in an antique store. This is the place where dealers come to stock up. So don’t pay dealer prices–get it well below wholesale–plenty of unusual gifts (not anything you’d ever find in a mall!) for everyone on your list!!

and on to the next item–!

David Starkey, poet & professor at Santa Barbara City College emailed to say that Claremont poet B. H. Fairchild will read tonight there. Fairchild is the author of 6 books of poetry, and the winner of numerous important poetry awards and prizes including an NEA Fellowship, The CA Book Award, and the National Book Critics Award. His work is often narrative (so if you think you don’t like poetry, you might like his!) for a general audience. Fairchild will deliver a free, public poetry reading at Santa Barbara City College on Friday, November 30, at 8 p.m. in the Fé Bland Forum on the college’s West Campus. For more information, call 805 965-0581 x2345. For an interview with him, click here

LA poet & translator & Cal Arts grad poetics instructor Jen Hofer is always involved in the most intriguing activities and events–intellectually, aesthetically, and politically.

2 opportunities to see and hear her:

Tonight, 7-9pm Fri. Nov 30, celebrate the recent issue of the Journal of Aesthetics and Protest at LA>< ART 2640 S. La Cienaga, LA — In a darkened room, issue 5 contributors Evan Holloway, Jen Hofer, Tom McKenzie, Matias Viegner and Christine Wertheim will read their work.

From the forward of issue 5:

“Arguably, today the act of social networking is commodified more
visibly and materially than ever before. This commodification shouldn’t
hinder us to work in relationship to one another and in a social and
political context. Social memory with a sense of history and political
demands seems to have undergone an accelerated and profound erasure.

this rapid memory loss is facilitated by media consolidation and the
plundering of public education programs to fund global mercenary
actions. [ ]

Social justice and liberation movements have historically reiterated
that it is the way we say we (the how) that matters most. In terms of the journal’s cultural production, this thought is expressed as a desire for the synthesis of form and content. What kind of internal structures needs to be in place to be able to act quickly yet democratically in face of external oppression? What structures can actively create their way out of patriarchy? For progressive movements to be successful on a wider scale, they need to be answerable to the broad public scrutiny they often place on their enemies.”

The event will also feature the Journal Press’ newly released An Atlas of
Radical Cartography, edited by Lex Bhagat and Lize Mogel. An Atlas is a book
of artists working with “radical cartography”—a practice that uses maps and
mapping to promote social change. The 10 participating artists, architects,
and collectives take on issues from globalization to garbage and explore the
map’s role as a political agent. The exhibition and accompanying publication
contribute to a growing cultural movement that cuts across boundaries of
art, cartography, geography, and activism.

This next event Jen has been working on for the last few months…

REDCAT: THE CINEMA CABARET: LIVE FILM NARRATION
8:00 PM, December 3, 2007

“Neo-benshi at its best mashes up subversive written
scripts, deft acting, and acrobatic mind-eye
coordination.”Steve Dickinson, The Poetry Center, SFSU

Poets from LA, SF, San Diego, & New York gather at REDCAT to offer a fresh take on the Japanese tradition of “benshi”–a writer or actor who provides
live narration and commentary alongside silent films.
The neo-benshi concept invites writers/performers to
choose scenes from well-known narrative features or TV
shows, mute the soundtrack, and re-inscribe the
familiar images with new meanings. Relying mainly on
language and sound, this practice leads to a great
variety of interventions that range from hilarious
deadpan ventriloquism to more trenchant re-readings of
the original material. The artists this evening perform live redubbing of scenes from classic films including Rebel w/o a Cause and Indiana Jones.

The REDCAT show curated and produced by Konrad Steiner and Jen Hofer
with Nada Gordon, Roxi Power Hamilton, Douglas
Kearney, Eileen Myles, Jennifer Nellis and Stephanie
Young.

For something COMPLETELY different, also Fri 11/30, Helen (formerly of Retail Slut on Melrose, and of Burning Man 2007’s Oral Moistening Camp suggests checking out Virgin Night Fri 11/30 at Miss Kitty’s (link is 18 & over please) then going to Das Bunker

lacking a babysitter tonight and still hungover from asshole neighbor dramas, i will be home tonight still seeking to engage the whole soul even when stuck in ventucky…the art predator