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About The Clackamas print. (Oregon City, Oregon) 1989-2019 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 18, 2006)
Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2006 »») It seems - as with any other ig-teim journalistic endeav- - that the more I spend r time developing this col in and wading deeper into : ocean of information sur- niding my beloved gaming iustry. the more I end up on e end of a certain spectrum I am either a) struck silly y >ome entertaining new soft- iare review or hardware gim- nck, or b) I find my tolerance ,aning for people who try to ut their personal agenda in ie way of our basic human This week’s frustration is brought to the couple of you »■ho read this by yesterday’s release of Rockstar Games’ iat- est title, Bully, in which players can take on the persona of a school yard ruffian as they hand out swirlies and beat ■jp their classmates for lunch money. Is the new game ques tionable? Hell yeah, it is, but Clackamas Print Art gallery ignites interest ■ Elizabeth Hitz J | The Clackamas Print Spokane artist Thomas O’Day’s new show, “Just About Everything,” opened in the Alexander Gallery on Oct. 5. The show opened with a bang, some mad dog, vinegar and a little fruit punch. O’Day gave an exhibition of what is called performance art, and he creates his art by first destroying it. He takes artwork that he or other artists have created and buries, blows up, or otherwise demolishes the pieces. Then, he takes the left-over parts and incorporates them into new pieces. He appropriately calls these works “art disposals.” “The old work is turned into new work. The pieces are in a constant state of flux,” said O’Day. He demonstrated the first step of these “art disposals” in the presence of an avid audience. O’Day blew up a sliced painting in front of the Neimeyer building, and poured different liquids through pipes onto drawings from the top of a ladder. If ever it was, this is art in action Viewers agreed. “I kind of like the idea of getting rid of this stuff [art],” said Clackamas art teacher Rick True. “I ask it, ‘Do you want me to rip you up?’ - and then I rip it up anyway. It’s getting to the process of mak ing.” O’Day also gave a lecture on his background, the history of his art style and an expla nation of some of his past and present works. The show’s pieces have rich and varied histories. One creation, “Subtitle Zone,” O’Day tied to pilings and sub merged under water at Puget Sound for six years. When he went back to retrieve it, the diving crew he hired had no luck. “Subtitle Zone” was gone. So O’Day made posters and offered a $100 reward. Eventually, an elderly couple called him up. They had found the piece several years ago and were using it as a lawn ornament. “Just About Everything” also boasts a video instal lation. The projected video against the background shows the process of O’Day’s past shows and “disposals.” In the foreground, pieces from the disposals are suspended. The effect is eye-catching and dis orienting. O’Day uses every thing from paper shred ders and liquid plumber to metal compacters in his work, and the entire show reflects this vari ety. FAR LEFT: Students get involved with Thomas O’Day’s gal lery by scrawling on top of a cut-up painting with mark ers supplied by the artist. Interactiv ity is a key part of O’Day’s gallery. Florida lawyer Jack Thompson, an anti-video game extremist and the only guy I’ve ever seen who’s been hissed at publicly, took Rockstar’s parent company, Take-Two Interactive, to court last week over a complai nt he filed against the game’s con sent. ’It appears that, finally, the violent video game industry is going to be held accountable to .saneone,” Thompson wrote in is announcement Wednesday morning. However, gaming site 3estnictoid.com reported on Friday morning that the judge niled in favor of Take-Two, and had decided he didn’t see anything that should pre vent Take-Two from ship ping Bully. Thompson, in true “bully” fashion, responded ftith a formal letter comparing te judge’s ruling to the UN nuclear weapons inspections a Iran. I wish I were making this LEFT: O’Day pre pares to incinerate a butchered paint ing in an orgy of flame and smoke. Elizabeth Hitz Clackamas Print Elizabeth Hitz Clackamas Print BELOW LEFT: Paint ing teacher Dave An derson helps O’Day to lay the lines of flamable chemi cals in between the pieces of a discard ed canvas. BOTTOM: O’Day ex plains the meanings of his unique sculp tures housed in the Alexander Gallery, which is located in Niemeyer Hall. m He continued to accuse Take-Two lawyer Rebecca 'fcd of lying in the courtroom about the enforcement of its ESRB rating and accused the j^ge of “railroading this entire matter-atthe expense of chil- tens’safety.” Thompson promptly and publicly slammed a judge of a court of law for deciding that is actions of angry, destruc tive kids are not the responsi vity - where have I heard that word? — ofa video game. The game is rated “T,” a rating described on the ESRB’s p\bb site as “content that may he suitable for ages 13 and older.” If parents don’t think peir teenager can handle the content in a game like Bully, I i s their responsibility - there’s fa word again! -to teach their rods the basic rules of behavior ■accepted by society. I People have a right to feel Ikwever they want about Itideo games. Long ago, I I scepted that not everyone in I f« world agrees with my opin- I® of them, but irresponsibly ■using millions in tax dollars I ®d the media to force an opin io down the throat of anyone 1’1» disagrees? I Someone should tell I Ibompson we’re tired of being 9 Join the Fun at “Scrapbook Saturday” Elizabeth Hitz Clackamas Print 1 ■ Catch up on your scrap books or start new proj ects. Bring your favorite photos and materials and enjoy uninterrupt ed scrap-booking time. Materials will be avail able for purchase if need ed. Free morning and afternoon workshops. Refreshments provided. Saturday, October 21, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm. SMtii ® ■■«■ill Contact Jackie Flowers @ 503-657-7181 for more information. RSVP requested. St. Paul’s Episcopal Church 822 Washington Street Oregon City Adam J. Manley Clackamas Print 4
