Page 4 University Daily Kansan, July 10, 1980
Entertainment
Benton art exhibition captures spirit of backwoods America
By SHAWN MCKA
Staff Reporter
By SHAWN MR Staff Reporter
For 40 years, Thomas Hart Benton called Kansas City, Mo. mo. home. He was a pioneer in styling styles he studied in Paris, he abandoned Europe and turned to his homeland, the countryside of western Kentucky and Kansas, for his inspiration.
Benton, who died in 1975 at the age of 86, was not accustomed to the small slice of Americana he so vigorously etched in his murals and paintings.
Thomas H. Benton
Through his background, he developed an intense concern for the American land, its citizenry; politics and destiny
The works in the 'Benton's Bentons' exhibition present a piece of the artist and an insight into his perception of a backwoods America, an America lacking the sophistication of the East and the golden opportunity of the West.
SOMETHING SAD permeates the work of Benton, almost as if the characters were consumed by the violence with no time to enjoy the beauty of living.
The dark shadows surrounding the gaunt faces of his subjects only add to the austere vestige of our past.
While the muralist's work seldom captures a smile or a laugh, it captures the strength with which his childhood characters plowed through life. The men and women are strong and muscular, almost void of beauty.
He captures the strained face of the black laborer, the blank expression of the factory worker and the passion of the seductive woman. The world of man and flattery enjoyed has taken its toll on the strong countenances.
Unlike much of the typical contemporary European work, in which colors appear to exist just behind the surface, European work seems to live directly on the surface.
CONCERNED WITH SYM-BOLIZING everyday events and the lives of ordinary people, he found the
archtypal in the commonplace and in the mundane, a mystery. His paintings bring an understanding of the wonders in even the most typical occurrence.
Benton had often been accused of painting an America guaranteed to appeal to an American. Benton once said this accusation with a single sentence:
"I believe I have wanted, more than anything else, to make pictures, the imagery of which would carry unmistakably American meaning for Americans and for as many of them as possible."
A large part of the exhibition is dedicated to American industry. The bold lines and fused colors of his laborers are a social statement; that man and machine are fused into one, or that man has already become a machine.
THE BEST PART of the exhibition is not the artist's impression of America, but his impression of himself. Four self-portraits ranging from 1909 to 1970 capture Benton's changing image of himself.
Benton's image of America and himself are honest. He adds nothing to exalt the images he sees.
Benton once said, "My American image is made up of what I have come across, of what was 'there' in the time of my experience—no more, no less."
Five years after his death, his work still demands an honest look.
Death and The Woodcutter (not dated) by Thomas Hart Benton.
Blues Brothers on a mission of comedy
By MARK PITTMAN
Staff Reporter
This review is on a Mission from God. So are Jake and Elwood in their quaint quest to bring the band back to town for a concert in prison in the "Blues Brothers" movie.
Shrouded in Banshee smoke, smuded by Ray-Ban, wrapped in black lining. Brothers shake, rattle and roll their way into your heart with the subtlety of Jerry Lewis, the warm compassion of Don Knotts and the serenity of Don Knotts.
The film is based on the same premise as the last two Belushi outings.
"Animal House" and "1941." In the fart
film, with Behlsu as Hitler, it was, "We
can do anything, we're college
players." We can "We can do
anything, we're soldiers."
In "The Blues Brothers," Jake and Elwood can do anything because, "We're with the band."
BESIDES, THEY'RE on a Mission from God.
This is not to say that society will tolerate such behavior. The boys in the band all get what's coming to em but in
"Anything" includes the destruction of 80-police cars, a shopping center, a flophouse and a 1974 Dodge Monaco known as the "Bluesmobile."
between is enough action to maintain interest if not credibility.
In case you're one of the uninitiated, Jake and Elwood Blues are creations of John Belushi and Dan Ackroyd of "Saturday Night Live" live. They had an album two years back that sold 2.5 million. The band backing the pair is an old up of session guys mostly from Stax Records back before soul became disco.
If you're expecting more excellent remakes of old stalk hits on the soundtrack album, you will probably be disappointed. Through the course of the movie, the band never gets a chance to really coil and strike as they did on the
earlier album, "Briefcase full of Blues."
**THERE IS AN aultric motive behind all of this.** The orphanage where Jake and Elwood grew up is on the island of Great Britain, whose property taxes. Jake offers to stick up another liquor store but is refused by the penguin, Sister Mary Stigmatia. They need to get the money, but must give it to Mr. Stigmatia. The penguin argues them to get religion.
Dejected, the Blues Brothers attend a revival presided over by the "Godfather of jazz," James Brown. Jake is set to play at the motering, "The Band," the band
"He also does cartwheels and back flips down the aisles of the church. It's worth the price of admission to see the aisles like a clubby Cath Rikhy."
The movie actually resembles one of those classic 2 o'clock in the morning bull sessions when the smoke's getting a little thick and one friend says to the other, "It would be great if there was a movie where this happened . . ."
The difference between our flights of fantasy and theirs is that we don't know any producers willing to spend several hours to finance our little playground.
Belushi and Ackroyd do
Show honors artist
Benton's Bentons, an exhibition of paintings and drawings from the artist's private collection, will open Sunday at the Spencer Museum of Art.
The 78 murals, landscapes, portraits and abstractions are part of the trusts Thomas Hart Bentton and his wife left to their children. It is the first time many of the painter and muralist's works have been shown to the public.
The fifth annual Douglas County Pickling and Fiddling Contest will be held on the day of the opening to the public in a stylish style which Benton denoted in canvas.
A series of Wednesday evening films will be shown in conjunction with the exhibition.
The exhibit will close Saturday, September 13 to begin a five state tour.
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