Koyaanisqatsi, directed by Godfrey Reggio (1982) Stalker, directed by Andrei Tarkovsky (1979)

Left to right: Koyaanisqatsi, directed by Godfrey Reggio (1982). Film still. Image courtesy of Park Circus/Institute for Regional Education. Stalker, directed by Andrei Tarkovsky (1979). Film still. Alexander Kaidanovksy as the Stalker, Anatoli Solonitsyn as the Writer, Nikolai Grinko as the Professor. Image courtesy of Janus Films.

Koyaanisqatsi, directed by Godfrey Reggio (1982). Film still. Image courtesy of Park Circus/Institute for Regional Education.

Press Release

McEvoy Arts’ Fall Panel and Film Screenings Bring Expansive Views on Nature and the Human-Built World

Presented in conjunction with McEvoy Arts’ fall exhibition No Time

As part of the fall exhibition, No Time, McEvoy Foundation for the Arts is pleased to present a mix of engaging public programs: Water, Fire, Earth, Air—a panel discussion with four artists responding to climate change—and two film screenings, Godfrey Reggio’s Koyaanisqatsi and Andrei Tarkovsky’s Stalker.

No Time is an exhibition exploring human relationships to the natural world through artworks from the McEvoy Family Collection. In the context of this exhibition, which is on view at McEvoy Arts from September 21, 2018 – January 19, 2019, the following programs extend different visions on how artists can reinterpret and reimagine the landscape.

Panel Discussion

Water, Fire, Earth, Air
Saturday, September 29, 2018, 3 – 6pm

Water, Fire, Earth, Air invites artists who investigate the impacts of global climate change on the elements essential to life. Water, Fire, Earth, Air panel participants are: Don Hankins, Eve Mosher, Ranu Mukherjee, and Rosten Woo, with moderator Heidi Quante.

Eve Mosher’s work is focused on the water that surrounds us, particularly in urban areas. Water is a critical feature of our future with climate chaos. In her series HighWaterLine, Mosheruses bold visuals to publicly demarcate areas that will be flooded or underwater due to accelerated climate change. In Liquid City (2016-present), she created an interdisciplinary floating think-tank from which to stage creative interventions on urban waterways. Mosher is the co-founder of Works on Water, which supports artists working on, in, and with the water.

Fire is an integral process in many global ecosystems and a sacred life force recognized by many Indigenous groups. As modern society grapples with the risks of fire and environmental change, Indigenous knowledge can shed light on the fact that this “new normal” is not so new. Don Hankins, Plains Miwok, will explore the relationship between ecology, culture, law, and lore to temper our understanding of fire by drawing upon local California Indian and Australian Indigenous fire traditions and knowledge. By working together to rekindle fire, we can create a more resilient landscape while supporting a culture of fire.

Ranu Mukherjee will present three recent projects, under the sign of earth, that weave together historical, cultural, and ecological implications of migration. One is her large-scale installation A Bright Stage, currently on view at the de Young Museum, which considers the banyan tree from both formal and conceptual perspectives. Also known as the “strangler fig,” the banyan roots downwards from multiple points, sometimes killing its host in the process. Here it is used as a metaphor for colonialism coming full circle. 

Rosten Woo will be sharing Common Sensing & Mutual Air, artworks developed through the Exploratorium’s Artist in Residence program. Mutual Air is a public sculpture connecting residents of Oakland to our most ubiquitous yet invisible public commons: the air. Mutual Air is comprised of thirty specially-designed bells which generate a soundscape that reflects and responds to the changing composition of our local and global atmosphere. By sonifying air quality fluctuations, the artwork engages the public in an experiential understanding of climate science and how aspects of our atmosphere reflect socioeconomic differences and disparities.

Moderator Heidi Quante is an artist and the founder of Creative Catalysts, an organization that brings together experts from diverse disciplines to devise innovative ways to raise awareness, inspire dialogue, and spark action on pressing social and environmental issues.

Admission free. Tickets are available at: mcevoyarts.eventbrite.com. Seating available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Film Screenings

General admission $7; Seniors (65 & older) and children (18 & under) free. Tickets are available at: mcevoyarts.eventbrite.com. Seating available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Koyaanisqatsi
Wednesday, October 24, 2018, 7pm

Godfrey Reggio’s Koyaanisqatsi (1982) draws its title from the Hopi word meaning “life out of balance.” The renowned documentary explores how humanity has grown apart from nature, featuring extensive footage of natural landscapes and elemental forces set to a score by Philip Glass. Given its lack of narration and dialogue, the production makes its points solely through imagery and music.

Run time: 85 min.

Stalker
Wednesday, January 9, 2019, 7pm

One of the most immersive and rarefied experiences in the history of cinema, Andrei Tarkovsky’s Stalker (1979) embarks on a metaphysical journey through an enigmatic post-apocalyptic landscape. At once a religious allegory, a reflection of contemporary political anxieties, and a meditation on film itself, Stalker envelops the viewer by opening up a multitude of possible meanings.

Run time: 163 min. In Russian with English subtitles.