Art of Engagement: Tales from a New York Art Dealer

The question is often asked why some art is more important, more relevant, than the average decorative or handmade object. Why isn’t everything of equal value?
For 30 years, Douglas Walla has had the pleasure of working with a number of thrilling and thought provoking artists and situations which address the architecture of amnesia, issues of “conscience”, emotionally urgent subject matter (both personal as well as public in origin) and obsessive, compulsive personal undertakings. Mr. Walla will touch upon several past projects to illuminate the possibilities.

While undertaking studies at the University, he worked in various capacities in the local community, first assisting the painters B.J. McCoon and Rollin Pickford, later apprenticeships with the Hans Sumpf Company constructing large scale architectural reliefs and as a preparatory for the Fresno Arts Center. From 1973 to 1976, Mr. Walla was curator of the Fresno Arts Center organizing three exhibitions and publications entitled Masterworks of Modern Sculpture, 200 Years of American Painting, and the first retrospective for Alex Katz. At the time of his enrollment in the Master’s Degree Program in Fine Art, he also was given one man shows at the Monterey Museum of Art, the Fresno Arts Center with Rollin Pickford, and a graduate installation at the University.

In 1976, Mr. Walla relocated to New York City where he would become the Vice-President of Marlborough Gallery and coordinated the exhibitions and activities for Francis Bacon, Larry Rivers, Alex Katz, Red Grooms and the Estates of Jacques Lipchitz and Barbara Hepworth. With the departure from Marlborough in 1985, Mr. Walla founded a new gallery on the corner of Madison and 57th Street named Kent Fine Art, Inc. The new entity would publish over 40 scholarly books, and organize over 200 exhibitions worldwide. Representing the surrealists Dorothea Tanning and Meret Oppenheim, the Estate of Herbert Bayer (Bauhaus), to the larger group of mid-career conceptual artists of conscience, Dennis Adams, Chris Burden, Llyn Foulkes, Antoni Muntadas, the gallery would provide support, and coordination on all projects.

Recent activities include the recent Venice Blennale project by Emily Prince entitled American Servicemen and Women Who Have Died in Iraq and Afghanistan (but Not Including the Wounded, nor the Iraqis nor the Afghans) which documents over 3900 casualties in drawing form which has been favorably reviewed by The International Herald Tribune, The New York Times, and New York magazine along with numerous European journals.

This project is viewable online at www.alltheamericanservicemenandwomen.com and the gallery archive may be accessed through www.kentgallery.com.

by Douglas Walla
B.A. Art 1973, M.A. Art 1974
Founder, Kent Gallery

Letters from Um el-Dunya: Journeys Through Modern Egypt

November 15, 2007: 3:00 PM

Alice Peters Auditorium

Letters from Um el-Dunya: Journeys through Modern Egypt and
Presentation of Imagery from a Recent Visit to Egypt
by
Dr. Sameh El Kharbawy, Assoc. Prof. of Art and Design
and
Bill Minschew, Professor Emeritus of Art

Beyond romantic visions of ancient monuments, awe-inspiring pyramids, turquoise beaches, majestic minarets and desert sunsets, this Portrait reveals one of the greatest places of the modern imagination, and tells the story of its extraordinary and cosmopolitan people.

Drawing on observations and friendships past and present, a narrative is weaved around a collection of letters and poems that Dr. El Kharbawy has received, for over ten years, from "Um el-Dunya". In those letters, there is a fascinating study of a uniquely modern place, and a special window onto its majestic and fascinating capital, Cairo , revealing the grandeur of its art and architecture, the beauty of its poetry, its multi-layered complexity and centuries of historical change and upheaval.

In those letters, a broader appreciation of the intricate textures of the modern Middle East emerges.

Bill Minschew, internationally renowned artist and Professor Emeritus of Art, will showcase and speak about his latest work that is a contemporary integration of ancient Egypt inspired by a recent visit there.

Forgotten Bread: First-Generation Armenian American Writers

Wednesday, November 14, 2007: 7:30 PM

The California State University, Fresno
College of Arts and Humanities
Armenian Studies Program
Department of English
Armenian Students Organization
and the Armenian General Benevolent Union (Greater Fresno) present:

Author David Kherdian discussing his new anthology

Forgotten Bread: First-Generation Armenian American Writers an anthology of 17 first-generation writers

This outstanding collection of literature from seventeen first-generation Armenian American authors, each introduced by a member of the second generation, is intense, magical, and filled with the love of life. It is also characterized by the unspeakable sadness that accompanies the loss of many of their countrymen and women in the Armenian Genocide of 1915-1917. What coalesces is a deeply American story about the forces that propel individuals forward in a new world.

Copies of Forgotten Bread will be available for purchase at the lecture.



Student Recreation Center
Leon and Pete Peters Educational Center Auditorium
NE corner of Shaw and Woodrow Aves. * Fresno State campus
Call the ASP at 559-278-2669 for more information.

Barlow Der Mugrdechian
Armenian Studies Program
5245 N Backer Ave PB4
Fresno , CA 93740-8001

Email: barlowd@csufresno.edu

ASP Office: 559-278-2669
Office: 559-278-4930
FAX: 559-278-2129

Visit the Armenian Studies Program Web Page at
http://armenianstudies.csufresno.edu/

Fresno State Gospel Choir

December 16, 2007: 4:00PM
Concert Hall
$7.00: General

Fresno State Symphony Orchestra

Featuring new faculty member Dr. Thomas Loewenheim as conductor

December 10, 2007: 7:30PM
Concert Hall
$6.00: General; $5.00: Faculty/Staff/Seniors/Students

Guitar Studio Recital

December 11, 2007: 7:30PM
Wahlberg Recital Hall
$6.00: General; $5.00: Faculty/Staff/Seniors/Students

President's Quintet in Concert

Fresno State's premiere scholarship woodwind quintete presents an exciting evening of chamber music.

December 9, 2007: 7:30PM
Wahlberg Recital Hall
$5.00: General; $3.00: Faculty/Staff/Seniors/Students

Winterreise by Franz Schubert

Featuring Faculty Voice Instructor Paul Murray, baritone and Hatem Nadim, piano
Franz Schubert's last song cycle followed the stark interior journey of a young man as he abandons love and society and descends into madness

December 8, 2007: 7:30PM
Concert Hall
$10.00: General; $8.00: Faculty/Staff; $5.00: Seniors/Students

Symphonic Band

The Fresno State Symphonic Band presents its final performance of the fall semester under the direction of Timothy Todd Anderson. The Symphonic Band is committed to presenting standards of the band repertoire, while seeking that merit a "second look".

December 6, 2007: 7:30PM
Concert Hall
$6.00: General; $5.00: Faculty/Staff/Seniors/Students

Fresno State Jazz Bands Holiday Concert

This will be the final fall semester concert for our Jazz Bands and will feature many of the department's top instrumental music students. Expect a little holiday flair and some great jazz...FRESNO STATE STYLE!

December 5, 2007: 7:30PM
Concert Hall
$6.00: General; $5.00: Faculty/Staff/Seniors/Students

Student Composers Recital

The Student Composers at Fresno State present their newly composed works .

December 4, 2007: 7:30PM
Wahlberg Recital Hall
$6.00: General; $5.00: Faculty/Staff/Seniors/Students

Piano Majors in Recital

December 2, 2007: 7:30PM
Wahlberg Recital Hall
$5.00: General; $2.00: Faculty/Staff/Seniors/Students
Proceeds to benefit the Special Piano Events Fund

Fresno State Saxophone Festival

This festival will feature performances and clinics from both universityt and high school students with guest Conn-Selmer artist Dr. David Brennan, Professor of Saxophone at La Sierra University and Masters College.

December 1, 2007
1:00-6:00PM: Clinics
6:00PM: Concert
Concert Hall
All Day Pass: $10.00
Concert Prices: $6.00: General; $5.00: Faculty/Staff/Seniors/Students

Faculty Guitar Recital

Featuring Faculty Guitarist Corey Whitehead

November 30, 2007: 7:30PM
Wahlberg Recital Hall
$10.00: General; $6.00: Faculty/Staff/Seniors/Students

Flute Ensemble

A recital featuring solo and ensemble works for flute featuring students of Dr. Teresa Beaman.

November 29, 2007: 7:30PM
Wahlberg Recital Hall
$6.00: General; $5.00: Faculty/Staff/Seniors/Students

Guitar Ensemble

November 28, 2007: 7:30PM
Wahlberg Recital Hall
$6.00: General; $5.00: Faculty/Staff/Seniors/Students

Percussion Studio Recital

November 26, 2007: 7:30PM
Wahlberg Recital Hall
Free; Seating Limited

Jazz Clinics with Bill Mays, piano and Marvin Stamm, trumpet

Presented by the Philip Lorenz Memorial Keyboard Concert Series, JazzFresno, 90.7 KFSR, and the Fresno State Music Department.

November 26, 2007
12:00-12:50PM: Improvisation Clinic
1:00-1:50PM: Student Performances and Feedback Clinic
2:00-2:50: The Art of Rehearsing and Making Music
Concert Hall
Free Admission; Seating Limited

Bill Mays and Inventions

Special Event - not part of the subscription series
Presented by the Philip Lorenz Memorial Keyboard Concert Series, JazzFresno, and 90.7 KFSR.
Bill Mays, Piano; Marvin Stamm, trumpet; Alisa Horn, cello
Celebrated pianist, composer, and arranger Bill Mays remains one of the most creative forces in jazz. His extraordinarily versatile career has brought him together with many of th world's leading jazz artists including Al Jarreau, Gerry Mulligan, Toots Thielemands, and Ron Carter.

November 25, 2007: 7:30PM
Concert Hall
$12.50: General; $7.00: Seniors; $5.00: Students
Reservations are encouraged

Band Spectacular

This concert is a celebration of Fresno State's top bands, which includes Jazz Band "A", the Wind Orchestra, and the entire Bulldog Marching Band!

November 19, 2007: 7:30PM
Concert Hall
$6.00: General; $5.00: Faculty/Staff/Seniors/Students

Opera Workshop

November 17, 2007: 7:30PM
November 18, 2007: 11:30AM
Wahlberg Recital Hall
$10.00: General; $8.00: Faculty/Staff/Seniors/Students

Clendenin Brass Quintet

The Clendenin Brass Quintet, the department's scholarship brass group, will perform a collection of challenging repertoire from a wide range of styles.

November 18, 2007: 7:30PM
Wahlberg Recital Hall
$5.00: General; $3.00: Faculty/Staff/Seniors/Students

Piano Master Class with Paul Badura-Skoda

Presented by the Philip Lorenz Memorial Keyboard Concert Series

November 17, 2007: 9:30-11:30AM
Concert Hall
Free Admission; Seating Limited

Paul Badura-Skoda

Fresno is privileged to be part of Paul Badura-Skoda's 80th birthday international recital tour. During his unique career his legendary Austrian pianist has collaborated with such renowned conductors as Wilhelm Furtwangler, Herbert von Karajan, George Szell, Karl Bohm, Lorin Maazel, Zubin Mehta, and Sir Georg Solti. He has played in all of the world's greatest concert halls and for years was the pianist who had the largest number of commercial recordings available in the market.

November 16, 2007: 8:00PM
Concert Hall
$12.50: General; $7.00: Seniors; $5.00: Seniors
Reservations are encouraged

Presented by the Philip Lorenz Memorial Keyboard Concert Series
Works by Haydn, Beethoven, Martin and Schumann

Music Department Events

Paul Badura-Skoda, piano
November 16, 2007: 8:00PM
Concert Hall
$12.50: General; $7.00: Seniors; $5.00: Students
Reservations are encouraged

Piano Master Class with Paul Badura-Skoda
November 17, 2007: 9:30 - 11:30AM
Concert Hall
Free Admission; Seating Limited

Opera Workshop
November 17, 2007: 7:30PM
November 18, 2007: 3:00PM
Concert Hall
Free Admission; Seating Limited

Clendenin Brass Quintet
November 18, 2007: 7:30PM
Wahlberg Recital Hall
$5.00: General; $3.00: Faculty/Staff/Seniors/Students

Band Spectacular
November 19, 2007: 7:30PM
Concert Hall
$6.00: General; $5.00: Faculty/Staff/Seniors/Students

Bill Mays and Inventions
Special Event – not part of the subscription series
November 25, 2007: 7:30PM
Concert Hall
$12.50: General; $7.00: Seniors; $5.00: Students
Reservations are encouraged

Jazz Clinics with Bill Mays, piano and Marvin Stamm, trumpet
November 26, 2007
12:00 - 12:50PM: Improvisation Clinic
1:00 – 1:50PM: Student Performances and Feedback Clinic
2:00 – 2:50PM: The Art of Rehearsing and Making Music
Concert Hall
Free Admission; Seating Limited

Percussion Studio Recital
November 26, 2007: 7:30PM
Wahlberg Recital Hall
Free: Seating Limited

Guitar Ensemble
November 28, 2007: 7:30PM
Wahlberg Recital Hall
$6.00: General; $5.00: Faculty/Staff/Seniors/Students

Flute Ensemble
November 29, 2007: 7:30PM
Wahlberg Recital Hall
$6.00: General; $5.00: Faculty/Staff/Seniors/Students

Faculty Guitar Recital
November 30, 2007: 7:30PM
Wahlberg Recital Hall
$10.00: General; $6.00: Faculty/Staff/Seniors/Students

Fresno State Saxophone Festival
December 1, 2007
Clinics: 1:00 – 6:00PM; Concert: 6:00PM
Concert Hall
All Day Pass: $10.00
Concert Prices: $6.00: General; $5.00: Faculty/Staff/Seniors/Students

Piano Majors in Recital
December 2, 2007: 7:30PM
Wahlberg Recital Hall
$5.00: General; $2.00: Faculty/Staff/Seniors/Students
Proceeds to benefit the Special Piano Events Fund

Student Composers Recital
December 4, 2007: 7:30PM
Wahlberg Recital Hall
$6.00: General; $5.00: Faculty/Staff/Seniors/Students

Fresno State Jazz Bands Holiday Concert
December 5, 2007: 7:30PM
Concert Hall
$6.00: General; $5.00: Faculty/Staff/Seniors/Students

Symphonic Band
December 6, 2007: 7:30PM
Concert Hall
$6.00: General; $5.00: Faculty/Staff/Seniors/Students

Winterreise by Franz Schubert
December 8, 2007: 7:30PM
Concert Hall
$10.00: General; $8.00: Faculty/Staff/Seniors/Students

President’s Quintet in Concert
December 9, 2007: 7:30PM
Wahlberg Recital Hall
$5.00: General; $3.00: Faculty/Staff/Seniors/Students

Fresno State Symphony Orchestra
December 10, 2007: 7:30PM
Concert Hall
$6.00: General; $5.00: Faculty/Staff/Seniors/Students

Guitar Studio Recital
December 11, 2007: 7:30PM
Wahlberg Recital Hall
$6.00: General; $5.00: Faculty/Staff/Seniors/Students

Fresno State Gospel Choir
December 16, 2007: 4:00PM
Concert Hall
$7.00: General

2007-2008 Lecture Series

Learning Like a Girl: Educating Our Daughters in Schools of Their Own
by Dr. Diana Meehan
September 26, 2007: 6-7PM
Wahlberg Recital Hall

The Mystique of the Ancient Greek Olympics by Dr. Greg Anderson
September 27, 2007: 7-8PM
Peters Education Center Auditorium

This is Not the Life I Ordered: Fifty Ways to Keep Your Head Above Water When Life Keeps Dragging You Down by Jan Yanehiro
October 2, 2007: 7:30-9PM
Satellite Student Union

The State of the State by Dan Walters
October 5, 2007: 9AM-12PM
Satellite Student Union

Film Scoring: Past and Present by Jeff Atmajian
October 22, 2007: 7-8PM
Concert Hall

Art of Engagement: Tales from a New York Art Dealer by Douglas Walla
November 26, 2007: 7-8PM
Alice Peters Auditorium

Photojournalism Exhibit Opening Reception by Robert Gauthier
January 17, 2008: 6:30-8PM
President's Gallery

Digital Rights, Virtual Worlds and New Media - Your New Reality by Dennis L. Wilson, J.D.
February 26, 2008: 7-8PM
Alice Peters Auditorium

John Hultberg in Context by Dr. Harry Rand
March 11, 2008: 7-8PM
Alice Peters Auditorium

TV to New Media: Now Everyone's A Producer by Howard Bolter
April 2, 2008: 7-8PM
Alice Peters Auditorium

Doubt

Doubt by John Patrick Shanley and Directed by Kathleen McKinley
November 2-4 & 6-10, 2007

Fresno premier of the critically acclaimed Tony and Pulitzer winning Broadway hit drama – a “gripping story of suspicion cast on a priest’s behavior that is less about scandal than about fascinatingly nuanced questions of moral certainty.”