http://www.thecharlottepost.com
tCjje Charlotte ^ost
THURSDAY, AUGUST 17, 2006
D Well-read all over
Section
Literary festival brought together readers and lovers of all things artistic
PHOTOS/CALVIN FERGUSON
The first CJharlotte Literary Festival celebrated local and national
artists August 12-13. Despite a rocky start, with a heavy downpour on
Saturday morning, the sun and crowds came out on Sunday Peojde
were treatedtobools by local and regional authors, one of a kind paint
ings by some of the (sty’s emerging artists and a chance to hear the leg
endary Nikki Giovanni speak and sign copies of her books,
Eeal Eyes Bookstore sponsored the event.
Cheris F. Hodges
Shaquora Bey, a natural hair specialist, tightens Brenda Peterson and Alicia Gregory admire the works of artist
Renee Toon’s Iocs in the v^dor space in NoDa. Joseph Hart.
Literary giants were also featured at the festival
PHOTO/PAUL WlLLfAMS III
GALLERY REVIEW
Langford’s
abstractions
at Modem
Eye Gallery
By Sandy Seawright
FOR THE CHARLOTTE POST
Modern Eye Gallery
I923-A South Blvd.
In Charlotte galleries we
most often see landscape
painting and figurative work.
Here is a great chance to see
exciting, emerging abstract
painting before the art season
officially kicks off in Septem-
ber.
A native of Tbxas now living
in Charlotte, Robert Langford
is completely self-taught. He
says his paintings are a
methaphor for the way most
lives are constructed, through
a casual collection of meaning
ful and not-so-meaningful
actions and reactions.”
The artist has several paint
ing in a series called “One
Thing Leads lb Another.” In
version three of this series
there is a nice plastic quality to
the work. At the top of the pic
ture a somewhat shiny red rec-
tar^e protects the grey/green
shape below.
In the fourth and seventh
versions of “One Thing Leads
Tb Another,” a thick ghost of a
(mxde appears.” This is very
personal imagery open to the
subjective interpretation by
the viewer.
One of the star pictures here,
“Based on Common Sense”
works fixim two different per
spectives. From a distance it’s
a bit overwhelming a little
crowded. Howev^, viewed up
close, the picture has a radi
ance and a strong feeling of
community We see little doors
that may hold all kinds of
opportunities.
Two paintings here are alone
worth the trip to the gallery
“Being Authentic” has a com
mand that the painter is find
ing his basic visual vocabulary
The gallery information says
Langford is inspired by the
abstract expressionists.
The bold black fine reminds
Please see LANGF0RD/2D
Nikki Giovanni, known
for her love of the slain
rapper Tupac Shakur
and the poem “Ego Trip-
pin’,” was the headliner
for the first Charlotte Lit
erary Festival held in No
Da.
New Yori Times
best selling author
Omar Tyree spoke
to the crowd at
the Neighborhood
Theatre as a part
of the first Char
lotte Lit^ary Fes
tival, which was
hosted by Real
Eyes Bookstore.
Patrice Gaines,
noted author and
scholar took cen
ter stage at the
Charlotte Literary
Festival Sunday
evening.
Hero
with a
kung-fu
grip
Hong Kong Phooey
Complete Series
2 Disc Set
Scatman Crothers, Joe E. Ross.
Kathy Gori, Richard Dawson
Warner Home \ddeo
In 1974, I didn’t start my
Saturday mornings without
watching the wacky ‘TTong
Kong Phooey” Simple anima
tion and even simpler stories
was aH it took at the time to
make a hit show.
And “Phooey” xvas a hit,
thanks to the Kimg Fu craze
at the time, VaudeviUian
actor Scatman Crothers was
perfect as the bunghng hero,
Phooey and his striped cat
Spot (go figure) caught the
bad guys despite the fact that
Phooey (the mild-mannered
Penrod “Penry” Pooch) had
little sldll at anything.
Phooey did have his way
with the ladies, or lady Rose
mary .(Kathy Gori), the police
station’s switchboard opera
tor had the hots for Phooey
Rosemary’s boss, Sgt. Flint,
(Joe E. Ross) was jealous and
miffed that a crime dog kept
stealing his thunder.
Phooey and Spot chased
the Claw, Gum Drop Kid and
The Gi^er xmtil they even
tually cau^t them in the cool
Phooey Mobile that was part
Batmobde, part “Beverly
HiUbiUies” j alopy
This two-disc set contains
commentaries on three
episodes by some original
behind the scenes people, a
storyboard that can be
viewed beside the original
episode and a docvunentary
This thing is short and
sweet. The original episodes
were only 11 minutes each,
except the finale, which went
30. If you’ve got any senti
ment for the ‘70s, this set is
the perfect way to reminisce.
Ratings
Classic;
Excellent;
Good
Fair
Why?
No stars
-A mess
o®o