2D
A & Charlotte $0!St
Thursday, June 15, 2006
Spanish art at Mint Museum
By Sandy Seawright
FOR THE CHARLOTTE POST
Spanish Colonial Art from the
Lilly & Francis Robicsek Col
lection
Mint Museum of Art
2730 Randolph Road
Charlotte is a much more
culturaDy rich city than I
have realized. A great exam
ple of this is this magnificent
exhibit of paintings and
sculptures of Christian saints
fix)m the collection of the pio-
neerii^ heart surgeon, Fran
cis Robicsek and his wife,
Lilly, which museum staff
members shared came direct
ly fix)m file Robicsek home.
In a nearby gallery are the
cutting-edge sculptures of
Robert Lazzarini, who chal
lenges our ideas about per
spective, The large desk and
chair in the Lazzarini exhibit
are fixim the personal collec
tion of a Waxhaw, N. C. fami-
Another wonderful aspect of
the Spanish Colonial exhibit
is that is shows the enormoxis
taste and talent of the Mint’s
exhibitions team. Taking up
the three large galleries in
the middle of the museum,
the exhibit is installed using
different wall paint colors and
constructed wooden plat
forms so that it is very per
sonal, spiritual and intimate
like visiting a series of
chapels. The exhibit is not
presented as an overwhelm
ing bloddiuster!
The ediibit is historically
informative telling us that
wh^ Chrbtopher Columbus
discovered the new world in
1492 Spain wanted gold and
to convert those in what is
now the Southwest United
States throu^ Medco and
Central America and into
South America to Christiani
ty Religious arf was a great
way to spread the Christian
Countiy goes but so far for Mob
Field Mob
Light Poles and
Pine Trees
Various producers
Disturbing Tha Peace
La a
Field Mob takes credit for
the current southern hip hop
trend and ri^tfully so.
The duo’s “Prom Ashy Tb
Classy” debut CD was criti
cally acclaimed in 2001.
“From Tha Roota To Tha
Tbota” gave fans the funny
“Sick of Being Lonely”
Now Shawn J and Smoke
offer ‘Ti^t Poles and Pine
Trees,” their third major
release. The group has settled
at Ludacris’ Disturbing Tha
Peace label and are sure to
get much more promotion
than in the past.
The unique title assures the
duo hasn’t changed its South
ern roots. “There ain’t no sky
line where we’re fi-om,”
Shawn J says. “There’s no
Arch like in St. Louis or Pahn
trees like in California,”
Smoke says. ‘You look up and
that’s (pine trees and light
poles) all you see in Albany
(Ga,),”
That southern charm still
plays well. The radio hit “So
What” which features Ciara
is more ‘80s skate jam than
hip hop, but that’s the kind of
thing Jazze Pha hkes. The
coimtry drawl mixed with the
shck production lifts the song
fix)m beir^ mvmdane.
That doesn’t happen often
enough on this release. There
are other songs of interest but
most of this stuff just comes
up as OK rather than innova
tive. “Bend Over” and “Beat
“Em Up, Eat Em Up” play
into the too often used sexual
subjects that rappers fall on.
‘Eladser Da Berry” breaks
out of the ho-hum mode by
humorously examining the
light-skinned/dark skinned
drama. The best politically
incorrect line fiom a sor^ is
found here: And Venus and
Serena/They done beat more
white girls than O.J. and
Rick James together.’
More of those moments
would lift this CD to some
thing far better than it is.
The N-word still sparks controversy
Continued from page 1D
will be. It always has been,” Merritt said on the
show.
It’s very scary to think that because we have
allegedly taken the bite out of the N-woid that
hate crimes won’t exist anymore.
Sequel hard work for author to do
Continued from page 1D
mine. “She’s my best fiiend
and she’s a pessimist,” she
said with a laugh.
Mturay said she had no
intentions of writir^ about
Jasmine again, but her fans
kept asking her what hap
pened to file woman that they
‘loved to hate.”
‘T was like, you hate her,
why do you want to know
(what happened to her)?’ she
said.
When she came up with the
plot line for “A Sin,” Murray
said she’d already written a
character that would fit in
this story and that was Jas-
than penning her first novd.
“The challenge was that Jas
mine was a character created
in my first .book I was stuck
creating a book arotmd an
unlikable character,” she
said.
What Mur
ray ended up
doir^ was cre
ating a weU
crafted novel
that isn’t
preachy, but
has a message.
This follows
Murray
the path of all of her novels,
though—which is why calling
her a Christian fiction novel
ist is some what of a mis-
She said that this was actu
ally more difficult to write
nomer.
“I’m not trying to be a
Happy
Father’s
r:
Day '
from
A
Cljarlotte
IPosit
In Latin America the feast
day of a person’s patron
saint is as important as their
birthday WTnged Saint
Michael, wearing armor and
holding a swoixi in one hand
is most noted for subduing
satan. He is the patixm saint
of haberdashers, grocers,
police and swordsmen and
appears in the exhibit at least
a half dozen times in both
paintings and in miilticolored
sculptures.
In one version he holds a
scale to weigh souls' on Ju(^e-
ment Day and he is linked to
Totonicapan the rain god.
Saint Michael’s feast day is
September 29.
People adopt feast days .of
saints for reasons besides
religion- One Je'wish fiiend
who spends time in Latin
America says he hkes Saint
Mdiael’s feast day because
Michael is his middle name.
The exhibit also features
female saints such as Saint
Rita of Casda, shown in a
painting who became an
Augustian nun in 1413. She
was known for her austerity,
devotion to prayer and care
for others.
In another paintii^ “Saint
Christopher and the Christ
Child” created in Peru on oil
on canvais, Saint Christopher
carries the Christ Child on his
shoulders. His feast day is
July 25 and he’s the patron
saint of bus drivers and trav
elers.
This rich exhibit continues
at The Mint Museum, 2730
Randolph Road, throu^ Sep
tember 10. For additional
information call the museum
at (704) 337-2000,
ADVERTISE!!!
704.376.0496
historic open luesday-Sunday
Cxtelsiiot ClttB
921 Beatties Ford Rd. • 704-334-5709
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• nmoM,.."FISHFRC-Only $5
Doors Open at 5, fish Fry at pm • Disco at 9pm
WEDNESDAY “Why Not Wednesday?"
Martinis and Live Music ivith
“Linda Straite”
Accompanied by “Natural Blend’
June 21st, 8pm, Doors Open at 6pm
“Members...It’s Reneival Time’’
• THURSDAY “DIRTY THIRTY THURSDAY”
Lets get this party started right now!
• FRIDAY & SATURDAY The Best “DISCO’’ In Town •
'SUNDAY,..../om US for and evening of soft music,
and fellowshipping with friends!
Wh^ racists can use the N-word 'without
repercussions, wiU we as Afiican Americans
decide that this word isn’t a substitute for
brother?
On the net:
svwwcibolishthenwordcom
preacher, I’m trying to be a
novelist,” she said.
Though she said having
the Christian label affixed to
her works may limit her mar
ket, she’s not worried.
“God told me don’t worry
about it, so I’m leaving it to
God and the readers,” she
said-
Murray will be in Charlotte
Jime 26 at Joseph-Beth
Booksellers at 6 p.m.
“I’m really excited about
coming to Charlotte,” she
gushed. “Fifty percent of the
letters that I receive come
fix)m Charlotte.”
And her big sister fives
here.
“Now she has a chance to
show me off,” Murray said.
Coca-Cola
Bottling Company
Consolidated
J
June 15th - 18th
Independence Park, 300 Hawthorne Lane
Charlotte, NC - Join The Juneteenth Planning Committee and Mecklenburg County
Parks and Recreation as we celebrate the Ninth Annual Juneteenth Festival of the
Carolinas. Festivities will last for 4 days at Independence Park, 300 Hawthorne Lane
on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, June 15 -18,2006.
Juneteenth of the Carolinas in honor of Marilyn Griffith Ihmer will give away a
full 4 Year Scholarship to St, Augustine College. Please check the website
www.juneteenthofthecarolinas.com or call House of Africa at 704-376-6160 to obtain
the requirements for the scholarship.
Cultural Camp on Thursday, June 15th at Independence Park Recreation Center
Cost $10, Lunch provided, Bring a t-shirt for tye-dye.
• All day cares, summer camps, schools, and churches to bring children and youth ages
6-16 out for a day of culture.
• In need of volunteers to work during the camp
• Contact; Pape Ndiaye at 704-376-6160 to register your group or child
Drum Circle - Friday June 16th at Independence Park on Hawthorne
Drummers and dancers come out on Friday and Join the drum circle.
Juneteenth Festival of the
Carolinas 9th Annual Festival
Calling All:
• Bands come and battle it out in Our Battle of the Bands
Contest
• Local Entertainers come and grace our stage with your
melodic songs, flowing movement, and elegant poetry.
• Choirs (church, school, and community) sing melody to
our ears during our Gospel Fest on Sunday
• Step Teams from ail around come teach us the
Boot Dance of our Native Land
• Jazz Bands we need you for our Jazz night in ihe Park.
Open Talent Search at HOA on
Friday, May 12th, I9th, and 27th from 6-8 p.m.
• Talent Show with a chance to win studio time with
Boondox Records
• Local Entertainment Showcase
• Fashion Show - Hats & African Attire
• Jazz in the Park
• Battle of the Bands
• Gospel Fest
For More Information:
Contact House of Africa at 704-376-6160
or papsafrica@aol.com
Visit our website at
www.1uneteenthofthecaroiinas.com
“KEEPING IT REAL WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY
COCA-COLA REAL”
“Here’s How You Can Be Connected”
Submit, in writing, on your organization’s letterhead, the title of your event, data location, contact person and
telephone number for your activity to;
Coca-Cola Communitv Connection
801 Black Satchel Rd., Charlotte NC 28216
Attn: Terry Peterson - Phone 704-6974040 • Fax 704-6974054 or Email terry.peterson@ccbce.com