Photo OTapher shares wealth off his art
By CATHY SCHULZE
DTI! Slaff Writer
Photographer Harry Callahan is generally regarded
as inarticulate by scornful art critics who have tried to
interview him. But in his hometown of Providence,
'R.I, which has fostered the likes of Aaron Siskind and
Diane Arbus, he is known as the Grand Old Man of
Photography.
Why should he have to explain to people who prefer
not to see themselves a picture more beautiful than
words can tell: of solitude, a woman, his wife, in an
empty room by an open window?
The Duke Museum of Art, on the east campus of
Duke. University, is exhibiting through Sept. 27 60
black and white prints taken between 1941-1976 by
Callahan, who has been called the most published
photographer in America. Even on a hot Sunday af
ternoon when the Duke campus was generally empty,
the exhibition sponsored by Hallmark Cards was fill
ed with people admiring Callahan's work and
perhaps wondering how he could make pictures like
these. :
The whole range of styles and subject matter that
interest Callahan is present in this small exhibition.
Unlike many photographers who acquire a style and
then simply proliferate it, Callahan tries not to stop
looking at the world in different ways.
"I don't like the idea of a style," he said. "You
just repeat yourself like a butterfly collection. I think
that people who find a style and get classified as some
kind of special type of photographer, those people
end up imitating themselves."
Callahan differs in his basic approach from
photographers like Siskind, who made a name for
himself by photographing torn signs on walls and ar
chitecture, and Arbus, who photographed freaks.
The exhibit displays the full range of Callahan's
strength: nature photographs of ferns and grasses, an .
intriguing multiple-exposure of a tree that seems to
be spinning, beach photographs with and without
people, as well as multiple-exposure city scenes of
cars and alleyways, houses in Providence, close-ups
of women on the street and photographs of pedes
trians that incorporate the city in the background.
And then there are the photographs of his wife
Eleanor and daughter Barbara. These photographs
are so well-loved that Callahan said the next book he
prints will probably be photographs only of his wife
and daughter.
Callahan has said that he didn't want to
photoeranh iust anv model, so he photographed his
wife because it gives him a "vicarious thrill." His
photographs of Eleanor are more than the nudes of
photographer Edward Weston, who compared the
female nude to green peppers and sand dunes.
Callahan's nude photographs of his wife are of some
one loved and watched in eager anticipation.
One of the few close-ups of Eleanor is a picture of
her sliding into the water with her eyes closed, her
long hair floating around her breasts. It is one of the
best-loved Callahan photographs and" it is commer
cially one of the most valuable; this portrait gently
draws us into its peaceful feeling. With her eyes closed,
she eludes direct contact with us, safely sealed away in'
her own dreams on a piece of paper. '
Callahan's daughter Barbara1 has grown up, and
now runs a photographer's gallery, but when young
she also served as one of his models. The most
becoming portrait of Barbara shows her unself
consciously examining a leafy tree that protects her
nudity.
"I hate the idea that some rich guy can have a
painting and nobody else can ever see it," Callahan
said. "Photography reaches millions of people, same
way with writing and music."
And that seems to be the point of this show to
share the wealth. '
Thursday, September 10,.198irrhe Daily Tar Heel7
Skaggs in concert
A
lb lam de 6 fefe.we Jl
'Positive Touch
Sound.
gives album a negative iincleFtoJie
By TIM MOONEY
DTH Staff Writer
It was not earth-shattering news, but the
Undertones' 1979 debut album was a
knockout. Complete with charging power
chords, catapulting rhythms and irrepressi
ble enthusiasm, here was Ireland's pop
band of the 1980s.
And their looks! The first album cover
portrayed five goofy-looking kids (the
oldest was 22) wearing jeans shrunken to
midshin and wool sweaters five sizes too
large. The Undertones possessed great
potential. Best of all, they were such a
refreshing change from the typical punk
European bands of the time.
Positive Touch, the Undertone third
album, is sadly a disaster. It represents an
attempt at making a new sound, and abso
lutely everything goes wrong in the process
of trying to attain one. The lighter, thinner
production is a change for the worse that
only does injustice to the Undertones'
ability.
Guitars lilt, tiptoe and strum gently
rather than crash. Singer Feargel Sharkey,
sounds as though he is singing a lullaby on
half of the songs. Mickey Bradley's drums
are barely pitter-patters in the distance.
Saxophones, such as in the solo on "It's
Going to Happen," are needlessly added
for a sour, jazzy effect. What is sought for
the music is an aesthetic delicacy and soft
ness, but it simply fails in every way.
Inventive lyrics never have been the
Undertones' specialty. But the first two
albums were danceabry silly; who even
listened to the words? Without the careen
ing energy and beat, Positive Touch forces
you to listen, and the songs now are just
plain silly. . : '
Perhaps people who haven't been ex
posed to the Undertones' material may
like "Positive Touch" for study music.
But the fans who loved previous sonic at
tacks such as "Male Model" will gag upon
hearing "Sigh and Explode" or "Your
Welcome," easily the two worst songs the
Undertones have ever recorded.
The only encouraging note is that now
the oldest Undertone is but 24, giving the
band a long time to correct this mistake of
an album. r.
YOUnion Day to provide fun activities
By TOM MOORE
Arts Editor . ;
Over the past few years, Ricky Skaggs ;
has emerged as one of the most vital pre
sences in country music. As a member of
Emmylou Harris' Hot Band, Skaggs, who
plays a number of instruments including
fiddle, guitar, and mandolin, was largely
responsible for the brilliance of Harris
best two albums: Even Cowgirls Get The
Blues and Roses In The Snow. Now
Skaggs has come'out with his first album
on a major label, Waiting For The Sun
To Shine, which is the best pure country
album to come out in some time.
Like Cowgirb and Roses In The Snow,
Waiting For The Sun To Shine reaches
back to older country music for its source
of songs. Though the songs are old stan
dards, Skaggs doesn't perform them in an
old-timey way. Yet he doesn't rock 'em
so much that they lose their original
charm either (the way groups like The
Earl Scruggs Review do). Instead Skaggs
delivers them in a smooth fusion of the
old and the new that makes the tunes re
freshing. Skaggs began his performing career
with an appearance on the Flatt and
Scruggs television show at age seven, and
at 15, he became a member of the famous
Stanley Brothers group. He incorporates
these early influences into two of the al
bum's best cuts: "If That's The Way You
Feel," written by Ralph and Carter
Stanley arid "Don't Get Above Your
Raising," which was written by Lester
Flatt and Earl Scruggs, and is the best
tune on the album.
But don't think the album is bluegrass,
because it's not. These two tunes and the
heartbreaking . "Your Old Love Letters"
are the orly. real bluegrass tunes on the
album, but even they aren't really per
formed in bluegrass style. Bluegrass is
merely a springboard to something else.
Skaggs also incorporates the influence of
western swing (and Bob Wills) on "Low
And Lonely," honky-tonk on "1 Don't
Care," folk on "Waiting For The $un To
Shine" and even blending in a few new
songs such as "You May See Me
Walking.". ",''.. '- -i'. ;
On Waiting For TheSun To Shine,
Skaggs limits himself to acoustic and elec
tric rhythm guitar and mandolin. He is.
expertly backed; by a host of sessionmen
that includes fiddler Bobby Hicks, who is
a veteran member of Bill Monroe's band
and Buck White on piano. The sound on
the album is a slick one, reminiscent of
Emmylou Harris' last three albums. But
it's a slick sound of perfection the
funkiness is all there and not one that
simply embalms all the music like the
over-done Nashville Sound - that was
popular several years ago.
Skaggs sings lead on albums cuts. He
has a small, but pleasant, voice that has
just a touch of the South in it. And he
uses it to squeeze all the right emotions
out of the songs on Waiting For The Sun
To Shine; even though the lyrics are
sometimes a bit trite for some of the al
bum's songs, they never sound that way
when Skaggs sings them, which is the true
sign of a good country singer.
Waiting For The Sun To Shine falls a
little short of Skaggs finest work with
Emmylou Harris; it somehow "lacks the
impact of Even Cowgirls and Roses In
The Snow. Though Skaggs has recorded
several albums on smaller labels his
best previous work is on the Durham
based Sugar Hill label this marks his
first real introduction as a solo act to
many people. So though it . may be .
stretching things to say that this is the best
debut album, not just in country but in all
popular music, to roll around in some
time. I'll call it that anyhow.
Ricky Skaggs along with David Gris
man will appear in concert at 8 p.m.
today in Memorial Hall. '
The rigors of class already getting to you? Tired of the mono
tony of trying to keep up with all your reading? Escape from the
doldrums of your everyday existence with Carolna YOUnion
Day, a cornucopia of frivilous frolics going on from noon until
about 4 p.m. today in the Pit.
All sorts of fun-filled activities will be going on. To release
that competitive urge, scheduled events include: a pie-eating
contest, new-wave musical chairs, a pizza-eating contest for
which there is a $1 fee, simultaneous chess, College Bowl and a
film trivia contest where winners will receive a movie poster.
And for those who don't look like Robert Redford or
Catherine Deneuve, there will be an ugly face contest where
contestants are urged to make their ugliest face.
If such things aren't sensual enough, body painting and Hot
Tub antics will go on all day. But if all this sounds too adult,
there will also be clay modeling, a waterballoon fight and graf
fiti scrawling on the infamous cube.
For students who bear grudges against certain campus celebri
ties, there will be a dunking booth. Those with a good throwing
arm can soak Larry Ellis, Jim Hummel, Carol ZieUnski, John
Goodwin, Scott Norberg, Mark Canady and ElChino Martin.
Those interested in knowing the evils of drug addiction can
watch Reefer Madness, a propaganda film produced in the
1930s that warns about marijuana. Reefer Madness will be
shown at noon, I and 2 p.m. in the upstairs lounge of the
Carolina Union.
Other things scheduled for YOUnion Day include music by
Don Mercz on guitar and fiddle and by John Root on flute, an
ARA ice cream booth, a pep rally at 3 p.m., a photo display, a
demonstration of Tai Chi Chuan and basketball fun with some
of the UNC Varsity team. Come on down and join the zany
antics, ; . ... . .,' ... '. . .
all m cms mm
served Sunday Thursday nights
Alaclian Cnor;
Crab Lcs
. -
FH? NT :
You may reorder any other "ALL YOU CAN EAT' item of equal
or less cost than your original order
Dinners serves with hush puppies french fries and nldvj
Sy DURHAM fs
I f IS RESEARCH
Chapel a If triangle
Chapel Hill 967-S227: Durham 544-1791
HOUSS: Lunch: MoiL-FrL 11:30-2:00
Dinner: Tues.-Sat 5:00-9:00
TAKEOUT
r3
IK n
Y
as
DtOiUnr
15)
CD)
)
Offil VF! i'Vi!