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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (March 2, 2000)
Arts&Entertainment LOCALincoln opens doors for artiste ■ Group’s second show lets ‘younger artsists’ show work out side of the Rotunda Gallery. By Jason Hardy Staff writer In January, two University of Nebraska Lincoln students enlisted the help of their friends to offer a number of local artists a show case for their work. Larry Taylor and Luther Mardock founded LOCALincoln, a group dedicated to enhancing the creative environment in Lincoln. They put on a show combining art, music and written work in the Malone Center gymnasium. Financially speaking, most would have con sidered it a flop, but for Taylor it was the first step in estab lishing a tra dition. On Friday, Taylor will take the next step by holding the second LOCALincoln event. This time, however, some things have changed. “We were slightly in the red last time, but I didn’t even expect to do that well for a first ven ture,” Taylor said. “We know a lot more now, so for that reason it went a lot more smoothly. I consider the first one a test pilot even though it went really well.” The location is one of the key differences between Friday’s event and the first LOCALincoln show. While January’s showcase took place in a somewhat ill-suited gymnasium, Friday’s show will be held in the Ballroom of the Nebraska Union, a space much better equipped to present all of the contributing work. Not only that, it was cheaper. “I’m pretty excited about the space itself,” Taylor said. “The aesthetics are wonderful, and it has great lighting, so that’s really cool.” Also different from the last event are the contributors themselves. All but one of the peo ple either performing or showing work Friday are new. Included in the show are nine visual artists, three literary artists, the music of Industrial Lounge, Her Flyaway Manner, Blue 88 and Kevin Chacek and, as another new addition to the format, a short film. Taylor said the idea was to have the diversi ty of LOCALincoln performers mirror the diversity of Lincoln’s local art scene. “I don’t want things to get stale or for (LOCALincoln) to only be associated with a few select names,” he said. “For a large part we sought out people, but it worked both ways this time. People actually contacted us more.” John Shulters, a UNL senior art major who is showing a mixed media project at Friday’s event, said he was interested in showing OCALincoln WHERE: Ballroom, Nebraska Union, 1400 R. St. WHEN: 7 p.m., March 3 COST: $5 THE SKINNY: Event to display the talents of local ImMm. fledgling artists. work simply as a different outlet for his craft, which he had previously shown in the Union’s Rotunda gallery. “I think it’s a pretty great opportunity for younger local artists to form a community that doesn’t exist on campus,” Shulters said. “Usually with the Rotunda, you just get the reg ular Union traffic flow. I think just with the advertising (LOCALincoln) has been doing outside of the university, it should draw a differ ent crowd.” Sarah B. Schenck, a senior art major who is reading poetry at Friday’s show, said after see ing the last LOCALincoln event, she was eager ly anticipating the next one. “I thought it was great,” she said. “There’s not many forums for people who are interested in stuff like that.” Schenck said over time she anticipated more artists would seek out LOCALincoln for events. “A lot of the art students at the university are interested in showing their work. It’s nice to have a community place to do it where people outside of the university can come and see it,” she said. “After I graduate this May, I’ll be looking for more places to show work. I think people are always looking for places to show our work, and hopefully people will stay involved with it.”