Artist shows hour-long video smile By Daneix McCoy Staffwriter The simplicity of a smile is some thing most people overlook. Not Charley Friedman. Friedman's video, “Gne-Hour Smile” is being shown at the Sheldon Memorial Art Gallery, 12th and R Streets, through January. “One-Hour Smile” takes the spontaneity of the smile and changes it to an act of deter mination and intention. Giving the viewer an ironic perspective on human emotions, the self-made video is fixed firmly on his own face as Friedman forces himself through the gamut of personal expression while maintaining a beaming smile all the while. Although the video is referred to as an artistic Him, Friedman stresses that itisjustavideo. “I see video as being as close as you can get to utilitarian format,” Friedman said. “It’s cheap to use, and it’s plain and forward. It’s almost like a home movie.” During the sixty-minute video there is no talking and rarefy any back ground noise. Friedman’s face is his medium and fills the television screen. - “The video was painful for me to do physically Your body assumes that you can’t smile for an hpur,” said Friedman. “But after 20 minutes I knew that I could do it” Through the video’s first five min utes, Friedman’s smile seems sincere and, complete with eye movements, gives the impression of surprise and delight l:. —____ill. tt* otiiuv JWll VrvCUj mni. i eyes begin to squint and his face begins I “"luntmgslightlyredastft: continues to j hold his tight-lipped smile. At some | points, it looks as if he is in consider able pain, and at some points it seems he is on the verge of tears. Friedman stresses that what the viewer sees is the natural outcome of his physical strain and not acting. Dan Siedell, curator of the Sheldon gallery, found die video to be hilarious. “When die director and I first saw it, we laughed so hard we were crying,’’ Siedell said. Friedman agreed that some might have an amused reaction to his inces sant, beaming mug. While watching the video it’s almost impossible not to smile back at the vision of Friedman^ face on the television. *•, “All my work has humor. Humor has a way of looking at the person and letting them see themselves in a differ ent way.” Siedell hopes that people will appreciate the video as a serious piece and not as a joke. “I think video art can be very pre tentious but this is not It has no deep, significant meaning.” Friedman, a native of Lincoln, works as a performance artist, a sculp tor and a photographer as well. He received a BFA from Macalester College in St Paul, Minn, and a MFA from the School of the Museum ofFine Arts in Boston two years ago. Recently, Friedman completed a residency at the Bemis Center for rAnfptnnAranr Art m fWinL/i am/1 r%4- 4tA Skowngem School of Art in Maine, where the video was filmed. He now 9biv or many artistic films, the'viaeo'was decidedly simple both in production and content. The goal of die film was not to impress people with its profundi ty, but was crafted as a reaction to the ignorance of some people’s philoso phy. In Friedman’s words, “The song ‘Don’t Worry, Be Happy’ is foolish and ignorant. You can’t always be happy. It’s not a part of your life. “Your body makes that apparent.” “One-Hour Smile” can be viewed during normal business hours at the Sheldon Memorial Art Gallery. ' * - ■ _• - • - ■ -___- _i_ ^ Circuit City Stores, toe. the nation's largest retailer of brand-name consumer electronics and major appliances and a leading retailer of personal computers and music software. We are set to provide you with one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences of your life) With Circuit City, you can jump-start your career or supplement your existing lifestyle. All associates are eligible to take advantage of our terrific associate merchandise discount and tuition assistance, and fulltime associates are elig&le for our comprehensive benefits package. Hiring b under way for the following positions: Scries CounseloK No high pressure tactics, just a devotion to satisfying customer needs—that's the key to our success and yours! Retail experience is a plus—but not required. Ambition, energy, and good people skills are necessary. CD Music SpedaRsts Warehouse Assodatos ^I * f/f if COMING TO YOUR WORLD ICBLIEEE^ftpBBEBBlBI November 9,1998 ^°°Pm ok nbrb "adflqniBV" ufl I « ^muao ^jjainoi ajul oui ifxui mu ■soriBito tfidt r* Mkmi4rlc .amB *ft noiiooBan bi«To rfta r t ^pjg^^12 D10c£l(Mlf&72in;2ti 7 5 -Mji-.il n wi.m .— I rfgpoz olgnia oril now lerit ^stml a oirxi grahoBfevoD rftiw srrteTfo UbH Ilotf bnB >taoS orft vtb www. conted/duted 3. Visit our office at the Oifibrd Hardin Nebraska Center for Continuing Education. Room 255,33rd and Hokbege Streets. ♦ Division of Continuing Studies Department of Distance Education Hi III TT~**** "■* .. . . ' •: