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Critics Choice

montage of events


WednesdayBack to top

Global health: Launch of a new campuswide initiative
Wednesday, May 14 | 4-7 p.m. | Berdahl Auditorium Stanley Hall

Peter Kim and Don FrancisThe Berkeley Alliance for Global Health is a new research initiative focused on improving health outcomes in the developing world and around the globe. It is comprised of two tightly linked centers: the Center for Emerging and Neglected Diseases, and the Center for Global Public Health. With more than 80 researchers in biology, bioengineering, public health, economics and law, the Alliance is bringing innovative, unorthodox solutions to critical health challenges--including HIV/AIDS, maternal mortality, and the spread of drug resistant tuberculosis.

The official launch of this new initiative, includes keynote addresses by two leading figures in global health. Peter Kim is president of Merck Research Labs, a pharmaceutical company that has led some of the largest international vaccine trials for HIV and Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). Don Francis is chairman of Global Solutions for Infectious Diseases, a non-profit working to develop vaccines for HIV and dengue; he was instrumental in the World Health Organization's eradication of smallpox in the 1970s. View the full program.



Exhibit: 'Borderlandia,' mixed-media work by Enrique Chagoya
February 13 – May 18, 2008 every Sunday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday & Saturday | 11 a.m.-5 p.m. | Berkeley Art Museum

Caption: Enrique Chagoya, Thesis / Antithesis, 1989; Charcoal and pastel on paper, 80 x 80 inches (203.2 x 203.2 cm); Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, Gift of Viacom and Bravo, the Film and Arts Network; Photo: © Enrique ChagoyaSuperman faces off with an Aztec god and cannibals run amok in Monet’s garden at Giverny in Enrique Chagoya: Borderlandia, the first major museum retrospective of the work of Mexico-born, San Francisco–based artist Enrique Chagoya. In the more than seventy works in the exhibition—paintings, charcoal and pastel drawings, prints, and mixed-media codices (accordion-folded books)—Chagoya intermingles icons and cultural references spanning hundreds of years and thousands of miles to create fantastic images and scathingly funny satires.



Exhibit: Ward Schumaker's hand-painted books and works on paper
March 10 – May 30, 2008 every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday & Friday | 220 Stephens Hall

Saved!Can sacred texts wield Biblical authority or even exist in this age when words come easily and with little cost or effort? “Saved!,” an exhibit of artist and illustrator Ward Schumacher’s word paintings and hand-painted books on view through at the Townsend Center for the Humanities, explores that question. Schumacher’s canvases are thick with paint and swirling text, and incorporate a range of texts — from Augustine to Rumplestiltskin, Leibniz to Bertolt Brecht’s The Threepenny Opera. Schumacher’s work has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, the New York Times, Poetry, and Le Figaro; He has illustrated two limited edition for The Yolla Bolly Press: Two Kitchens in Provence by M.F.K.Fisher, and Paris France by Gertrude Stein.



Photography: Protest in Paris 1968 — photographs by Serge Hambourg
March 12 – June 1, 2008 every Sunday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday & Saturday | Berkeley Art Museum

Arrested protestor at the demonstration of artists, writers, and students, Place du Palais Royal, July 16, 1968; digital print from 35mm black-and-white negative; 25 3/8 x 19 3/4 in.; Hood Museum of Art, gift of the artist, 2006.90.31; photo courtesy of tIn May 1968 in Paris, student and worker strikes against the conservative government of General Charles de Gaulle brought the country to a standstill. Images by French photographer Serge Hambourg provide a striking eyewitness account of this pivotal moment in political and cultural history."

On Friday, April 4, at 5 p.m., Serge Hambourg will deliver an Artist's Talk, in which he will comment on the content and context of his photographs and share personal anecdotes from his experience as a photojournalist in Paris during the spring and summer of 1968.


ThursdayBack to top

Staff: Self assessment with the Myers-Briggs Personality Type Indicator
Thursday, May 15 | 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. | Class of '42 Tang Center, University Health Services

Understanding your preferred work style and how it relates to specific careers and work roles on campus can be critical to career satisfaction. This workshop uses the Myers Briggs Type Indicator to identify personality and work style preferences. The MBTI personal inventory is a questionnaire designed to make personality types as described by C. G. Jung understandable and useful in people’s lives.

 Free
Search keyword: Career. Enroll online.

FridayBack to top

Exhibit: 'These Canyons,' 38th UC Berkeley M.F.A. exhibition
May 16 – June 8, 2008 every Sunday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday & Saturday | 11 a.m.-5 p.m. | Berkeley Art Museum

Wenhua Shi: What’s in Your Suitcase?, 2008; infrared sensors, RFID, computer, MDF, acrylic plastic; 96 x 60 x 24 in.; courtesy of the artist.The 38th Annual UC Berkeley Master of Fine Arts graduate exhibition gathers seven artists (Adrianne Crane, Renée Delores, Rosalynn Khor, Indira Martina Morre, Emily Prince, Wenhua Shi, and Sunaura Taylor) who, despite working with disparate styles and subject matter, root their practice in a common acknowledgment of the contemporary moment. From the intimate confrontation with the tactility of clay to the depictions of animals devastated by the farming industry to the travel stories of strangers captured in a form of psychogeographic digital story telling, each artist rethinks critical concepts from personal vantage points.

See Member's Opening Reception (5/16).


SaturdayBack to top

Workshop: Japanese and Chinese cultures facing the legacy of the 'Rape of Nanking'
Saturday, May 17 | 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. | International House

The “Rape of Nanking”—i.e. the massacre and atrocities committed by the Imperial Japanese Army after it captured Nanking in 1937—has become the most important symbol of the seven-year Sino-Japanese war. An impasse continues between the need of the Chinese for acknowledgement of the enormity of their suffering and resentment, and the feelings of defensiveness and shame on the part of the Japanese at the thought of their country’s having committed such despicable crimes against humanity. At this workshop, a prelude to the gathering in Nanking in December of 2008, Japanese and Chinese members of the post-World War II generation, will explore the impact of their countries' war-time past as well as their common future by sharing their stories and taking steps toward healing personal and collective wounds.

 FREE
Enroll by calling (510) 595-5500, Ext 17, or by emailing info@livingartscenter.org.


Celebration: 'Cal Japan Day,' Center for Japanese Studies 50th anniversary
Saturday, May 17 | 1-5 p.m. | Berkeley Art Museum

The Center for Japanese Studies is one of the oldest Japanese Studies centers in the United States, with internationally recognized strengths in Japanese history, literature, political science, religion, anthropology, and art history. This 50th anniversary celebration will include a tour of the newly-opened C.V. Starr East Asian Library followed by a series of lectures by Japan studies faculty, officially launching a year of celebration.

 $100
Buy tickets by calling Keiko Hjersman at 510-642-3415, or by emailing Keiko Hjersman at cjs@berkeley.edu.


Workshop: Medicinal plants of Northern California
May 17 – 18, 2008 every day | 3030 Valley Life Sciences Bldg.

CoffeeberryCalifornia is a treasure-trove of medicinal plant species. Many famous medicinal species from cultures around the world grow wild in California, and others are commonly cultivated as ornamentals. This experiential class, taught by botanist Christopher Hobbs, will provide an introduction to the biology, chemistry, and conservation of some important medicinal species found in Northern California. Historical and modern clinical uses of many locally available species will be emphasized. There will be demonstrations of traditional methods of herb harvest, drying, processing, and extraction. A highlight of the class will be a half-day plant walk at the UC Botanical Garden on Sunday to meet many medicinal species in person.

 $450/$475 members of the Friends of the Jepson Herbarium/non-members
Registration opens November 1. Register by May 15 online, or by calling Anna Larsen at 510-643-7008, or by emailing Anna Larsen at alarsen@berkeley.edu.

SundayBack to top

Egyptology: Early Christianity at Kharga Oasis
Sunday, May 18 | 2:30 p.m. | 20 Barrows Hall

View of main gate to temple Eugene Cruz-Uribe, professor emeritus of history at Northern Arizona University, will explore the long and complex transition from the traditional religious beliefs of ancient Egypt to the new Christian practices in his lecture “Christians Lost in the Desert?” Based on archaeological field research conducted mainly at the sites of Bagawat and Gebel Teir in Kharga Oasis in Egypt’s Western Desert, the presentation will examine the process of the conversion of Egyptians to Christianity using these communities as a guide and model. Cruz-Uribe will also discuss how Egyptians adapted traditional practices to Christianity, as well as how the two groups went from being friendly neighbors to serious competitors.


MondayBack to top

Energy: Costa Rica—the carbon neutrality challenge
Monday, May 19 | 4:30-6 p.m. | Room 554 Barrows Hall

Costa Rica has declared that it will go carbon neutral by 2021. To meet that challenge, energy officials from the Central American nation have gone on a fact-finding tour of the United States, seeking out best practices that can be incorporated at home. The Center for Latin American Studies together with the National Resources Defense Council have helped coordinate the delegation’s visit to Berkeley, focusing on global strategies for carbon neutrality, methods for reducing dependence on fossil fuels and the building of partnerships for future collaborations. In this lecture, Roberto Dobles, Costa Rican minister of the environment and energy, will discuss his country’s efforts to mitigate carbon emissions during this special presentation.


WednesdayBack to top

Theater: Robert Lepage's 'The Andersen Project'
May 28 – 31, 2008 every day | 8 p.m. | Zellerbach Playhouse

The Andersen Project. Photo courtesy of Emmanuel ValetteCanadian directory and writer, Robert Lepage returns to Cal Performances to present his latest one-man production, "The Andersen Project," based on the life of Hans Christian Andersen, featuring Yves Jacques. This spellbinding solo piece draws on some of Lepage's favorite themes: the confrontation of past and present, of Romanticism and modernism, and of recognized and underground art forms. In this fascinating piece, Lepage also explores more personal territories in questions about sexual identity, unfulfilled fantasies, and the thirst for recognition and fame that are drawn from Andersen's life and writings. Content appropriate for mature audiences only.

See Cal Performances' website for ticket details.


ThursdayBack to top

Classical music: 'From The Top' live taping
Thursday, May 29 | 8 p.m. | Zellerbach Hall

This popular radio show, a talent competition for superb young classical musicians, is aired on 250 stations nationwide including San Francisco's KDFC, and is hailed by critics as "the best thing to happen to classical music since Leonard Bernstein's Young People's Concerts." Hosted by acclaimed concert pianist Christopher O'Riley, this live weekly taping of "From the Top" is a fun musical event for the entire family. "You don't have to be a classical music fan to love this show. From the Top's signature is not taking itself too seriously—it's classy reality programming," says NBC's The Today Show.

See Cal Performances' website for ticket details.



Staff: Career planning workshop
Thursday, May 29 | 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. | Class of '42 Tang Center, University Health Services

Jarralynne Agee and Elayne ChouBuilding a career on campus involves developing a plan that connects one's personal interests and abilities with career opportunities currently available on campus and with future campus workforce needs. Jarralynne Agee, program manager at the Center for Workforce Development, and Elayne Chou, career counselor at the Tang Center, will help you set goals and plan decision making strategies in this career planning workshop. You will also learn ways to handle potential obstacles to career development at Berkeley.

 Free
Enroll on ICE. Enroll online.

FridayBack to top

Recital: Audra McDonald, soprano
Friday, May 30 | 8 p.m. | Zellerbach Hall

Audra McDonald. Photo courtesy of Michael WilsonA Broadway phenomenon with an unprecedented four Tony Awards to her name, Audra McDonald is frequently compared to legends such as Barbra Streisand and Judy Garland and is currently the toast of the town for her stellar performances in 110 in the Shade. But like all great artists, she is a unique force, blending a rich, classically trained soprano with a rare gift for dramatic expression. "It's hard to imagine more compelling performances...plenty of opera singers would do well to emulate her," said the Dallas Morning News of her 2006 performances at Houston Grand Opera.

See Cal Performances' website for ticket details.


SaturdayBack to top

Recital: Nuccia Focile, soprano, and Paul Charles Clarke, tenor
Saturday, May 31 | 8 p.m. | Hertz Concert Hall

Nuccia FocileReturning following her Cal Performances debut last fall, Nuccia Focile joins forces once again with the Berkeley Symphony Orchestra and conductor Robert Cole for another performance of great music from both opera and the American musical theater. This season, the acclaimed Italian soprano is joined by her husband, British tenor Paul Charles Clarke, who, in addition to his close association with the Welsh National Opera, has appeared at the Metropolitan Opera, the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Deutsche Oper Berlin, and Santa Fe, Houston, and Seattle Operas. Together, they will perform a program of duets and arias from Carmen, Turandot, Carousel, West Side Story, and others.

See Cal Performances' website for ticket details.



Tribute: Jim Gray, computer scientist
Saturday, May 31 | 9 a.m.-5 p.m. | Zellerbach Hall

Jim GrayJim Gray, legendary computer science pioneer, has been missing at sea since January 28, 2007. Gray is known for his groundbreaking work as a programmer, database expert and Microsoft engineer. Gray’s work helped make possible such technologies as the cash machine, ecommerce, online ticketing, and deep databases like Google. In 1998, he received the ACM A.M. Turing Award, the most prestigious honor in computer science. He was appointed an IEEE Fellow in 1982, and also received IEEE Charles Babbage Award. This tribute brings together family, friends, and colleagues to discuss his achievements and contributions. The general session will be from 9 - 10:30 a.m., followed by technical sessions that will require registration.


SundayBack to top

Marathon screening: Video works by Lynn Hershman Leeson with artist in virtual converstation
Sunday, June 1 | 12-8 p.m. | Pacific Film Archive Theater

Desire, Inc.Lynn Hershman Leeson is now best known for her technologically astute feature films and interactive gallery incursions, but her career can be traced back to a substantial body of inventively prophetic video works. This immersive eight-hour extravaganza presents Hershman Leeson’s substantial body of inventive, prophetic video works, with the filmmaker appearing in avatar for a virtual conversation.



Photography: Trevor Paglen, 'The Other Night Sky'
June 1 – September 14, 2008 every Sunday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday & Saturday | 11 a.m.-5 p.m. | Museum Theater Berkeley Art Museum

Trevor Paglen: KEYHOLE/IMPROVED CRYSTAL Optical Reconnaissance Satellite (USA 129) near Scorpio, 2007; C-print; courtesy of the artist and Bellwether Gallery, New York.Trevor Paglen is interested in the idea of photography as a kind of truth-telling, but his pictures often stop short of documentation, with their blurry subjects and barely discernible detail. Trained as both an artist and a geographer, Paglen uses an array of tactics to map the “black world” of U.S. military and intelligence activities. His MATRIX project scans the heavens for signs of covert activity, visualizing “the other night sky.”

Phyllis Wattis MATRIX Curator Elizabeth Thomas will join Trevor Paglen for a discussion of his work on June 1 at 3 p.m.


TuesdayBack to top

Early music: Wildcat Viols
Tuesday, June 3 | 8 p.m. | Hertz Concert Hall

The ninth Berkeley Exhibition & Festival opens with Wildcat Viols. The six-part viol consort, 17th-century England's most perfect chamber ensemble, inspired the most ambitious and imaginative music from the best composers of the age. Wildcat Viols explore this richly varied repertoire, from William Brade’s lively dances to the elegant fantasies of William Byrd, Orlando Gibbons and John Jenkins to the uniquely sublime and quirky fantasy-suites of William Lawes. Early Music America magazine called Wildcat Viols debut concert a “wonderful offering…beautifully played.” The trio of Wildcat musicians—Joanna Blendulf, treble viol; Julie Jeffrey, tenor viol; and Elisabeth Reed, bass viol—will be joined by guest artists Steven Lehning, tenor viol and G violone; David Morris, treble viol; and William Skeen, bass viol.

See the Berkeley Exhibition & Festival website for ticket details.



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