Art is transformative.
Artists can take difficult, traumatic, devastating life events and craft them into songs, stories, sculptures, drawings--even comedy. Art can be a place to work through our struggles, both as creators and as audiences.
Writer and cross-genre artist Essence London went through a terrible time as the editor of a literary publication. As she put it, “I went viral, in the bad way, on twitter.”
She found a way to process the experience over time, by making a board game called Yet Another Lit Mag.
We talk about what goes into game development and we test out the game in the studio, this week on Nice Work.
Home Movies and a Lot More at the IU Moving Image Archive
The sound of a 16mm projector at a film screening is a rare thing to encounter these days. But when I do, it brings back memories of grade school classrooms, lights out, window shades drawn, the teacher often struggling with the equipment, kids murmuring and getting restless in anticipation of the film we were about to watch. It was almost always something educational. I remember one about all the sea creatures you might spot in tide pools. We watched that one ahead of a field trip to the beach.
Informational films, like the ones we watched in school, are the kind of thing you might find in the IU Libraries Moving Image Archive, also known as IULMIA. They house a unique collection of films.
Kayte Young spoke with the director, Carmel Curtis, to learn all about the archive and ways to explore the collection. We talk about their ongoing series You (Probably) Haven’t Seen this Before, where they screen a curated selection of mostly 16mm films from the archive. The next one is March 26 at 5:30 in the IULMIA screening room. This one is put together by guest curator, Essence London and will feature home movies.
Follow the Moving Image Archive on Instagram to keep up with events.
No Snobs on a Bike Polo Court (Please!)
Out in Building Trades Park on Bloomington's near west side some people meet up a couple times a week, weather permitting, to connect with each other. But also, to play bike polo. They are called Bloomington Bike Polo.
This crew, a lot of them, have volunteered at the Bloomington Community Bike Project, and there is a DIY spirit to the whole affair. Generally speaking, they are the kinds of people that like to make things, like to do things, and like to help others make and do things. It’s a good bunch.
They are out on the basketball court of Building and Trades Park from 5:30 p.m. to dark on Thursdays and between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Sundays, again, weather permitting. They welcome new players and even have bikes and gear to help get you started. But if you would rather, you can just watch them play what turns out to be a fast-paced and oddly graceful game. It looks like a ton of fun.
Nice Work host Tyler Lake went to find out what makes him think it’s different than a lot of other sports.