artscope magazine: July/August 2008 Welcome Statement: Brian Goslow, managing editor Letters to the Editor Past, Present, Future: ANISH KAPOOR ANDREW SAFTEL: How do we get there? WEDDED BLISS: The Marriage of Art and Ceremony A POLITIC, Gallery XIV El Greco To Velázquez: Art during the reign of Philip III Luisa Rabbia: Travels with Isabella, Travel Scrapbooks 1883/2008 Collector's Choice: Late 19th Century Vibrations OFF THE WALL: 2008 Annual members’ Juried exhibition Featured Artist Laurence Young An Artful Touch: An Artful Touch Gallery Everday Monuments: the Photographs of Jerome Liebling: SAM FEINSTEIN (1915-2003): A retrospective DORA ATWATER MILLIKIN: Geometry of Place Nancy Craig: New Paintings and Works on Paper, and Romolo Del Deo: New Sculpture and Bronze Furniture ALEX KATZ AND FRIENDS / THE GLEANERS BLACK WOMANHOOD: Images, Icons, And Ideologies of the African Body 215 College Street Artists' Cooperative Gallery Kevin Gilmore: Recent Paintings Paintings: Stephen Courbois, Sculpture: Pat Musick Penelope Jencks: Sculpture in Bronze, Terracotta and Plaster Theater: Counter Productions Theater: Ko FEST Music: Marblehead Summer Jazz Concerts and Festival of Arts Dance: Bates Summer Dance Festival Musings: FUNG WAH ADVENTURE Capsule Previews: May/June 2008

Theater: Ko FEST Greg Morell Amherst College Route 9 and Route 116 Amherst, Massachusetts July 7 through August 10 Returning to the Amherst college campus for its 17th season, the Ko Festival has established itself as the summer theater experience of choice for those with a taste for the provocative and challenging. this is not your Aunt martha’s summer theater – what you will not see is anything resembling “Our Town,” “South Pacific,” “Charlie’s Aunt” or “The Odd Couple.” It is an enterprise of workshops and formal presentations. The word “Ko” is taken from the I Ching and can be translated as “revolution,” “molting” or “transformation.” An evening of Ko can either be deeply rewarding or just plain deep. Festival Director Sabrina Hamilton has enjoyed a long tenure, having been with the festival since its inception. Each season she establishes a festival focus; the theme examined this season is “Food.” As the world grapples with the food crisis, we are given food for thought. At the Ko Fest we can indulge our theatrical craving for something beyond the norm, something nouvelle, something enriched with exotic spice that can either sting or delight the palate. Although the Ko Festival eschews tradition, one tradition that is heartily embraced by all is the appearance each year of Ralph Lee and his Mettawee River Theater Company. The venerable Lee is a theatrical wizard of the first order. Each year he creates a richly imaginative program of myth or fable, usually with an Eastern sensibility. Lee is a master of theatrical craft as playwright, director, puppet and mask maker, musician, composer, designer and producer. He and his dedicated ensemble of devoted actors function as orators, musicians, puppeteers and sceneshifters. They are a fully integrated team of thespians trouping about the New England summer performing on village greens, museum lawns and college campuses. With the exception of electric light for their early evening performances, the group performs in much the same manner as traveling troupes from the days of horse and wagon. Lee knows how to wield the wand of enchantment. He does not have fans; he has devotees. Read the entire article in our magazine pages...