SFR Picks—Week of Feb. 6 2019

Pics ’n’ poems, hot jamz, pop-ups and Black History Month

Duality

Austin Eichelberger merges his two loves

As an artist and educator, Santa Fean Austin Eichelberger is probably more recognizable when he dons his writer's cap. But he tells SFR that he began as a visual artist, only switching full-time to words when he came to Santa Fe some years ago. For his new show Typeface, Eichelberger places the two together in the form of double-exposed photos emblazoned with original short poems. They're akin to self-portraits, both literally and symbolically; Eichelberger's soul is laid bare in images and a few stanzas. He shows incredible vulnerability but, he says, it felt right.

"It feels very natural, like something my work was always driving toward," Eichelberger tells SFR. "But it was also scary for me—I don't usually bring my art and words together, but this risk-taking has been where the fun comes in—I like this idea that they're like self-portraits, but it was also more of an exploration to see what it could mean to being these forms together."

To achieve the pieces, Eichelberger uses the Hipstamatic phone app, software that allows him to shoot whenever inspiration strikes with his handy smartphone—a method he defends against a world of photography gatekeepers.

"[Smartphones] have amazing cameras that people didn't think could be possible in a cellphone 10 years ago," he says. "They're a part of this medium, a natural part; art is for everyone and should be made by everyone."

Eichelberger says the time of year also partly inspired the work, particularly with Valentine's Day looming.

"The holiday revolves around love, which brings up, for me, the idea of queer love and self-love; my husband, and the loves that are difficult for people to achieve," he says. "Working on a project like this is helping me process some of those emotions and accept them in a new way." (Alex De Vore)

Austin Eichelberger: Typeface
4 pm Saturday Feb. 9. Free.
The ART.i.factory,
930 Baca St., Ste. C,
982-5000

Trunk Show

If the sting of missing out on the sold-out Laura Gibson and Gregory Alan Isakov show at Meow Wolf this week is too much to bear, look no further than midtown DIY space Ghost for hot tunes. Los Angeles' Dante Elephante is coming in swinging with satisfying indie-pop with a soulful bent. Think Motown-y bass lines meeting sexy horn pieces over dreamy guitars and smooth vocal melodies and harmonies a la Dr. Dog, Mac DeMarco or even the Traveling Wilburys. It's smooth to be sure, and the band's most recent album Rare Attractions is officially now our go-to in the car. Locals Edward Almost and Vonnie Kyle kick things off. (ADV)

Dante Elephante with Vonnie Kyle and Edward Almost: 
8 pm Wednesday Feb. 6. $5-$10.
Ghost,
2899 Trades West Road.

Heart Smart

For those about to enter the Valentine's Day gauntlet, fairly warned be thee, says we—there's a cooler way to do it than frantically picking up a box of Russell Stover at the CVS on your way home. Zalma Lofton Gallery's Two of Hearts, a brilliantly timed pop-up, features unique jewelry from Lauren Aguilar of Cultura Corazón, clever sculptures from Cathy Carr and insanely delicious chocolates from Andrea Abedi, aka local private chef The Temptress. That's not even mentioning the supply of art from local creators always on hand in the space. You'll win all the points, impress all the right people and feel good about supporting locals during a holiday while you're at it. (ADV)

Two of Hearts: 
5 pm Friday Feb. 8. Free.
Zalma Lofton Gallery,
407 S Guadalupe St.,
670-5179.

If You’re Not Outraged …

To celebrate Black History Month, the community college presents a lecture by UNM's Jamal Martín. His hefty background in public health, Africana studies and peace studies informs his views on the rise of neo-Confederacy in higher education, and how it has developed and has been developed by the prison industrial complex. Sounds heavy? Whew—it is. But Martín, ever an educator, emphasizes the need for the give-and-take of discourse rather than the right-and-wrong of debate. "I think people … need to become more aware of the importance of having some sort of truth and reconciliation hearings in this country," he says. "I think [that would] require a revolution of consciousness, and hopefully not some cataclysmic apocalypse." (Charlotte Jusinski)

Jamal Martín: Contemporary Issues Facing People of Color:
11 am-1 pm Tuesday Feb. 12. Free.
Jemez Rooms,
Santa Fe Community College,
6401 Richards Ave., 428-1000

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