University of Arizona - Desert Yearbook (Tucson, AZ)

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News - Production by Lupe Eomon Page A39 License THES EXHIBin N , Limited or Labeled? lust a friendly warning: For the first time in the history of the museum, a warning concerning the content of an exhibit is posted at the entrance to the Masters of Fine Arts thesis display. Due to the sexually- explicit content of some of the pieces, many thought the sign was appropriate. Photo by Lupe Eamon. Bringing disco back from the dead, Mock Rock competitor Neal Dorr shows off to the sounds of I Will Survive, a seventies super-hit. The annual Mock Rock festival drew a large crowd to the Mall despite the chilly weather. Photo by Lupe Eamon. By LUPE EAMON UofA Desert Yearlnxik For the first time in the history of the esteemed University of Arizona Art Museum, a disclaimer was placed at the entrance to a Masters of Art Thesis exhi- bition. The much publi- cized collection of UA ' s most accomplished art students focused primarily on a very touchy subject — sex and sexuality. The multimedia works were not the first to deal with explicit subject mat- ter, but the museum decided to experiment with the idea of a warning sign in- keeping with the experi- mental spirit of the display. Many thought that the sign was warranted because of the museum ' s popularity with local schools who of- ten tour the displays as part of their yearly field trip regi- men. However, the question was also raised in the com- munity about whether the sign was an act of gratu- itous censorship without precedent in the museum ' s history. The cry to arms on this side was not altogether loud or long lived since the controversy was quickly quelled by those who felt that the museum had every prerogative to erect the sign. The question then re- mained, who was to judge the impact of these works? The range of media ran from a three screen video presentation to photograph sequences and hand-made books. The subject matter, though, was fairly consistent and thought pro- voking. How does one deal with their sexuality? What role does it play in one ' s life? How is it to be ex- pressed? Deep questions, these which the masters attempted to answer. And what was the general impact of the exhibit? One student who toured the gallery with her Humanities 250C class, tried to come to terms with the works. I am really not sure what to make of the exhibit but many profound emotions and concepts were presented in bold form, sophomore Melissa Bjelland said. Perhaps the only ones who can fully understand the works are those who created them. But then again, what is the purpose of the display if not to at least attempt to raise the understanding of its audi- ence, disclaimer sign or no.

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Page A38 1 994-95 University of Arizona Desert News April 1995 Saturday, 1 Tex- Mex superstar Selena murdered in Corpus Christi, Texas Thursday, 6 Police arrest protestors during a Critical Mass bicycle ride that blocked traffic on Speedway Blvd. Sunday, 9 Islamic militants opposed to Is- raeli-PLO peace process kill six Israeli soldiers and wound dozens of people in two suicide bombings in the Gaza Strip Thursday, 13 Kamakshi Murti, asso- ciate professor of Ger- man, receives the 1995 Five Star Faculty Award Sunday, 16 Israeli security forces kill three Palestinians who the army said was en route to an attack on the Israelis A Excerpt of the erotic. A portion of Amanda Ralph ' s Bitter Fruit, part of the controversial Masters of Fine Arts Thesis Exhibit at the UA Museum of Art. Photo by Aaron J. Latham. L

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1 994-95 University of Arizona Desert b Terror Hits Home By LUPE EAMON UofA Desert Yearbook Oklahoma City, OK- As the smoke cleared over the rubble of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building on the morning of the April 19, the two year anniversary of the destruction Branch Davidian cult compound in Waco, Texas, the destruction was overpowering. A car bomb decimated half of the nine-story building in the downtown area of the heartland city, leaving a nation of survivors to mourn the deaths of over a hundred victims. The bomb went off at the beginning of the work day when many of the employes had dropped their children off at the day-care center located on the second floor, almost directly above the bomb. The bomb sent glass and debris flying, injuring at least 200 people, crushing many others under rubble. Many of the known casualties were children and many more were missing or unidentifiable. The rescue efforts moved as swiftly as possible, hindered by the instability of the building and bad weather. After a few early rescues, however, the hope for finding additional survivors was growing increasingly slim. Christopher Wright, one of the Coast Guard members helping inside the building said that rescuers would pe- riodically turn off their chain saws to listen for survivors, but we didn ' t hear anything — just death. The cry for justice was quick and certain. United States Attorney General Janet Reno announced a $2 million dollar award for in- formation leading to an arrest in the case. Oklahoma Governor Frank Keating reported that a firefighter told him: You find whoever did this. All I ' ve found in here are a baby ' s finger and an American flag. Suspicions flew regard- ing the identities of the bomb- ers from Muslim extremists to dissatisfied tax payers. But shortly after the bombing, a suspect was taken into custody on a traffic and weapons charge just miles from the bombing. Timothy McVeigh, a suspected member of a para- military militia and former Kingman, Arizona resident, was already in custody when composite drawings of him and another suspect were being circulated world wide. Several other material wit- nesses were later taken into custody. McVeigh was thought to be taking revenge on an official involved with the Waco incident who worked in the Oklahoma Building. Away from Oklahoma, Old Tucson Studios theme park and popular filming local, falls victim to an enormous fire that took the efforts of several area fire fighting crews to subdue. Priceless movie memorabilia and sets were destroyed with the popular area tourist attraction. Photo by Adam F. Jarrold. 1995 Wednesday, 19 A car bomb, the worst terrorist act ever committed on U.S. soil, hits the Federal Building in Oklahoma City. Immediate death doll starts at over 20, 300 estimated missing. Thursday, 20 Two composite drawings of bombing suspects circulated after rental truck carrying the explosivesisidentified. Two- million dollar award offered for information leadingtothe arrest of bombers. Friday, 21 Suspect number one, Timothy McVeigh is discovered al- ready in the custody of the law after being stopped for a traffic violation outside of Oklahoma City the morning of the bombing. Thursday,28Thebody of 22-year-old University of Arizona student, Brian C. Liechty, is recovered ft om Lake Powell where he dis- appeared November 12 while scubadiving. I ll