Renowned photographer Patrick Nagatani passed away last October at age 72. Born just days after an atomic bomb obliterated his parents’ hometown of Hiroshima, the Japanese-American devoted his artistic career to evoking the nuclear legacy of his adopted nation in haunting photo collages. Although known the world over, Nagatani spent many years as a professor emeritus in the Department of Art & Art History at the University of New Mexico. He taught photography from 1987 to 2009. The UNM Art Museum is celebrating his legacy with a new exhibition, Patrick Nagatani: A Survey of Early Photographs. Accompanying the opening of the exhibit is the premiere of a new documentary about Nagatani. Living in the Story documents 35 years of art-making with a special focus on Nagatani’s use of imagery and storytelling to raise awareness about modern anxieties (particularly the specter of nuclear weaponry). You can see the film this Friday, April 27, at 6:30pm in UNM’s Popejoy Hall (203 Cornell Dr. SE). Free tickets can be picked up in advance at the UNM Art Museum or the UNM Ticket Office. If tickets are still available on the day of the event, they can be picked up at the Popejoy will call window. Right before the film screening is a scheduled reception featuring food by My Sweet Basil and a video remembrance booth for those who wish to share memories of Nagatani. For more information on the event, go to artmuseum.unm.edu. To see a trailer for the film, to to patricknagatanilivinginthestory.com.
Reel World: Voices Of New Mexico Voices Of New Mexico
Digital Media Arts UNM-Taos is hosting Taos Film Day: New Mexico Voices this Saturday, April 28 from 2 to 7:30pm at UNM Taos (Bataan Hall, Civic Plaza Drive Campus). This free event features local food and refreshments as well as a Taos Filmmakers Forum (2 to 3:30pm), a Film Panel hosted by New Mexico Women in Film (3:30 to 4:30pm) and a Social Mixer/Award Ceremony (4:30 to 6pm). The day caps off from 6 to 7:30pm with a film screening focusing on short films from Native American women filmmakers. Ramona Emerson’s hour-long documentary The Mayors of Shiprock screens alongside Razelle Benally’s “Raven,” Shaandiin Tome’s “Mud,” Leslie Fleming-Mitchell’s “NM Women in Film PSA” and Sean Liggins & Stephan Coriz’ MIAC Native Youth Film Camp effort “Caught on Canvas.”
Reel World: Crazy To Work Here Crazy To Work Here
Joe Lonesome’s “Offset Web Series” is, as advertised, an ongoing web series chronicling the (fictional) lives of characters from movies, TV shows and indie films when they are “off the film set.” The comedy series started shooting in 2017 and clocks in with five short episodes to date. Producers are hoping to shoot season 2 soon. To those ends, “G.I.” Joe Lonesome is hosting the Albu-CRAZY Film Fest Fundraiser. On Sunday, April 29, starting at 1pm, a lineup of locally made short films screens, followed by a Q&A session with several Albuquerque-based directors and actors. The event happens at the Guild Cinema (3405 Central Ave. NE) Admission is $5. All proceeds go toward the creation of “Offset Web Series” season 2.
