Of drive-ins and guiding lights
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No comments [ Add Comment ]By BECKY WRIGHT
Standard-Examiner staff
bwright@standard.net
Art installation 'North Star' opening Tuesday at WSU's Kimball Visual Arts Center
Depending on where and when you grew up, the North Star may be a steady source of direction or a drive-in theater.
For Michael C. McMillen, it's both -- and inspiration for art. His installation "North Star" opens Tuesday in Weber State University's Kimball Visual Arts Center.
"I liked the name. It's metaphoric, as far as its navigational meaning; it implies direction, movement and journey," McMillen said.
That's what his art installation is designed to do -- take the viewer on a journey.
"Think of it as a journey of the mind, reflecting on the past and the future simultaneously," he said.
McMillen is an internationally recognized artist based in Santa Monica, Calif. Monika Del Bosque, director of WSU's gallery, invited McMillen to display a previously created piece of work.
"But as an artist, you always want to try something new, and this was a great opportunity," McMillen said.
He came to Ogden for a week to absorb the ambience. He walked around the city, stopping to examine architecture and significant landmarks. He visited the railroad museum at Union Station and the old Swift & Company meatpacking building. He even explored the surplus at Smith & Edwards.
"It's a charming place, in a great location," McMillen said of Ogden. "I took thousands of photos and shot film."
Then, inspired by his stop at Pleasant View's long-closed North Star drive-in, he started creating.
Drive-in art
"North Star" isn't your typical exhibit.
"The inside of the gallery is being transformed into a semblance of an old-time American drive-in theater, with a movie screen and models of cars," said Del Bosque. Viewers will be seated in a grandstand.
As at a drive-in, the movie is the main event. "North Star" combines images from McMillen's trip to Ogden, with historical photos from WSU's collection, in a 20-minute film.
"You'll see references to the now defunct drive-in, as well as the name in its greater sense," McMillen said. "It's not necessarily a linear story, in the way you think of a normal film; it's kind of a visual poem."
Old-timers will probably recall things in the film, and say, "I remember when that was on such and such street," Del Bosque predicts.
"That's part of the draw, or idea behind the exhibit. It evokes people's sense of the past, but incorporates it with the contemporary," she said. McMillen's work often deals with issues of memory, loss and the passage of time, she said.
The film subtly poses some big questions, according to Del Bosque.
"Who was in Ogden in the past? What was Ogden known for? What is it going to become, and does it become that while erasing the past? Or do we somehow move forward into the future, while holding onto what we once were?" she asked. "I hope it will help us contemplate where we're going as a community."
The big picture
Some people already contemplate those questions.
Ogden's mayor is promoting an image for the city as an outdoor and high-adventure recreation center.
"We have blighted places that need to be just rebuilt," said Mayor Matthew Godfrey. "The (Ogden) river project is one, and there are places along Wall Avenue we still need to take care of and fix, so I think there will be significant changes to our community."
With his enthusiasm for giving Ogden an extreme make-over, some folks may be surprised to learn the mayor is a fan of historic preservation.
"We're pretty passionate about saving buildings, because it's part of what makes Ogden unique and sets us apart from the typical 'Anywhere, USA' cities that are emerging all over the state and country today," he said.
Libby Norvell, with the Weber County Heritage Foundation, says she's not keen on some of the new attractions, but Ogden is doing well overall.
"We have the 25th Street Historic District, and the Jefferson and Eccles historic districts, and I think that's great," she said.
But should everything be preserved? That question surfaces when talking about mid-20th-century buildings.
"We might think they're kind of ugly buildings, but there's kind of a movement now to save those, instead of tearing them down, because they're going to be an example of the architecture of that time," Norvell said.
The stars
It's not just about buildings, the mayor says, it's about the soul of a city.
"Our heritage, in terms of the kind of people we are in this community, and the qualities of the people here, I think are important to hold onto," he said.
Norvell says some people may want to sweep the acts of former residents under the carpet, but it would be a mistake. Godfrey agrees.
"We're to the point now where some of our rough history creates an allure," he said. "When I was growing up, we didn't want to talk about how bad 25th Street was -- today we're putting placards up on the street to talk about how there were brothels and opium dens and gambling and distilleries during prohibition."
It's important to preserve history, Godfrey says.
"You can lose your sense of community if you really abandon your roots," he said.
Guiding light
Godfrey says there doesn't seem to be a "North Star" that offers perfect direction when making decisions about the past and future.
"I don't know that I could give a clean definition of 'When these events happen, we preserve the past, and when these events happen we don't.' I think a lot of it is more instinct and emotion, and you just look at the facts of what's going on," he said.
He points to the decision to discontinue Ogden's Street Festival as an example. Some people wanted it to continue; others (including himself) felt it was time to move on.
"Those are things that you just have to say, 'What's in the best interest of the next generation, and the community moving forward?' and you have to make decisions based on it," Godfrey said.
"As with most things in life, I think you have to have a balance. There are things that we need to hold onto, in terms of history or heritage and learning from the past, but it's dangerous to try to live life driving with your rearview mirror. You have to face forward and see what's in front of you."
PREVIEW
WHAT: 'North Star,' an installation by Michael C. McMillen
WHEN: 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday, and noon-5 p.m. Saturdays, Tuesday-Nov. 1
WHERE: Mary Elizabeth Dee Shaw Gallery, Kimball Visual Arts Center, Weber State University, 3848 Harrison Blvd., Ogden
ADMISSION: Free. Information, 626-6420.
ADDITIONAL PROGRAMS: Related exhibit, "Ogden: Portraits of a Place," by student Beau Burgess; lecture 7:30 p.m. Sept. 9. Lecture by McMillen, 7 p.m. Sept. 18.
