Jann Nunn Explains Her Work in Progress - a Holocaust and Genocide Memorial Sculpture

Sculpture professor Jann Nunn invites the campus community to an informal discussion to view the work-in-progress on Thursday, May 3 from noon to 1 p.m. in Art 115 about the Holocaust & Genocide Memorial sculpture that she is creating for campus. The sculpture consists of two 40-foot lengths railroad tracks emerging from a gentle slope of lawn and converging as they near a ten-foot tall internally illuminated column of glass. The narrowing distance between the tracks stands for hope of diminishing incidents of genocide as we learn about past atrocities through educational efforts such the SSU Holocaust Lecture Series. Inscribed ivory-colored commemorative bricks, in place of railroad ties, honor and memorialize those who have suffered or been victimized as a consequence of genocide. The project is sponsored by Center for the Study of the Holocaust and Genocide and the Alliance for the Study of the Holocaust and Genocide. The memorial sculpture will be situated near the Alumni Grove east of the Lakes along the pathway that leads to the future Green Music Center. The railroad ties that are part of the work were recently donated by Union Pacific.

A Second Gift of Life

Recent photographic portraits by Ilka Hartmann of North Bay residents who survived the Holocaust or escaped for it will be exhibited from May 1 to May 28 in the Gallery of the Center for Culture, Gender and Sexuality in the Student Union). A reception will be held on Thursday, May 3, from 4 - 6 p.m. in the gallery to celebrate the survivors. The video "Honoring the Survivors - 18 years of the Holocaust Lecture Series at Sonoma State University," by Ilka Hartmann and Joel Braverman will be screened.

Ned Khan Returns to "Visualize Turbulence"

Sculptor Ned Kahn presents a series of videos and describes his recent work in visualizing turbulence on the scale of buildings as well as the scientific and physical properties of his art at the What Physicists Do lecture series on Monday, April 30 in Darwin 103 from 4-5 p.m. A Sebastopol artist knonw internationally, Kahn focuses on bringing the invisible to life through his sculpture and paintings. He employs various aspects of nature in his works, such as fog, fire, tornadoes, wind, and steam and his work is often on display at the Exploratorium in San Francisco. At left is Invisible Whirlwinds, a 12-foot tall fog tornado created by using fans, curved walls and the existing ventilation system in the Langston Hughes gallery in which it resides currently. The movements of viewers altered the air currents and modified the shape of the vortex.

Author Victor Villaseñor - Finding
and Promoting the Genius in All of Us

In celebration of Raza/Native American Heritage Month, the Center for Culture, Gender, and Sexuality presents a lecture and discussion with acclaimed best-selling author, Victor Villaseñor on Wednesday, May 2 at 7:30 p.m. in the Cooperage. The event is free to SSU students, faculty and staff, and is $5 for general admission at the door. Villaseñor's acclaimed written works, as well as his inspiring lectures, have earned him numerous awards and endorsements, including the Founding John Steinbeck Chair appointment and a Pulitzer prize finalist. For more information visit the Web Site, e-mail ssuccgs@gmail.com, or phone 4-2710.

A Conversation About Collecting and Collectors

The University Art Gallery in collaboration with Community Foundation Sonoma County presents "Art & Conversation: Collectors and Collecting" from 6-8 p.m. on Wednesday, May 2 in the Commons. Art collectors and collecting is part of the on-going free Art & Conversation Discussion Series for artists and others curious about the business of making, selling, and collecting art in Sonoma County. A question and answer period follows the discussion, and the audience will have the opportunity to greet panelists at a light reception immediately following each event. For more information, call 4-2295.

Colonel Wright Speaks About Ending Iraq War

Media research organization Project Censored and the Sonoma County Peace and Justice Center sponsor a presentation by Colonel Ann Wright on Wednesday, May 2 at 7 p.m. in the Multi Purpose Room. Wright is a Colonel, U.S. Army Reserves (Retired), and U.S. Diplomat and resigned from the Army due to her disagreement with the Bush administration’s decision to go to war in Iraq without the authorization of the UN Security Council. She has also spoken out about the administration’s lack of effort in resolving the Israel-Palestine situation, its policy on North Korea, and especially, its curtailment of civil liberties in the United States. Admission is $10 non-students, $5 for students. For more information contact: Bree Watson (760) 815-7118 or visit www.projectcensored.org.

Faces of Sonoma: Bridging the Gap Between Diversity and Acceptance

Student leaders from all facets of the campus come together to promote racial equality and social justice as part of a photo exhibit, "Faces of Sonoma" which opens on Monday, April 30 with a reception from noon-2 p.m. in the Student Union.
The Center for Culture, Gender and Sexuality sponsors the photo exhibit created by Daniel Esquivel. "Faces of Sonoma" depicts various SSU students, faculty, and staff that contribute to an ever growing diverse population on campus. The gallery will consist of black and white photography of individuals who enrich the campus community through their unique backgrounds. The theme of the gallery is internal diversity, concentrating on identities that are not outwardly visible to the human eye, including sexual orientation, religion, ability, and political affiliations. The artist was inspired to do this project due to thesentiment expressed by various students who believed diversity was nonexistent at Sonoma State. This is Esquivel's senior project inspired by Faces of Sonoma, a section in the Sonoma State STAR of which he is the editor of the Student Life section. His goal is to put the spotlight on exceptional students and their involvements that also contribute to creating a diverse campus climate. For further information contact Bonnie Sugiyama, Interim Coordinator, Center for Culture, Gender, and Sexuality, 4-2710 or e-mail at bsugiyama@sonoma.edu. Above is a photo by Esquivel of Dan Swords.