'My Body My Self' art show

By: Kristina Tanberg | Jul 16

The opening reception for art exhibition, “My Body Myself” was held from 6 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, July 11 at 5G Gallery. This exhibition addressed issues and ideas surrounding the human body through paintings, photographs, screen prints, and sculptures. The event was a collaboration between four artists: Eryn Bathke, Miranda Chun, Alec Goldberg and Brianna Sanderson. 

Bathke is a recent University of New Mexico graduate, and she will soon be moving out of the state to pursue her career. She decided to create this installation as a way to showcase some of the last work she had done at UNM, before graduating. She had also contacted Chun, Goldberg and Sanderson as she felt their work would fit perfectly into the installation and help to get her message across.

Five and Why: Jeff Younggren talks his five favorite presidents

By: Beatrice Nisoli | Jul 15

Jeffrey Younggren, the University of New Mexico’s first gentleman, has made an impact on campus, alongside his wife, UNM’s President Garnett Stokes. Younggren serves the University as a clinical professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. 

Originally, he was a forensic psychologist, as well as a retired Colonel in the U.S. Army. Perhaps for this reason, Younggren appropriately prefaced his Five and Why with a paragraph on what he believes constitutes successful leadership.

“What makes a true leader is the ability to take on tasks and make difficult decisions, often unpopular decisions, at difficult times, because it is the right thing to do. The ability to do the latter is the true test of leadership,” Younggren said.

He kept these guidelines in mind as he selected his five favorite U.S. presidents:

ABQ Tattoo fiesta showcases artists

By: Lauren McDonald | Jul 15

The annual New Mexico Tattoo Fiesta was held this last weekend at Isleta Casino. The event featured many different tattoo shops in Albuquerque such as Archetype Tattoo, Factory Edge and Route 66, in addition to many more from other countries and states.

Hosted by Cervena Fox, the fiesta exhibited different portfolios from artists all over the world. It also held contests for the artist with the best art and the best artwork. 

During the festival, Isleta Casino was filled with people waiting to get tattoos, shopping and watching tattoos getting done. There were many vendors at the event, including Mindzai Apparel— a shop that is local to Austin, Texas, which sells rock-and-roll style clothes. 

Local Comic Book Store Celebrates 20th Anniversary

By: Luisa Pennington | Jul 8

Located on the corner of Central Avenue and Richmond Drive, Astro-Zombies has been a staple to the Nob Hill community for the past two decades. This month, the comic book, vinyl and toy store celebrated their twentieth year in business. To honor this event, the store is offering a different discount every week.

According to owner Mike D’Elia, the idea for a comic book store came to mind while he was working at Bow Wow records. Initially, D’Elia and a coworker had planned on creating a vintage ’80s video game arcade, but after looking into it, he realized the store needs to carry more than just video games to be able to afford rent. 

Astro-Zombies’ first location opened up in 1999 at a smaller shop across the street. It carried a plethora of toys and a handful of comics. It also rented out VHS tapes. According to D’Elia, there was a Pac-Man and a Centipede machine in the back of the store, as well.

Local traditions for the Fourth

By: Beatrice Nisoli | Jul 8

On July 4, Los Alamos residents poured out of the laboratory and into the streets displaying vibrant colors of red, white and blue. 

Independence Day in Los Alamos kicked off with its annual 5k Firecracker Fun Run. A few hours afterwards, the exhausted runners cleared the way for excited children parading down Central Avenue in the traditional Fourth of July Children’s Parade. Relatives of the paraders lined the sidewalks, marveling at the brightly decorated outfits, bicycles and scooters rolling past. 

Bill Hamilton, who has been a Los Alamos resident for twenty-two years, said the Children’s Parade has been the holiday tradition for as long as he can remember. 

"Midsommar:" new cult classic

By: Colin Peña | Jul 8

Ari Aster’s second venture in to directing and writing a full length horror film, “Midsommar,” is a slow burn, meditating on how we associate with others when set in the context of a secretive commune’s macabre rituals. 

Aster’s first full project, “Hereditary,” came out in 2018 and it focused on a family experiencing trauma and loss while being manipulated by a satanist cult. Throughout the film, the relationships of the characters dissolve as they lose their trust in each other’s sanity and motivation.  

In the same vein, “Midsommar” focuses on people and their interactions as the situation around them violently falls apart. 

Zimmerman acquires large Orwell collection

By: Justin Garcia | Jul 8

For thousands of American High School students, George Orwell is a mainstay of their literary education. Now, hundreds of first-edition copies of Orwell's classics in over a dozen languages belong to Zimmerman Library at the University of New Mexico. 

Retired UNM professor and curator emeritus Russ Davidson pledged his 600-plus collection to Zimmerman Library, and he is in the process of planning an exhibit. Davidson and Tomas Jaehn, the Director of the Center for Southwest Research and Special Collections, said they see the Orwell collection as having a utility value to scholars at UNM and beyond. 

ABQ Art Crawl showcases local talent

By: Lauren McDonald | Jul 8

On the first Friday of every month, the city of Albuquerque hosts the ABQ Art Crawl in locations like Downtown, the Heights, Old Town, Nob Hill and North Valley. This past Friday, from 5 to 8 p.m., the Daily Lobo visited the Downtown event, located around Central Avenue and Sixth Street.

Decorating the streets of downtown, pop-up shops lined every sidewalk. One show was located at the Historic First National Bank. There, art pieces were showcased in an almost 100 year-old vault, as well as upstairs on the rooftop. 

One of the many artists at the Art Walk was Mark Vercammen, a photographer who had a gallery in the antique vault. His artworks used unconventional techniques like slightly diffusing the print in a dark room and using a silver gelatin print.

Former UNM prof named U.S. Poet Laureate

By: Beatrice Nisoli | Jun 30

Former University of New Mexico student and professor Joy Harjo was named the U.S. Poet Laureate last week. The Oklahoma-born poet and musician from the Muscogee (Creek) Nation will be the first indigenous person to fulfill this prestigious role, and she found the news to be “shocking.”

“It’s quite an opportunity to serve poetry, to serve the community. What I especially love is that it honors Native peoples too.” 

Harjo credits the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA)— her high school— with initially influencing her to pursue the arts. However, it was only upon enrolling at the University of New Mexico in the early 1970s that Harjo discovered and fostered her love for writing poetry.

Fired up for the Fourth

By: Luisa Pennington | Jun 30

With temperatures reaching the mid to upper 90s, New Mexico’s summer is in full stride. This means that lake days, barbecues and camping trips are upon us. For many Americans, the Fourth of July is a holiday that is key to the summer experience. This week, communities across the nation will be celebrating America’s Day of Independence. 

For members of Albuquerque and Rio Rancho communities, the Fourth of July is a holiday where block parties and backyard get-togethers line almost every street. Explosions light up the air decorating the city skyline. Since aerial fireworks are far from legal, instead of risking the danger of the shells yourself, here’s a couple Fourth of July celebrations to attend: 

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