An excerpt from Knoxville520's The Monday After (written by Debra Dylan)

Last month, the KMA kicked off this series of cocktail parties with a burlesque theme, which included a live performance by White Lightening Burlesque and vintage style pin-up girl photography by Tovah Greenwood. This month's cocktail theme was "addiction," and Tovah Greenwood was invited to show original photographs depicting this theme. A few hours before the event began, Ms. Greenwood was informed by KMA director, David Butler, that her photos were too explicit, even though the photos were staged and the "drugs" were props. Eventually, he allowed five out of the ten photographs to be shown.

Given his censorship of these photos, it's ironic that Mr. Butler seemed comfortable with the continuous loop of drug related music piped into the KMA's great hall. Bradley Reeves was also allowed to show his brilliant collection of addiction related archival films which began with cinematic humor (Cab Calloway, W.C. Fields, Woody Allen), followed by a vintage exploitation film about the dangers of marijuana and heroin use (which depicted dramatized drug use), local news coverage of drug busts, celebrities under the influence, and a very clever film showing a feline family coping with the cycle of addiction.

I don't understand why music glorifying drug use, and moving pictures of staged and real addiction were allowed, yet certain still photographs were banned. The KMA great hall is barren of art, and these photographs would have provided some thought-provoking art for patrons to ponder while waiting for the main event to begin. This censorship is very disturbing because it comes from our city's primary art museum. This same museum showed the very graphic and disturbing "Shoot the Family" photography collection, yet this Wednesday night, the KMA's director felt the need to protect us from five staged photographs depicting drug use. These cocktail parties deliberately have provocative themes as a means of attracting new and younger patrons to the museum. It should be expected that hosting an artsy "addiction" themed party is going to include some gritty realistic images. The archive film of an intoxicated and very belligerent George Jones was not funny. Censorship isn't funny either. (2/5) -D.D.

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Here's the story of a lovely lady...
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Category: Art and Photography

Notice the proud mama blown up to three times her natural size. Here comes the braggin.'

My daughter was asked to show her photography at the Knoxville Museum of Art during a special Cocktails at the KMA show Wednesday. First of all, wow.

She has done a series of 12 pinup style photos for a calendar she's hoping to put together. All her beautiful friends gathered and posed for some very lovely, tasteful shots. She showed a dozen of them at a local gallery, and was asked specifically to bring them to this KMA venue. The theme was burlesque, and they brought in a local vaudeville burlesque group, White Lightnin,' to perform. Tovah was the only artist.

Oh, a fine time was had by all. There was a great crowd. The show was funny/trendy/amazing. T's photography was fantastic as always. And she was the belle of the ball. A bit of a celebrity, in fact. When the museum director sought her out and said he had been looking forward to meeting her...well, my head exploded. What a networking opportunity.

So, her many, many friends were there for her, showering her with love and praise. And her friends are always so gracious and sweet to me. All made sure I was never alone and without a drink. What more can you ask? I had a ball.

Go here for the Knoxville520 "One Bad-ass Burlesque Party" slideshow. I'm the shorty who looks like she's sitting down (I'm not). T is standing in front of her art on the 4th or 5th slide.

You watch, that girl is going places.

5:32 AM - 1 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

Write up for Christabel and the Jons
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Category: Art and Photography

Alive After Five showcases local talent

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Photograph by Tovah Greenwood

Christabel and the Jons

By Rachel Noe

published: April 04 2007 10:06 PM updated:: April 08 2007 10:16 PM

Knoxville plays host to different bands Friday nights at the Knoxville Museum of Art during Alive After Five.

Every Friday from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. bands perform for audiences in the museum's Great Hall. The events also feature catered meals for visitors.

This Friday, Alive After Five is featuring the sounds of Christabel and the Jons, a local swing quartet. The band features a mixture of "vintage songs that were popular in the 1930s and 1940s with their own modern originals," according to the museum website.

Alive After Five is a wonderful date atmosphere that costs little. Visitors to the event pay only $8 to see a performance and get a meal while museum members and students pay $4.

Local news station WBIR, home of Live at Five, sponsors the events as well as radio station 91.9 WUOT. Other sponsors include Knoxville 520, the Knoxville News Sentinel, the East Tennessee Public Television station, Cherokee Distributing Company, Inc. and ORNL Federal Credit Union.

Recent concerts have included performances by Soul Connections, Corey Christiansen and One Leg Up.

Future concerts will include bands such as the Hector Qirko Band, the Pamela York Trio, the Geoff Achison and the Souldiggers and the Streamliners. Some concerts will be slightly more expensive than others.

For more information, you can contact Michael Gill, the Alive After Five coordinator, at 865-934-2039 or visit the Knoxville Museum of Art's website.