Bethel Park: Life on Mars

NCTE Podcast: My Space or Yours?

2008-11-17T02:28:04Z

This is a sample podcast from the NCTE Session on Friday 21 November in San Antonio. Participants discuss art from Life on Mars.

Wondering Wall

2008-11-12T18:18:09Z

I have been fascinated by Ryan Ganders work at the life on mars exhibit. Ganders work titled, He walked ahead, leading her through a blizzard of characters, 2008, has been making me think about it ever since I saw the work a few weeks ago. I keep wondering what he wrote on the wall and then wonder why would he paint over it the moment he was finished it.

I wonder if he really wrote something on the wall or if he just claims to have, but never did. I then wonder if he wrote on the wall and then made a mistake and instead of fixing it, he just chose to paint over it and claim it was finished.

I like to think that he wrote something really meaningful and didn't want anyone to know what it meant except for him and no one else. Maybe we're just meant to trust that work is their and wonder.

What the Heck is Going On

2008-11-12T18:07:48Z

The questions that make me mad are the ones that no one can answer. I'm the type of person who can't sleep at night just because I don't know whats going on in Area 51 I've always questioned things and i've learned that if you don't ask questions you don't learn. Recently my writing skills class went to the Carnegie Museam of Art to see the Life on Mars exibit. After that I don't think i'll ever sleep again!

Kai Altoff was one of the artists and I listened to his perspective on one of his pieces in the show in a clip on cmoa.org. Why is this guy such a creeper? Most of his work is very sexual and I wanna know why! Why is he in love with a doll he sculpted? Why does he portay female anatomy in his art? Was his childhood filled with abuse and neglect? Is he gay or is he straight or maybe bisexual? This guy really boggles my brain. Is he puting on a show to draw people like me into his art or does he really have some seriouse issues?

Ryan Gander is another artist..why write 3000 words on a wall just to cover it up with plaster? I wanna know what that 3000 word story said! why did they title it Life on Mars? Who thinks of these things? How do their emotions show through it in perspectives we would never think of?

Get Out!

2008-10-23T12:54:43Z

I told you once

I told you twice

Now get out of my room

I’m done with this fight

Why stand there so puzzled

That look on your face…

You know what you’d done

All because you hadn’t played safe

Pushing you back

As I slammed the door

Letting out a sudden RAWR!

Good night! I screamed

As I slowly slinked to the floor

Grasping my head

O, what an ache!

All because….You accidently punched me in the face

This poem was inspired by Andro Wekua's : Get out of my room.

To listen to me read this poem, click here

The Frames of Life

2008-10-21T13:01:57Z

In my big, pitch black room

All the time in forever to do what I please,

But I cannot relax, for I have children to watch.

As I sit and watch each child live their lives in these small frames, I realize I created them

Some frames are nearly perfect, and others have the crack of evil in them.

Some just have scratches, and yet I think that none of them are perfect

and that is how I wanted.

Because if they were, how would they learn,

how would they know that I am here to help in hard times.

Each one is mine and yet I have no presence or voice to speak or communicate with them

Some are empty because they have finally joined me in Eden, yet some have not.

It fills my heart with joy to see them live there lives through me.

And as I keep watching, as my heart starts to warm, in each frame,

what ever they are doing, the big, bright yellow ball peaks out of each frame.

To listen to the poem live, click here

Lonely

2008-10-21T13:00:04Z

A young boy lonely and hurt Abused and kicked in the dirtWanted to be left alone, not to be bothered When people try to talk to him,He just looks away and hides.The boy wants to cryBut all he does is sit and sigh.

To hear me read this poem live click here.

The Storage Room

2008-10-21T12:55:50Z

The Storage Room

Deep in the basement, under the house

Where all that is heard is the sound of a mouse

Where the children hide their new cat, Clouse

Where the children pretend they’re in a joust

Wooden boxes are stacked

Old clothes are packed

Where good china sits on the racks

Where everyone keeps their old knick-knacks

Where the family meets for children –made plays

Where everyone forgets the vase made of clay

And remember the good old days

The family goes to escape the heat of May

From the ceiling hangs the Halloween ghost

The meats await the family roasts

Where the children hide their raisin bread toast

Where the children spend their time the most

In the corner sits a broom

Hovered by gloom

Through the window you can see the moon

Long live the family’s storage room

"Untitled" By Kai Althoff

Good or Evil

2008-10-21T12:55:35Z

A shadow, that’s all I am

Lonely and peregrine

Wandering between my two paths

Light and dark

A shining city on my right

Bright and colorful

A black mountain on my left

Terrible and haunted

Two opposite spheres shining down

The sun and the moon

And me stuck in between the two

Good and evil

They are both a part of me

Which way should I choose?

Click HERE to listen to an audio version of this poem

Untitled

2008-10-21T12:50:58Z

In the beginning the room is white.Bored with simplicity, the room was painted blue.Saddened by the depressing shade the room was painted green.Overcome with greed the room was painted orange.The orange paint proved to be obnoxious and the room was painted yellow.Happiness and joy the color brought but that emotion was not felt.Quickly the room was painted red and the passion of love arose.Love soon turned into heartbreak, too much paint had already been spread.Tired of change the room returned to the simplistic color of white.Laying in the white boring room emotions began to rise.Suddenly the paint began to tear itself from the walls in much surprise.Red, yellow, orange, green and blue. The colors began to show.A rainbow of gleaming paint stretched across the wall. Click here to listen to a live reading of this poem

We May Be Neighbors...

2008-10-21T12:46:57Z

Even though we are so close,

we are different.

Even though we may be neighbors,

we are so different.

Even though I see you everyday

mimicking my every move,

we still will always be different.

And this tree

that stands between us,

displays our differences…

Changing once every so often,

laughing at us enjoying his show.

Two neighbors,

so close yet so different -

but we will never know.

To listen to a live reading

of this poem,

click here

You Cannot Help But Read This

2008-10-21T12:46:14Z

You can not help but reading this because you know that you want to,
Everything happens for a reason, although it may not seem to.

We are always questioning things that happen to our self

We continually think that we are living all by our lonely selves.

Why did I lose my mom?

Why did my dog die?

Why did I get cancer?

Why did my boyfriend say goodbye?

Things like this are happening and there is nothing we can do,

However these are the times you find strength you didn't know you had in you.

Most of the time we want to look away and pretend we did not see,

Most of the times we want to escape our own reality.

At times we want to run and simply get away,

Get away from this cold and terrible game that life is trying to say.

Most of the time we think that we can hide the facts,

Many people think that they have to put on acts.

The world, right now, is a mess, in which we can not run away,

The world is a place that we all, for a time, must stay.

As much as we would all love to look the other way,

We all would love to run and hide, for just one single day.

There are certain things that we cannot help but see,

And we each must learn that everyday is a new possibility.

We cannot help what we see, what we think or do or hear,

We cannot help when bad things just happen to appear.

Life throws us curve balls that we are not ready for,

And once you get past once, trust me there are plenty more.

As much as we would want we cannot look away,

We cannot go and run and conceal from any certain day.

We cannot help but dwelling on all the things we miss,

We cannot help but looking at this.

(On the green surface, written in white words are, "YOU CANNOT HELP LOOKING AT THIS"). Click here to hear Nikki read this poem.

You Cannot He;lp But Read This

2008-10-21T12:45:32Z

You can not help but reading this because you know that you want to,

Everything happens for a reason, although it may not seem to.

We are always questioning things that happen to our self

We continually think that we are living all by our lonely selves.

Why did I lose my mom?

Why did my dog die?

Why did I get cancer?

Why did my boyfriend say goodbye?

Things like this are happening and there is nothing we can do,

However these are the times you find strength you didn’t know you had in you.

Most of the time we want to look away and pretend we did not see,

Most of the times we want to escape our own reality.

At times we want to run and simply get away,

Get away from this cold and terrible game that life is trying to say.

Most of the time we think that we can hide the facts,

Many people think that they have to put on acts.

The world, right now, is a mess, in which we can not run away,

The world is a place that we all, for a time, must stay.

As much as we would all love to look the other way,

We all would love to run and hide, for just one single day.

There are certain things that we cannot help but see,

And we each must learn that everyday is a new possibility.

We cannot help what we see, what we think or do or hear,

We cannot help when bad things just happen to appear.

Life throws us curve balls that we are not ready for,

And once you get past once, trust me there are plenty more.

As much as we would want we cannot look away,

We cannot go and run and conceal from any certain day.

We cannot help but dwelling on all the things we miss,

We cannot help but looking at this.

(On the green surface, written in white words are, "YOU CANNOT HELP LOOKING AT THIS").

Sunshine Shine Bright

2008-10-21T12:44:07Z

The Sun Noguchi Rika Poem

Oh here comes the light,the sun shines so bright.Big tall trees,swaying by the seas.This happens everyday.Or so that’s what they say.It’s the first time we’ve been here.And I don’t want to leave yet my dear.Here there are no cares,Fun fills the air. Just sitting back,Relaxing in the light .

to listen to a live version click here

Leaving Behind What I Once Knew

2008-10-21T12:38:35Z

I packed my bags today, I'm moving out.In the distance I can still see,But going back is a huge doubt.Maybe it will be good, a new life for me.

I don't hold my head high,But hand it down low.For I feel that my pain has darkened the night's sky,But I don't let it show.

With all my trembling hands can hold,I head down the street.I'll try and be bold.On the positive side, maybe there will be new people I can meet.

To listen to a live reading of this poem, click here!

Strangers...

2008-10-13T19:31:28Z

Strangers -

In this place...

What's going on?

Everything is so new.

Times may change,

people may pass,

but, I am still the same -

An individual in this alien world

to the aliens lurking in deep space.