Visiting Fellow From Burkina Faso Picks Flicks (http://search.washingtonpost.c
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'Great African Films': Visiting Fellow From Burkina Faso Picks Flicks By Nicole
Lewis While the eight-day festival denies some sleep, it creates an opportunity to feature African films in a country where Hollywood products fill most of the screens. "It's easier to see the latest 'Die Hard' or Spielberg than the latest African film," says Sanogo. He blames the problem on distribution and raising production funds. Since April, Sanogo has been a fellow at the National Museum of African Art, charged with organizing the museum's current film series, "Great African Films of the '90s." Sanogo chose the films "mostly out of memory from films I've seen myself that stayed strongly with me." A highlight will be the Nov. 28 program, "The Cinema of Djibril Diop Mambety." Sanogo calls the late Mambety an "inspirational force for African cinema" as he turned to art and not politics as his guide in moviemaking. After receiving a degree in English from his local university, Sanogo worked for Fespaco and wrote reviews for the magazine African Screen (like Premiere but more meaty, he says). Two years ago Sanogo, 28, was chosen to participate in a Ford Foundation institute on African cinema that took him to Ghana and Chicago. He then landed a post as a visiting fellow at the University of Iowa film program where he took classes in theory and criticism. From there he snagged his current gig at the Smithsonian. But all this scholarly work has been a diversion for Sanogo, who is eager to follow his idols Bernardo Bertolucci and Martin Scorsese into the business. Since there's no film school in Burkina Faso, Sanogo has his eye on California. "After this project I really hope to go to USC or UCLA and learn filmmaking and be on the road myself," he says. But what does Sanogo, who's never been to Los Angeles, think of working with Hollywood, the institution that has overwhelmed the movie business in his home country? "I know it's not going to be easy," he says. But "if they put their weight behind you, all the screens of the world are filled with your images." "Great African Films of the '90s" runs through Dec. 13; the films are shown in various locations throughout the Smithsonian. For information call 202-357-2700.
QUILTING TIME Ann Hoenigswald quilts at her children's soccer games, at the beach and while watching television. A painting conservator at the National Gallery of Art, Hoenigswald trimmed her work week to have more time in her sewing room. "Being addicted to fabrics is a lot healthier than other things," says fellow quilter Janet Wildman. The two women belong to a group called Tuesday Quilters, which currently has a show of fine-art quilts at the Rock Creek Gallery. Over bagels and coffee once a month, the nine thirtysomething-to-fiftysomething women share current projects and discuss new quilting ideas. A few of the women are professional artists; others, such as Hoenigswald and Wildman, a retired federal employee, create quilts mainly for friends, family and the occasional art show. The name of the game is to deviate from traditional quilting patterns, either in design or in fabric. Donna Radner uses African cotton fabrics, batiks and hand-dyed prints in her brightly colored works. Her "Autumn Landscape," with its dizzying variety, seems to melt from spring colors to autumn tones. Jennifer Danly specializes in patchwork nature scenes, and while her quilt of autumn leaves is sweet and expected, her work of an iguana perched on a branch appears regal and unexpectedly mysterious. Is quilting a dying art? Tuesday Quilter Lauren Kingsland says no. There was a resurgence of interest in quilting that began around the time of the Bicentennial. Now, she says, there are better tools, more interesting fabrics and even computer programs to help with design. But don't think that just because these women like to quilt they like to sew. "When I have to get something shortened, I take it to an alteration store," says Radner. Doing it herself is "too much trouble." "Contemporary Quilts by Tuesday Quilters" will be at the Rock Creek Gallery, 2401 Tilden St. NW, until Nov. 29.
SWINGING AT THE CORCORAN The women came in fuzzy tops, leopard collars and bouffant hairdos. The men sported fedoras, thin ties and velvet shirts. And of course there was the guy dressed in the black T-shirt that read "Degenerate Art." This was the scene Saturday at "A Swingin' Affair," the WPA/Corcoran art auction at the Corcoran Museum of Art. With 95 of the 130 artworks sold, the '50s-themed evening raised $180,000 for programs at Washington Project for the Arts, said program director Nadine Gabai-Botero. The high-priced artwork of the evening was "Three Angels" by Corcoran faculty member Hayes Friedman, which fetched $8,000.
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