In November, the Ball State University Museum of Art introduced subversive images by "Collecting Modernism." Later this month, it will have challenged tradition entirely in "Reel Time," which will bring surrealism to the Ball State community.
And it's a nice change.
On Sunday, the museum will be showing the 1928 film "An Andalusian Dog" ("Un chien andalou") by Luis Bu+â-¦uel and Salvador Dali, as well as the 1929 film "Entr'acte" ("Les Ballets Su+â-¬dois de Rolf de Mar+â-¬") by Ren+â-¬ Clair. The films include disjointed and often disturbing images, along with a resistance to true plot and characterization - generally, a lack of reality. Hence the name.
They're not the kind of movies during which viewers can just sit back, turn off their minds and devour a tub of popcorn, then walk away satisfied. These are no blockbuster movies.
With the surrealist exhibition, the Art Museum has brought to campus a form of film - and art in general - that doesn't often get much air time in Muncie. Students have to travel to other cities like Indianapolis or Fort Wayne to find the obscure movies that have been recently released, and controversial films such as "Brokeback Mountain" might never find their way to the big screens in this city.
For a college town, there isn't much around to challenge our thinking or introduce us to minority viewpoints - even though that's one of the goals of a university. The Ball State community needs to see nonstandard artistic and media presentations in order to challenge majority perspectives on campus and help students - and others - determine their beliefs.
The University Film Series and Multicultural Film Series have done some of this work for the university, and on occasion Channel 55 will run older movies and films that have never been on wide-release. Even Kerasotes Showplace 7 has started to show the more popular independent films. But on a university campus, there can never be too much of that kind of thing - and the Art Museum's "Reel Time" series is a great step in increasing the presence of subculture voices in this community.
More clubs and organizations - or even a group of adventurous students who want to found an "Unknown Movies Everyone Should See" club all its own - should make a point to bring to campus the viewpoints that students might never have a chance to experience otherwise.
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