Marsh Murphy isn't the only one who's SOOO EXCITED about Daniel Barrow's appearance tomorrow night at Metro. The 'Face of Everything' promises to be one of STEM Cell's performative highlights over the next few days. Barrow's manually animated work integrating bios of pop cult personalities project far beyond the easy reach of irony. His 'Trading Cards' series featuring (among others) Margaret Keane, Rip Torn, Wayland Flowers and Quentin Crisp are amusing, yet lovely and sad. Did anyone see the 'Winnipeg Babysitter'? This was Barrow's presentation of Winnipeg cable TV shows from back in the day when Canadian broadcasters were mandated to provide resources for local programming. Lots of schlock to be sure, yet fascinating to have been able to tune in and see what was cookin' up locally on the groove tube. Again, easy to present as pure send-up, but what happens when home spooned content is reviewed, explored and revered for all its quirks and energy? Barrowesque. Exciting...

And the first of the three STEM Cell screenings will be held tomorrow at Metro as well. Over 200 shorts have been submitted from media arts production centres across the c ounty. Among the works shown tomorrow will be aAron munson's 'thrU'. His previous Super 8 and 16mm works have been characterized by aAron's fierce attention to detail: meticulously filmed and edited; haunting soundtracks; thematically conceived. A stop motion set was constructed for thrU. It'll be interesting to see how/if this physical framework lays the foundation for narrative as well.

Chit3.33