Stumped for something truly sexy to do in the I.E. this Valentine's weekend? Like every good Imperial subject, I'm a big fan of celebrating special occasions at le Market Broiler (a hot spot for prom kids and the AARP set). But this February 13-16--and again from February 20-21--denizens of the empire have a unique opportunity to get down and dirty with some high art as YOU BELONG TO ME: Art & the Ethics of Presence launches its first among a series of public events at Riverside's own queer cafe and salon, Back to the Grind.
Celebrating artists who make their audiences into more than spectators, events include a musical concert featuring internationally renowned Luiseño performance artist James Luna, feminist spoken word artist and hip hop musician Ursula Rucker; a week-long workshop and evening of queer performance featuring the I.E.'s very own art star, Ron Athey; and an afternoon of conversations between the artists, UCR faculty, and audience members.
This weekend (Feb 13-16) kicks off a seminar on performance led by art legend, Ron Athey & UCR Professor, writer, and soccer aficionado Jennifer Doyle. Parts of the seminar will be open to the public, including evening, salon-style screenings of performance video curated by Athey & Doyle
Downstairs at Back to the Grind (3575 University Ave) 5:30pm-7:30pm Friday Feb 13 & Saturday Feb 14.
Join our seminar’s evening session for an eclectic program of performance “classics” and oddball cinematic texts representing Athey’s performance & filmic archive. Expect lots of nudity, explicitness, and creepy investigations of art & intimacy. Intended to be a relaxed and social gathering - discussion and talking back to the screen encouraged.
The screenings will follow two public lectures by Doyle:
“Critical Limits: Difficulty and Contemporary Art” Friday Feb. 13
2:00pm-4:30pm 2212 Humanities Building, UC RiversideWhat happens when we encounter our limits as critics, as spectators – and why should we spend time unpacking them?
“My Bloody Valentine: When Sex & Performance Meet and Queer & Liberal Feminism Part” Saturday Feb. 14, 2:00pm-4:30pm Downstairs at Back to the Grind (3575 University Ave)
In the spring of 2008, the artist Aliza Shvarts found herself in the middle of a national controversy about a conceptual performance that engages with the possibilities of abortion. This talk maps the nature of that controversy.
Parts 2, 3 and 4 round out next week on Friday Feb 20th, with Ursula Rucker & James Luna in CONCERT@ 8:00pm 3787 Main (corner of 6th & Main); on Saturday morning, Feb 21, with Luna, Athey, and Rucker in dialogue with Professors Michelle Raheja, Jennifer Doyle, and Erica Edwards (respectively)11:00am-2:30pm @ Back to the Grind. 
Public events conclude on Saturday evening, February 21, with an I.E reboot of Resonate/Obliterate, called (appropriately enough) Resonate/Obliterate I.E.: A Night of Queer Performance featuring Ron Athey, Julie Tolentino, Heather Cassils, and Zachary Drucker @ 8:00pm. 3787 Main (corner of 6th & Main).
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