Show: Viz City
Subject: Bob Newman
Date of Interview: Sat. Oct. 26, 2019
Date of Broadcast: Wed. Oct. 30,
Script: Sandy Brown Jensen
Sound: Terry Way
Blog post link: https://www.klcc.org/post/bob-newman-show-dot-dotsons-showcases-beauty-irish-travellers
Dropbox link: https://www.dropbox.com/s/a072bsd5r65aimj/bob%20newman%20irish%20travellers.wav?dl=0
Google Doc link: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1MBufqxtW_N69MGFnNTaMJbkwD-TuOTujdZmA8cW35aI/edit
You’re listening to Viz City, KLCC’s Arts Review program. Right now at Dot Dotson’s Gallery is a stunning show by Bob Newman, “Irish Traveller Photographs.” Irish Travellers are a traditionally itinerant ethnic group recognized by the Irish government whose 32,000 plus members maintain a set of traditions.
NEWMAN: One of my favorite photos was taken on a Saturday afternoon at one of the Irish Traveller halting sites, which is the small communities where they live.I saw a young lady who was red-headed and looked like a typical young Irish girl and struck up a conversation with her and asked if I could take her photograph.
At the time, she was playing with a couple of other girls who also live on the halting site. There was an old truck, and she ran up into the truck and went inside. There was a yellow curtain hanging to her right. She had on a sleeveless pink blouse, a gold necklace, and looked at me with piercing blue eyes. One of the interesting things about the photograph is that she looks to be about fifteen or sixteen years old, but she’s only ten."
Yes, I noticed in these very colorful photographs is that very young children appear to be wearing make-up.
NEWMAN: Beginning at the age when they are toddlers, they teach the little girls to dress and act provocatively. They wear clothing that most people in the United States would think is well beyond their years. As they grow up to the teen-age time, they often wear make-up, they like spray-tanning, and often have their hair fixed, particularly when they are going to a social event of some kind, and one of the biggest social events for the teen-agers is to go to horse fairs.
NARRATOR: See “Irish Traveller Photographs” at Dot Dotson’s Gallery, located at1668 Willamette Street in Eugene through November 7. Learn more and see images of Bob Newman and his work at the Viz City blog on KLCC.org.
Viz City is co-produced by Terry Way and Sandy Brown Jensen.
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