UA Museum of Art unveils exhibition season

The UA Museum of Art has announced its line up for the 2002-2003 season. The season kicks off July 11 with ãHot Art: Burning Imagesä in which three artists (John Cage, Paul Chojnowski and Andrew Bennett) channel the use of fire to evoke visions of unwanted destruction, resulting in spectacular works of art. There is a strong focus on African heritage lectures this season, with ãSmart Time-African Experience,ä ãA Quest for Freedom: The Modern African Dispora,ä ãThe Search for Racial Equality: African-American and the Civil Rights Movement in Arizonaä all tying in with the ãLiberated Voices: Contemporary South African Artä exhibition that starts Aug. 23.

The ãLiberatedä exhibition will feature more than 65 works by 13 young artists who represent the diversity of the new South Africa.

For a full list of the new schedule visit http://artmuseum.arizona.edu/ or call 621-7567. The museum is located on the UA campus, on the southeast corner of Park Avenue and Speedway Boulevard.

Michael Jackson labels music industry Îracistâ

In news of washed-up pop stars attempting publicity stunts to boost morbid sales of their latest flop of an album, former Jackson 5 star Michael Jackson has called the record industry racist.

Jackson was speaking at a civil rights meeting in New York on Saturday when he delivered the remarks. Jackson dealt the greatest verbal abuse to Sony head honcho Tommy Mattola, calling him ãmean, racist and very devilish.ä Jackson also claimed that Mottola used the n-word when describing a black artist.

ãThe record companies really do conspire against the artists,ä Jackson said. Sony has responded by calling the tirade ãludicrous, spiteful and hurtful.ä Jackson has gone on the offensive in recent weeks against Sony, blaming the company for the recent failure of his ãInvincibleä album, claiming it didnât pay enough to promote the album. Still no word yet on whether Jackson was accusing Sony of racism or reverse racism, as his current skin color has yet to be determined.

ÎMen In Black IIâ shoots down competition

Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones must have had an electrifying long weekend because lighting struck twice for the pair. Five years after the original ãMen in Blackä was released, the new sequel racked in about $90 million over the weekend, setting a new Fourth of July holiday weekend box office record and becoming one of the biggest openings of all time.

The previous July Fourth record was set by the original ãMIBä movie in 1997. The last time Will ãOh Câmon Uncle Philä Smith had a July Fourth opening was with the underachieving ãWild, Wild West,ä which took in $36.4 in its four-day opening slot. Second place went to Adam Sandlerâs ãMr. Deeds,ä which collected $26.3 million. Kriss Kross-mimicking rapper Lilâ Bow Wowâs ãLike Mikeä placed third with $13.1 million.