GOINGS ON / SANTA BARBARA : Ice Cream as Art : It’s cool as drawings depict society’s self-gratification. Alexander Arcady’s 1991 film ‘For Sasha,’ at Victoria Street.

Considering the hot weather of late, the show that opened Tuesday at the Frances Puccinelli Gallery in Carpinteria couldn’t have come at a better time. Most of the artwork has a common characteristic--images of cool, refreshing ice cream.

In his collection of black-white-red drawings, artist Gary Duncan presents the ice cream cone as a symbol of society’s reward system, a symbol of sense gratification.

“Ice cream can be a substitute for a lot of things,” said Duncan, a resident of Carpinteria. “Everybody recognizes it. It’s universal. It really stands out in the field of iconography.”

In Duncan’s work, the ice cream cone travels across space and time. In one piece it shows up in some ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics; in another it is in a Mexican desert; in another it is found in a present-day city street scene.

“In the last year or so we have kind of been living in trying times, which causes people to look deeper within,” said Duncan. “For me the whole reward system came into question.”

Duncan pointed out what most people know--that ice cream is a childhood reward for any number of accomplishments. His exhibit, he said, looks at how people carry this idea of rewards into adulthood.

“There is less ice cream,” he said, “but we seek gratification in other ways.”

That’s not to say, however, that ice cream doesn’t have its place among the older population.

“In hot weather or stress, there are any number of things people turn to ice cream for,” he said. “I think it’s a good thing. It’s indulgence. The point is we’re living out the last vestiges of neo-Victorian attitudes . . . when people bend a little and enjoy and relax, they are happier as a general rule.”

Duncan’s work--which includes some non-ice cream work and two electromechanical sculptures--will be featured at the Puccinelli Gallery through Sept. 19. The Gallery is at 888 Linden Ave., second floor. For more information call 684-2970.

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Beginning Friday night, the Victoria Street Theater in Santa Barbara will show the 1991 movie “For Sasha,” directed by Alexander Arcady.

It’s a story centering on the relationship between two Parisians, Sasha (Richard Berry) and Laura (Sophie Marceau), who are in Israel during the 1967 Arab-Israeli Six-Day War. Sasha is a philosophy professor-turned-kibbutz farmer and paratrooper. Laura is Sasha’s former student.

“For Sasha” is scheduled to run through Monday (though the schedule could change). Call 965-1886 for show times and ticket prices.

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Illustrating the belief that “the show must go on,” the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History will proceed with its American Indian series of presentations on Saturday, despite the death last week of Chumash elder Vincent Tumamait of Ojai. Tumamait was to have provided the introduction to Saturday’s storytelling program.

The four storytellers who will be on hand, each from a different tribe, will present traditional tales from their respective cultures.

Geri Keams of the Navajo Nation will tell stories illustrating the ancient tradition of her tribe, some of which will center on the coyote, the symbolic trickster of many American Indian tales.

Abel Silvas, also known as Running Grunion, will fittingly share a Juaneno story called “Gifts From the Sea,” as well as stories involving the coyote, birds and snakes.

Some of the stories from Achumawi storyteller Kathy Martinez will tell of the creation of the world, a time when animals had special powers. And Johnny Moses, of the Nootka and Tulalip tribes of the Pacific Northwest, will share stories about Ant Woman, Slug Man, Octopus Lady, Mosquito Man and Crow.

Kathleen Conti, coordinator of the series, said this program and those to follow will be dedicated to Tumamait.

There will be storytelling from 10 a.m. to noon and 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Admission is $3 (adults), $2 (seniors and children ages 13 to 17) and $1 (children 12 and younger). For more information call 682-4711.

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There still may be some tickets left for Saturday night’s Christopher Cross concert at The Gainey Vineyard in Santa Ynez. Tickets are $28. To find out if any are available, call 688-0558.