by Cybel Martin | May 6, 2009 | Art, Creativity, Culture, Directors, Movies
I went to my friend, & fellow Tisch alumnus, Rod Gailes’ New York Premier of his feature film “Camouflage” last week. It’s a very intriguing, thought provoking visual journey/film shot during the pre-gentrification of Harlem. I believe Rod began production on “Camouflage” close to 15 years ago. One of the many thoughts the film will leave you with is just how much potential, desire and hope was being suffocated in the impoverished circumstances of Harlem.
St. John The Divine, Harlem, NYC by Ronnie Ginnever
Flash forward many years later and we have that potential expressed. One excellent blog, worthy of a RSS feed, is “Harlem World”. Its a pretty content rich blog/magazine centered on Harlem. What caught my attention was just how much is focused on the arts. I just happened on the blog today (late to the party, I know) but greatly enjoyed this article on the “Negritude” exhibit at the Exit Art Gallery.
A taste:
“Harlem resident Greg Tate presents a three-room “Black Mystery Anti-Panopticon,” envisioning Négritude as a “place” for mystery and funk, music and soul. A DJ shrine, created by Tate and the artists Xaviera Simmons and Arthur Jafa, will provide a site for weekly performances; a raised stage outfitted with a drum kit, microphones, and amps will be used for occasional live music; and an exhibition of visionary black artists – including Thornton Dial, Jr., Thornton Dial, Sr., and Lonnie Holley – coupled with laminated pages from the books Souls Grown Deep: African American Vernacular Art, Vols. 1 and 2, will create a “conjuration room where willing spirits can come to get toasted, roasted, and lit the fuck up.”
Harlem World Blog also encourages “citizen journalists” to send interviews, photographs, news stories etc to: hwcontact@yahoo.com
Photo is of course James VanDerZee’s “Couple in Raccoon Coats”, which I believe is at the Studio Museum of Harlem.
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by Sandy | May 2, 2009 | Arts, Entertainment and Music, Creativity, Culture, Dancers, Events, music
Summer is almost here – time to make plans.
Atlanta is hosting its National Black Arts Festival again this year. Starting 7/29, music, dance, film, theater, poetry, literature – the Conga Kings, “Growing the Dream” at the Children’s Education Village, “Brazilian Cool” Gala – all presented courtesy of the NBAF. Their aim is to celebrate the vibrant life and art of people of color.
NBAF *Atlanta
July 29 – August 2, 2009
Woodruff Arts Center * Atlanta
1280 Peachtree St., NE, Atlanta, GA
“The mission of NBAF is to engage, cultivate and educate diverse audiences about the arts and culture of the African Diaspora and provide opportunities for artistic and creative expression.”
by Sandy | Apr 23, 2009 | Arts, Entertainment and Music, Creativity, Culture, Theater, Writers
Brooklyn playwright Lynn Nottage has won the 2009 Drama Pulitzer Prize for “Ruined” – a powerful play set in the African Congo at the height of its civil war. It follows the plight of a group of women amidst the brutality and the chaos – a celebration of endurance.
Ruined – Manhattan Theater Club, 131 West 55th Street, NYC
Other plays by Ms Nottage:
Crumbs from the Table of Joy
Mud, River, Stone
Poof
Por’Knockers
Las Meninas
Fabulation
Intimate Apparel
Ruined
by Bob Martin | Feb 22, 2009 | Creativity, Directors
Sometimes people want to see a film that is entertaining, joyous and uplifting. My regrets to the New York Times and The New Yorker.
“Slumdog Millionaire” and its director, Danny Boyle, with their modern-day fairy tale about hope and hard times in the slums of Mumbai, pushed aside big-studio contenders to sweep top honors at the 81st annual Academy Awards on Sunday. NYtimes
by Sandy | Jan 15, 2009 | Art, Arts, Entertainment and Music, Blogroll, Creativity, Museums
Starting January 23, 2009, MoAD presents a group of 20 artists that go to the edge to break stereotypes of religion, race, and gender.
Their intentions are to question and challenge beliefs with art: Lorraine Bonner, Ed and Linda Calhoun, Christopher Carter, Lalla Essaydi, John Yoyogi Fortes, Chaz Guest, David Huffman, Clint Imboden, Stephanie Anne Johnson, Annette Lawrence, Kelly Marshall, Wardell Milan, Ramekon O’Arwisters, Adrienne Pao, Jefferson Pinder, Dario Posada, Danny Ramirez, Manuel Rios, Blue Wade, and David Yun.
“Decoding Identity: I Do it for My People”, 1/23/09 – 3/8/09
MoAD – Museum of the African Diaspora, 685 Mission Street San Francisco, CA
(Image: “Xhosa Maiko”, Chaz Guest 2008)
by Bob Martin | Jan 6, 2009 | Art, Creativity, Education, Museums
A few weeks back friends of Susan Copland got together to help in the making of flowers out of aluminum soda cans for an exhibit at the Childrens Musuem in Phoenix. I took some photos and made some flowers, great fun, great people and Great Food!!
