“I Bring What I Love” – is a documentary film about Youssou N’Dour, the pop music superstar from Senegal, West Africa.
N’Dour is revered all across Africa for his “remarkable range and poise and for his prodigious musical intelligence as a writer, bandleader and producer. He absorbs the entire Senegalese musical spectrum in his work, often filtering it through the lens of genre-defying rock or pop music from outside his culture. N’Dour has made “mbalax”—a blend of Senegal‘s traditional griot percussion and praise-singing with Afro-Cuban music—famous throughout the world during more than 20 years of recording and touring outside of Senegal with his band, The Super Étoile”.
The director of“I Bring What I Love”,Elizabeth Chai Vasahelyi, followed the singer for 2 years through Africa, Europe and the U.S. to bring us a picture of this super talented and complex man that spreadthe music and rhythms of his homeland worldwide.
Roberta was one of the first artists I met in Arizona and what impressed me about her was her affirmative and knowing way of speaking. “Do you know so and so, have you met them, well then we have to get you to meet them, this is what we are going to do”. Spoken in a rapid fire manner that is reminiscent of Katz’s Deli , “you’ll have the Brisket, it will be good for you, you’ll enjoy”. Another great thing about Roberta is that whenever possible, her kids are always with her and welcomed.
As an Artist Activist, Artist and Mom, do you feel that your kids have gotten a balanced school curriculum, one that has them participate in creative arts programs as well as academics?
What an interesting and ironic question! Yes, but primarily because we have personally ensured that for our children. Do I believe their classmates share that experience? No. Unfortunately, Arizona offers substandard education and cultural programming in the primary grades. I only wish we could somehow rapidly inspire our legislative leadership to understand the need to adequately fund education, thereby insuring a quality future for all of us. I deeply respect the educators I have come to know because most are unbelievably dedicated and creative in imparting their skills and knowledge despite underwhelming political and financial support.
I have personally never worried about the level of artistic interaction my children have experienced. The most challenging thing for us has been maintaining the breadth of those experiences and not being tunnel-visioned on [my own area of interest] the visual arts. Both of my children are incredibly creative, however, I think they have been exposed to so much(artistically and civically) that they do not yet know how different they are!
Why do you think it is that with the use of case studies and research data that indicate arts education is a important and critical contributor to a young persons growth, that both the Feds and local governments seem to ignore this.
There are a variety of very weak excuses for this, but I believe the primary reason comes down to the homogenization of our educational and subsequent cultural experiences. It is difficult to be enthused about that which you are not familiar or experienced with. We have witnessed a quiet cultural decline (in our country, but not limited to), dating back at least three generations, from when the Arts were intrinsically woven through the educational experience of the intellectual community and were equally used as a means of cultural preservation through folk experience in the general populous.
In America, our efforts to give everyone the same level of elementary education have actually created a unique homogeneous climate. Cultural differences, traditions and practices (the roots of artistic expression) have been slowly eliminated to encompass only the most common of community experiences. Interestingly, following the Arts in their slow disappearance from our schools’ curriculum’s, Sports and Physical Education are likewise being relegated to after-school care providers to institute.
It is not missed, even on the youngest child, that these after-school activities, albeit entertaining, are not considered as important as what occupies the greatest amount of their time during the day. Joy is being left outside the door of our educational system and I am gravely concerned by the consequences of this short-sightedness.
The last couple of years has seen a lot of enthusiasm about the growing Phoenix art district. With the economy hitting a wall, are you still hearing the same enthusiasm as in 2006.
I am certain that no one, in any business, is enthusiastic about our current economic climate. I believe we can safely predict that we will see a pause in the Arts District enthusiasm, however, it will ultimately recover as the economy does.
In addition to funding, what else does this art’s community need.
Maturity and responsibility. Part of the underlying dysfunction of our own arts community is our response to the community, as a larger whole, which still does not perceive the Arts as an integral part of its health and vitality. Changing that perception requires patience, commitment and taking responsibility for how we behave, both as artists and community members.
We have an Election coming up and neither one of the candidates seem to be talking education. Do you find this odd and what do you think we need to do in order to have this be a focal point during their campaigning.
No, I don’t find it odd – disappointing perhaps – but with issues like our wars in Iraq and Afghanistan; continued Middle Eastern tensions; our failing health care system and our current economic decline, I believe most Americans are overwhelmed with issues deemed larger than educational concerns.
Whether we can engage the presidential candidates in a national discussion on education or not, we should definitely take this opportunity to send a clear message to our local representatives that we insist on higher standards of education for our children. Governor Napolitano campaigned with education as one of her highest priorities. I have been both impressed by the dogged follow-through of her promises, and dismayed by the lack of support from the State Legislature. If we want to see change nationally – we need to start locally.
Do you have any exhibits planned, if so is their a theme.
I’m afraid I don’t have any upcoming exhibits planned yet! I took some time off from my career(s) to support my youngest child through a very difficult educational time. Now that he has successfully regained his confidence and independence, I am looking forward to returning to my studio and catching up on all the beautiful sights, smells and tactile sensations from producing art. I hope to be back in circulation in a year or so. Look for my art again sometime toward 2010!
Richard Retter is a quiet and patient artist whose face lights up when talking about his work and his life. He is genuinely exuberant with an infectious smile of joy.
Richard Retter, a native of Louisville, Kentucky, currently lives in Phoenix, Arizona, where he creates his artwork. He is the Director of Creative Arts at Scottsdale Training and Rehabilitation Services (STARS), specializing in art therapy. He is truly a Renaissance man…. Retterart
Here is a brief interview with Richard where he talks about some of the people, friends, family and colleagues who have had an impact on his life and his appreciation of their thoughtful friendship.
The annual event will be different this year. After 22 years of welcoming children and adults to their wide selections of events in person, the 2020 HBF will be “virtual”.
~ “HBF2020 will be live-streamed on Facebook Live, with simultaneous links to YouTube, Instagram Live, QBR.com, Harlembookfair.com, CAOTtv.com”
~ “Multi-platform broadcasting: The Harlem Book Fair will be available where online readers go for their information. New readers; new audiences”
~ “Your favorite books, authors, and most compelling issues presented directly to your device.”
“The vision of the Harlem Book Fair is to partner with local and national leadership organizations under the banner of literacy awareness, affirming HBF as the nation’s largest African American literary event celebrating family literacy, community empowerment, and community cooperation.“
The ambitious intentions of a playwright resulted in the impressive, and enjoyable, “August Wilson Century Cycle” box set.It consists of a play for every decade of the 20th century that would chronicle some part of the black experience in America.
Through the use of his great ear for dialogue, Wilson (4/45 – 10/05) was able to give us some insight into the daily life – both struggles and triumphs – of an assortment of universal characters that his audience could easily recognize.
An amazing undertaking, but, his huge vision was realized and it resulted in 2 Pulitzer Prizes, a Tony award and many other accolades. He accomplished a lot doing what he loved to do and perhaps more importantly, August Wilson left a powerful body of work that will be read and performed for years to come. Dreaming big has rewards of all kinds.
All 10 of August Wilson’s plays are collected in hard cover with a nice presentation box. Each has an introduction by an actor, director or writer familiar with his work
In 2005, August Wilson completed the ten-play cycle:
There is nothing like good music during questionable times. Gives a lift.
The opening bass line that precedes the above lyric is for one of my favorite songs by the Temptations, “My Girl”. It is instantly recognizable, instantly evoking a time/ place/age that is gone, but still very much alive when the music plays. (I still know all the words.)
I watched the DVD, “Standing in the Shadows of Motown” again. It tells the story of the “Funk Brothers”, those musicians who rhythmically supported the stars of Motown with their piano, drums, horn section and guitars. According to the liner notes, “They played on more #1 records than the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and Elvis combined…”
There are interviews with the guys, funny and touching, as they reminisce about their experiences at “Hitsville, USA”. Unknown by the thousands of us that religiously bought a new 45 record whenever possible, they drove the beat behind the Motown hits from the Supremes, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder (he was “little” then), the Miracles, etc. The stars were good, but so was the band.
We are also treated to terrific concert footage – artists of today singing the old songs. It’s been a long time, but the music lives – they do a great job, different – but still great.
Let me create the scene for you. I was in Jamaica for a shoot. Traveling with me to the next location was another Black American, a Jamaican and a West African/Brit. The other American and I were snapping photos, enraptured. The color! The ebony black skin! Black people everywhere! Nature! Our two other traveling companions were unfazed. They hopped in the car. It was in this moment that the idea for this article began to germinate. There was nothing wrong with our enthusiasm but … was it an American enthusiasm? I’ve spoken passionately about the potential detriment ofseeing foreign countries through a white male gaze. But what about the American gaze?If you have an American passport, you are more privileged than most. In the past year, I’ve been to Ethiopia, Turkey, Jamaica (twice) and Brazil. My being black and female didn’t make me immune to cliches or eroticizing “the other”. It is my job as a human being and artist to challenge my American programming.Visit the Actual Country Not the One in Your Head: Even though I’ve watched recent Brazilian films (check out “Casa Grande”, “Hard Labor” “A Wolf at the Door” “The Way He Looks” ) and kept up on the country’s current events, I still had no clue what Brazil would be like. I admit I was half expecting dancing in the streets 24/7 and gun shots. “Black Orpheus” meets “City of God”.
In the future, I want to watch more documentaries by native filmmakers and read more literature before visiting a country. I’d also like to read up on public reception of popular art. Since I was little, I’ve always loved the song “Zombie” by Fela. However, I didn’t learn the political significance of the song until seeing the musical. Similarly, I’ve been aware of the popular Telenovelas in Brazil but had no idea of their subversive past until readingthis NY Times article. Even with additional research (plus whatever prep I do for each shoot), I will remind myself that I don’t know a country or culture – at all – until I actually visit it.Local Fixers vs Tourism Board – Tourism Boards are extremely helpful when filming abroad. Thanks to them, we’ve gotten through airports quickly, were able to secure locations & film permits before landing and connect with additional crew. We’ve been able to shoot a lot in a very very short period of time. However, they can steer you towards filming the same sanctioned people and locations covered by countless other filmmakers. You trade a diversity of images and voices for ease.Local fixers can also help with crew, permits etc. But their real value is in giving you access to regular life. A home cooked meal. The after after (after) hours party. How to use public transportation. Student activist gatherings. My experience has been that local fixers, perhaps because they have lives beyond helping the Americans, take longer to show you special locations or introduce you to people. You trade time and patience for uniqueness and exclusivity.Choosing our local contact (governmental agency, tourism board, local journalist etc) is not part of my jurisdiction. I am *only* the DP. I don’t have to juggle the politics, schedules, and budgets of filming abroad. But the quality of my footage and depth of our experience is definitely enhanced when we work with a local fixer.Shout out toKiratiana Freelon, photog Exu NYCandZoe Sullivanfor being a huge support during my trip to Brazil.Have Difficult Conversations – This one is tricky. If I feel I’m in a safe environment and that expressing my opinion won’t harm production, I see immense value in arguing abroad. Not arguing exactly, more like a rigorous conversation. The goal being to share my perspective, have it challenged and learn something in the process. Foreigners often know a lot more about US politics than we do and are eager to debate. My nature is to avoid confrontation but I’m noticing from recent travels, that I learn more about a country and its people from debates than I could ever from a documentary or newspaper. I love the tv series “Homeland”. I relate to its cerebral, socially awkward, female protagonist. But by making myself open to other points of view, I’ve learned that people find it offensive; pointing to aspects of the show I was blind to.Be Willing to Throw Out Your Visual Plan – This is another really tough one for me. Anyone who knows me / has worked with me, knows how important pre-production and reference material is for me. If a director clearly states how they want a film to look, I promise to accomplish that. However, what dictates the look of our film? Choice of b-roll and cutaways? Background actors? Locations for interviews? Is it based on other films shot in that country? Cliches? Our agenda?Everyone shootsmen sipping teaorwomen at the Sultan Ahmed Mosque in Istanbul, but what of the women I saw in tailored business suits and 3” heels easily making their way up a 45 degree inclined cobblestoned sidewalk, while I huffed and puffed in flip flops? Why didn’t I take a photograph of them?
Yes, travel with a visual plan but be open to throw it away and be inspired by a genuine experience. Regardless if shooting narrative/doc/tv/commercial, a difficult conversation or anecdote shared by your fixer, might inspire you to shoot at a different time of day, in a different location or even in black/white instead of color.
A Word About Security – Years ago, when I was prepping for a shoot in Johannesburg, a well meaning friend said “Don’t go. You’ll be raped”. The first time I went to Nigeria, I posted my excitement on Facebook. Friends, whom I forgot I was even connected to, materialized and begged me not to go. Most people were worried about my recent trip to Brazil. I believe each person was coming from a loving place. And I know there is validity to their concerns. A film producer friend was shot and killed in Nigeria. Two friends of a friend were killed during a carjacking in Brazil. However, on the day of the awful shootings in Orlando, I was nervously taking photos on a beach in Salvador de Bahia. I would think nowhere could be safer than Orlando. If that day taught me anything, it’s that nowhere is 100% safe.I have a saying about accepting advice: “When someone gives you advice, consider the source”. Meaning, people’s advice is shaded by their history, experiences (or lack thereof) and beliefs. People who rarely travel internationally seem to share this bias: If a crime or terrorism attack occurs in a predominantly white city/country, they speak of it as an isolated event. But if a tragedy occurs in a predominantly brown city/country, it represents all of its people. All of the time.Before letting your uncle, who considers a Sandals resort “roughing it” and listens to Fox News religiously (we all have that uncle) talk you out of backpacking through Central America, seek advice from someone who has actually done it. Prior to going to Brazil and to do everything in my power to travel safely, I spoke with friends who lived there, who had just returned, plus a friend who specializes in mosquitos and infectious diseases.Become Multi-lingual -The first time I traveled to Ethiopia, I learned three words in Amharic per day. When I returned to Ethiopia, I learned three words of Tigrayan per day. A month prior to my trip to Brazil, I downloadedDuolingoand learned enough Portuguese to argue with a bus driver, convince a taxi to drive me for free and get keys for my apartment in Salvador. Even with a fixer and a producer who speak the language fluently, it helps production and eases my interactions when I know a few words. If you can learn slang, you can learn a few words of a new language. There will be frustration in not looking cool, saying it wrong and seeming childish. But that’s how we grow.Besides, not knowing a language and not trying to is a lot like gentrification: I’ll visit your home and expect you to accommodate me.If you want to see the impact of knowing a language on a film crew, watch the documentary “Living On Dollar”. See the whole documentary and look for their observations on Day #28 (around the 31:52 mark). It also shows the importance of the director communicating findings and updating the crew. My director’s research and daily observations affect my cinematography choices and inform me on how to interact more respectively with the local people.Traveling as an American But… Who else has travel needs, perspectives and joys that are being ignored? – At the beginning of this year, I had the incredible task of filming on the Soul Train Cruise. It was surreal to hold production meetings surrounded by water while Chaka Khan blasted on the loud speakers. My crew was amazing. I loved traveling, filming and problem solving in the Caribbean. But I’ve never been a fan of cruises. That is until I saw what a great, efficient and inclusive way it was for the young and old, out of shape and fit and most importantly, the able bodied and wheelchair/scooter bound to travel together. Seeing Jason DaSilva’s beautiful documentary, “When I Walk”, was the first time I really considered wheelchair access in NYC. Since I began working on Liz Ortiz Mackes’ doc “And… Scene, a Woman’s Journey to Walk Again”, I’ve become even more sensitive. However, it wasn’t until being on a cruise that I saw that this was a way to travel internationally, and still accommodate and honor the needs of everyone in your family. Why is this never addressed in travel shows?– Another “privilege” I have is my sexual orientation and identity. They are accepted. Sure, I’ve been told I’m a second class citizen (by our local fixer), have been denied access to apparently the greatest chapel of the Lalibela Rock Churches and disappointed numerous people with my lack of husband or children. But I feel at ease sharing stories about myself. I also have plenty of gay/lesbian friends who constantly travel abroad. But I’ve never traveled with them nor seen, first hand, how they might have to alter their body language or conceal their relationships to travel safely. So I’m thankful for the few episodes I’ve seen of Viceland’s “Gaycation” with Ellen Page and Ian Daniel. I hope for more fiction and non-fiction content that celebrates the joy and exposes the terrors for those “traveling while LGBTQ” andthe locals they meet.Keeping It Domestic – What if international travel is not in your future? The above still holds true when filming in communities different from your own. 9 out of 10 New York filmmakers will shoot Montana like a Terrence Malick film. Watch more documentaries from filmmakers within a community. I’ve taken on the humbling of task of speaking Mandarin (I know about five sayings) when I’m in Chinatown.We can all do better.See my work and past articles at CybelDP.com. Chat film with me at @cybeldp.
The “Soul of a Nation: Art in the Age of Black Power 1963-1983″ exhibit has been traveling the U.S. since last year. NYC, Houston and most recently last Fall in LA, it is now ending its San Francisco stay at the De Young Museum. The presentation “shines a bright light on the vital contribution of Black artists made over two decades, beginning in 1963 at the height of the civil rights movement…”
“Featuring the work of more than 60 influential artists* and including vibrant paintings, powerful sculptures, street photography, murals, and more, this landmark exhibition is a rare opportunity to see era-defining artworks that changed the face of art in America.”
* Romare Bearden, Barkley Hendricks, Noah Purifoy, Martin Puryear, Faith Ringgold, Betye Saar, Alma Thomas, Charles White, William T. Williams
I really like portraits. (I enjoy creating their back stories – what, where, why and of course, who?)
The above, by Black Renaissance artist Loïs Mailou Jones (1905 – 1998), is included in the American Art collection at the Brooklyn Museum. Work from assorted genres, created in the Americas, is represented.
“…this major reinstallation of our American Art galleries attempts to take a more inclusive approach. It embraces work by women and people of color and extends the definition of America to encompass not only the United States but Central and South America, Mexico, and the Caribbean basin, beginning with the art of the first peoples who lived in the region thousands of years before contact with European colonizers.”
“With their avant-garde style and rejection of artistic traditions, a new generation of rebel-artists known as the Expressionists came to prominence during the early 20th century…”
“Labeled as “degenerates,” many of the Expressionists were drafted or otherwise affected by war. To express their personal reactions to the atrocities they experienced, they turned to boldly simplified line work, distorted forms, or clashing colors. Above all, they heralded printmaking—a quick, inexpensive medium rife with creative potential—as the premier form of artistic rebellion. “
“From lithographic posters to book illustration, this exhibition encapsulates the violence and defiance of European modernism through works on paper from the Dallas Museum of Art’s collection…”
Dallas Museum of Art / DMA
1717 North Harwood Dallas, Texas
(Image: Käthe Kollwitz, Memorial Sheet of Karl Liebknecht, woodcut 1919/1920)
