BmoreArt’s Picks presents the best weekly art openings, events, and performances happening in Baltimore and surrounding areas. For a more comprehensive perspective, check the BmoreArt Calendar page, which includes ongoing exhibits and performances, and is updated on a daily basis.
To submit your calendar event, email us at [email protected]!
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Xu Bing Artist Talk
Tuesday, October 3rd : 4pm
MICA Brown Center, Falvey Hall
1301 West Mount Royal Avenue :: 21217
The Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) and its Mount Royal School of Art M.F.A. program present internationally recognized artist Xu Bing, who will discuss his global art practice. Xu is known for large-scale installations that incorporate a variety of materials, such as tobacco, silkworms and corn husks, to address cultural and social issues. A conversation with MICA President Samuel Hoi follows the lecture.
The event is free and open to the public, and will take place in MICA’s Falvey Hall, 1301 W Mt. Royal Avenue, on Tuesday, Oct. 3, at 4 p.m. The talk will be live-streamed via MICA’s Facebook page.
“MICA is proud to welcome Xu Bing, an artist who is widely admired for his fertile and powerful engagement in contemporary and cultural issues through extraordinarily inventive art making. His thinking and practice is global, in the best sense of the word. Xu Bing is both an icon and a role model for our students,” said Hoi.
Xu is a master artist whose practice is deeply engaged in envisioning a just and sustainable world. Through his monumental installations, Xu reveals how we work, how we see ourselves and how we treat each other. His concerns include cultural and national identity, social change and surveillance.
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“American Revolutionary: The Evolution of Grace Lee Boggs” Film Screening
Thursday, October 5th : 7:30pm
Motor House
120 West North Avenue :: 21201
Grace Lee Boggs was an American author, social activist, philosopher and feminist. She is known for her years of political collaboration with C. L. R. James and Raya Dunayevskaya in the 1940s and 1950s. Join us for an intimate screening of the documentary “American Revolutionary”, which tracks Grace’s incredible journey and evolution as an activist. The screening will be followed by a panel discussion. In partnership with Baltimore Asian Resistance in Solidarity (BARS)
Panelists:
Lisa Snowden McCray – Journalist Baltimore City Paper/Baltimore Sun Editorial Board
Andrew Mayton- Baltimore Asian Resistance in Solidarity
Maria Aldana – Neighborhood Voices/Creative Alliance Education Director
Jeneé Matthews – Balti Gurls
Ashley Minner – Maryland Traditions/Artists U
Moderator: Janelle Wong – Professor American Studies, University of Maryland
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Roxane Gay: With One N
Thursday, October 5th : 7:00pm
Towson University, West Village Commons
8000 York Road
Roxane Gay is an author and cultural critic whose writing garners international acclaim for its reflective, no-holds-barred exploration of feminism and social criticism. With a deft eye on modern culture, she brilliantly critiques its ebb and flow with both wit and ferocity. The author of Bad Feminist and Difficult Women says the moment she realized that she would “never want to write about fatness” was the same moment she knew this was the book she needed to write.
Gay is a contributing op-ed writer for The New York Times, was the co-editor of PANK, and formerly was the non-fiction editor at The Rumpus. Her writing has also appeared in McSweeney’s, The Nation and many other publications. She recently became the first black woman to ever write for Marvel, writing a comic series in the Black Panther universe called World of Wakanda.
Gay often speaks of living with contradictions: growing up a daughter of middle-class Haitian immigrants, and not fitting into the narrative of blackness. She talks about being a feminist. And explains why she identifies as a lesbian even though she is still attracted to men. During her talk, Gay will be reading from her most recent book, Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body. Gay will trace her complicated relationship with her weight back to being a victim of sexual assault as a child and the pervasiveness of fat phobia in our society.
Event attendance is free for Towson University community and general public. No tickets are required.
The talk will be followed by a book signing. This program is co-sponsored by the Center for Student Diversity and the English Department.
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Embody 2017
Thursday, October 5th : 7:30pm
WTMD
1 Olympic Place :: Towson
EMBODY, the award-winning, mind-blowing showcase of the human voice, returns to WTMD for a second installment featuring Tuvan throat-singing stars Alash, Baltimore rapper DDm of Bond St. District, singer-songwriter/vocal trumpeter Victoria Vox, New York vocal percussionist/beatboxer pioneer D.O.A., Baltimore vocal artist Shodekeh, singer/rapper Jasmine Pope and more!
This is a vocal-only show. There are no instruments — only the human voice.
The musicians will perform a mix of solo sets, vocal ensembles and collaborations. Chances are, you’ve never seen anything like this before. The entire show will be broadcast live on air, with a live studio audience.
Last year’s EMBODY won a Best of Baltimore award from Baltimore Magazine for “Best Showcase of the Human Voice.” They wrote: “That time Shodekeh led a hoard of local musicians (Dan Deacon, Wendel Patrick, Brooks Long, J Pope, etc.) and the packed house at WTMD on a musical journey, combining sounds into an oddly beautiful symphony? Let’s just say we never knew we could sound so cool.”
Alash are masters of Tuvan throat singing, a remarkable technique for singing multiple pitches at the same time. Believing that traditional music must constantly evolve, the musicians subtly infuse their songs with western elements, creating their own unique style that is fresh and new, yet true to their Tuvan musical heritage.Their latest album, “Achai,” featuring guest performances by Baltimore’s own Shodekeh, was recently inducted into the Smithsonian Folkways Recordings.
One half of the acclaimed Baltimore hip-hop duo Bond St. District, DDm is one of Baltimore’s most talented and charismatic rappers. Their debut album, “A Church on Vulcan” won a Best of Baltimore award for Best Album 2017 in Baltimore Magazine.
A master of the mouth trumpet, Victoria Vox is a singer-songwriter who has traveled the world performing solo on ukulele and with a band. She’s been featured in the Wall Street Journal and has appeared on “The Tonight Show With Jay Leno” and Maryland Public Television. For this installment of EMBODY, Vox will be leading a vocal-only ensemble with several other musicians.
Dread Archie Jr. (DOA) is a graduate of the world renowned William Esper Studio in New York City. He is an actor, comedian, recording artist, and well known master vocal percussionist. A veteran of film, stage, television, radio and recordings his career has spanned three decades from the early days of hip-hop through the present day. He is the creator, producer and host of his own live comedy show entitled Dread Archie Jr. & Friends and the co-creator and founding member of the world’s foremost group of vocal percussionist MB 2000 (featuring himself as D.O.A, Kenny Muhammad and Emanon Johnson).
Baltimore vocal percussionist Shodekeh has performed as a soloist with conductor Marin Alsop and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, and has traveled to Tuva to perform with Alash and the Tuvan National Orchestra. He provides vocal accompaniment for ballet and modern dance classes at Towson University and New York University. Shodekeh founded the EMBODY series in 2010, and brought it to WTMD in fall 2016. Shodekeh is one of 7 artists featured in the new documentary “Our Rhythm.”
EMBODY 2017 is sponsored in part by Flying Dog Brewery and Towson University Asian Arts & Culture Center.
Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door.
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Birdland and the Anthropocene | Opening Reception + Performances
Friday, October 6th : 6-10pm
The Peale Center
225 North Holliday Street :: 21202
We cordially invite you to the opening of “Birdland and the Anthropocene.” There will be two performances starting at 8 p.m.
Exhibition hours: Thursdays and Fridays 6-9pm; Saturdays 12-6pm; Sundays 10-4pm from October 6-29, 2017
Opening Reception, Oct. 6, 6-10 p.m. with performances
Closing Costume Party, Oct. 28, 7 p.m. until late
Saturday programs, Rotating artist talks at 2 p.m.
Oct. 7 Benjamin Andrew, Christina Baal, Chris Siron
Oct. 14 Jieyu Zhang, Lynne Parks
Oct. 21 Cathy Cook, Nicole Shiflet, Elisabeth Pellathy
Saturday, Oct. 14 at noon. Lindsay Jacks, Director of Lights Out Baltimore
Sunday noon programs:
Oct. 8 Open mic referencing birds. Guest writers Linda Franklin, Jenny O’Grady, and Timmy Reed.
Also, reading some of Drew Lanham’s poems and showing the short video “Rules for the Black Birdwatcher.”
Oct. 15 Dariusz Skoraczwski, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s Principal Cellist, bird song-influenced selections
Oct. 22 Ian Nagoski, Music Researcher, Early 20th Century Bird Recordings and Bird-Imitations
Artists:
Divya Anantharaman, Brooklyn, NY
Sandy Anderson, New Orleans, LA
Benjamin Andrew, State College, PA
Christina Baal, Mamaroneck, NY
Amy Boone-McCreesh, Baltimore, MD
Krista Caballero, Takoma Park, MD and Frank Ekeberg, Trondheim, NO
Ashley Cecil, Pittsburgh, PA
The Center for PostNatural History, Pittsburgh, PA and Ian Nagoski, Baltimore, MD
Cathy Cook, Baltimore, MD
Laure Drogoul, Baltimore, MD
Edgar Endress, Fairfax, VA
Linda Franklin, Baltimore, MD
Anne Geene and Arjan de Nooy, The Hague, NL
Susan Humphrey, Baltimore, MD
Ashley Kidner, Baltimore, MD
Jonathan Latiano, Baltimore, MD
Monique Luchetti, New York, NY
Jennifer McBrien, Baltimore, MD
Lynne Parks, Baltimore, MD
Elisabeth Pellathy, Birmingham, AL
Ben Piwowar, Baltimore, MD
Jessica Rassp, Baltimore, MD
William Rhodes, San Francisco, CA
Glenn Ricci, Baltimore, MD
Nicole Shiflet, Baltimore, MD
Chris Siron, Baltimore, MD
Andrew Yang, Chicago, IL
Jieyu Zhang, Reading, PA
Extinction Ritual performers:
Kristen Faber
Lindsay Jacks
Lynne Parks
Jessica Rassp
Lisi Stoessel
Claire Wayner
Additional performance: Laure Drogoul and the Fountain of Extinction
We will also host artwork by Make Studio.
Taxidermy courtesy of the Baltimore Bird Club.
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2017 Open Studio Tour Kickoff with Youth Resiliency Institute!
Friday, October 6th : 6-8pm
Cherry Hill Homes Community Center
2700 Spelman Road :: 21225
On Friday, October 6th from 6pm to 8pm, the Youth Resiliency Institute will host a free Open Studio Community Kick-Off at the Cherry Hill Homes Community Center, 2700 Spelman Road, Baltimore, MD 21225. During the kick-off reception, attendees can
meet artists of all ages living or working in South Baltimore’s historic Cherry Hill community, view their work and learn about how Cherry Hill artists participating in Youth Resiliency Institute arts programming use their art to advocate for greater access and funding for arts programming in South Baltimore and heal from structural violence and trauma.
Artists participating in the reception will include Dallas the Dollmaker (Doll Making), the Singletary Family (Painting), Tommy Bethea (Collagist), Adote Akewi (Author/Poet), Cherry Hill Senior Manor Elders (Painting), Cherry Hill Youth Arts Collective (Sculpture), Shirley Foulks (Poetry), Abu The Flutemaker (Instrument maker/Musician), Fanon Hill (Filmmaker/Music producer), and Navasha Daya (Singer/Songwriter).
The artists’ work will be activated through the construction of a Cherry Hill Mbari House. Mbari is a visual art form practiced by the Igbo people in southeast Nigeria. Mbari houses are large open-sided square planned shelters that celebrate creativity and members of the village (community) no longer with us. According to Nigerian novelist Chinua Achebe, “Mbari was a celebration of the world and of life lived in it.” The Cherry Hill Mbari House will celebrate the life of murdered Cherry Hill youth artist Angelo Dangerfield. As a young Black artist living in Cherry Hill, Angelo worked to secure artistic consciousness around the recognition of identity, cultural memory and place.
Event attendees will be able to enter into the Cherry Hill Mbari House, experience Angelo’s art, enjoy art made by Cherry Hill artists celebrating Angelo’s life, and watch a film clip focusing on Angelo’s legacy taken from the lauded documentary Lom Nava Love. Centered on the work of community organizer Shirley Foulks and directed by Youth Resiliency Institute co-founder Fanon Hill, Lom Nava Love documents Foulks’ engagement with children, youth and families living in Cherry Hill and how she uses art to communicate the abilities, strengths and power to effect change that Black families innately possess.
Immediately following the reception, there will be a cross-generational panel discussion focused on the intersection of community self-determination and the arts in the Cherry Hill community. The panel discussion will be moderated by Youth Resiliency Institute executive director Fanon Hill.
Music for the reception will be provided by Youth Resiliency Institute master artist-in-residence Abu The Flutemaker.
Event attendees will be treated to a sampling of West African cuisine and other light refreshments.
School 33’s Open Studio Tour is produced by the Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts and presented by Bank of America.
Image: Edoh Akwei, and the painting is of deceased Cherry Hill artist/youth leader Angelo Dangerfield.
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2017 Baltimore Open Studio Tour
Saturday, October 7th + Sunday, October 8th : 10am-6pm
Join us for the 29th Anniversary of School 33 Art Center’s Open Studio Tour, presented by Bank of America and Baltimore Office of Promotion & the Arts!
School 33 Art Center’s Open Studio Tour is an annual city-wide event that for nearly 30 years has brought together professional artists and the general public, giving collectors and art lovers the opportunity to visit the studios of visual artists.
On Saturday, October 7 and Sunday, October 8, 2017, meet Baltimore’s artists, see their work and get a behind-the-scenes glimpse into their creative processes.
The citywide School 33 Open Studio Tour takes place on:
Saturday, October 7th 10am-6pm
Sunday, October 8th 10am-6pm
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Miami is Nice
Saturday, October 7th :7-10pm
SpaceCamp
16 West North Avenue :: 21201
Miami is Nice is a group art exhibition, queer performance series, and gay wedding celebration, inspired by the hit television show The Golden Girls. This month long event features a moderated discussion with Golden Girls screenwriter Stan Zimmerman, queer performance evenings, and artwork by local and national artists. Miami is Nice runs from October 7 – October 28, 2017 at SpaceCamp, an artist-run art gallery in the Station North Arts & Entertainment District, located at 16 West North Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21201.
Miami is Nice takes guests to an idealized version of South Florida in the 1980s, a decade primarily known within the queer community for the devastating consequences of the AIDS crisis, and the triumphant acts of perseverance which mobilized a generation to fight for recognition. Utilizing The Golden Girls as a symbol of profound acceptance, Miami is Nice continues that fight by offering a joyful and nostalgic escape from the struggles of daily life to an actualized paradise: a world in which love wins.
Miami is Nice will feature the following artists:
Amy Boone-McCreesh, Chenin Aimi Bouillon, Jackie Cassidy (NJ), Felice Cleveland (TX), Samuel Draxler (NY), Katie Duffy (IL), Alissa Eberle (PA), Alex Ebstein, Dave Essa, Jill Fannon, Michael Farley, Sarah Favreau (NY), Alice Gadzinski, Gary Godbey (KY), Leah Guadagnoli (NY), Andrew Indelicato (VA), Zachary Z. Handler, Magali Hébert-Hout, Hannah Hiaasen (NY), Nick Horan (FL), Hyrsteria Zine, Colby Katz (NC), Colin Klockner (VA), Labomamo (FL), Ryan Lauderdale (NY), Leeanne Maxey (NY), Spencer Meyers (FL), Anya Mizani, Richard Munaba (NY), Jordan Parvex (CA), Brice Peterson (NJ), April Pink (MD), Sidney Pink (MD), Rosemarie Romero (FL), Esther Ruiz (NY), Nick Simko, Danya Smith (VA), Tiffany Smith (FL), Anne Stringer, Tiffany Threadgould (PA), Kat Tingum (NY).
“I am thrilled to bring this timely exhibition to Baltimore right now in light of the recent attacks on the LGBTQIA+ community,” said Curator Zachary Z. Handler. “Our goal is to spark conversations around what it means to create freely and live openly with art and performances that celebrate joy and resilience and continue fighting for LGBTQIA+ equality in the age of Trump. I’m particularly excited to have audiences meet one of the original creators of The Golden Girls and hear him speak about his experience writing for the show in the 1980’s and the many ways he fought to make The Golden Girls the subversive pop culture phenomenon it is today.”
In addition to the various programmatic elements, Miami is Nice will host a gay wedding celebration of Baltimore artists and performers, Zachary Z. Handler and Nick Horan as part of the exhibition. Decorative remnants from the reception will remain in the gallery for the duration of the show as an art installation: a reminder of the ever-present fragility of the queer experience in America today.
“Miami is Nice is more than just a wedding in an art show,” said Michelle Ivette Gomez, Founder, Creative Unions Event Design. “It is a safe space for the LGBTQIA+ community and artists that are being acknowledged, while also having such a personal impact on Zachary and Nick’s special day.”
A portion of all artwork sales will go to the non-profit groups SAGE Advocacy and Services for LGBT Elders and Trans Women of Color Collective.
The exhibition is curated by a team of Baltimore-based artists, Zachary Z. Handler, Nick Horan, Michelle Ivette Gomez of Creative Unions Event Design, and Carlyn Thomas of Terrault Gallery.
Miami is Nice exhibition and all associated programming are FREE.
Gallery hours: Thursdays and Fridays from 6-10pm, Saturdays and Sundays from 12-4pm (except Saturday, October 14th)
