Highlights from The Weight of Words Benefit Concert Kranzberg Arts Center
Here are some highlights with photographs taken by Teen Council member Taron Dennis from The Weight of Words Benefit Concert. Our very special thanks to the generous artists who joined us in supporting our mission – Brandon McCadney, Juwuan Dennis, Dadishi Bull Buchannon, Dre Guvara, Mario Miles-Turnage, The Triple T’z – Turt, DMC T-ReXx and Tazz, Uriel Brush, Jarmel Reece, Chris Hansen, to our audio engineer Ryan Smyth, and special thanks to K.P. Dennis for performing and directing the show! It was a memorable and beautiful experience for everyone as artists performed stunning instrumental music, soulful spoken word and let raw emotions fly high with story songs that promoted putting guns down, picking up books and living in peace in the elegant Studio Theater space at the Kranzberg Arts Center. Thank you to the wonderful audience members! We will be coming out with an audio CD soon…stay tuned!
Saint Louis Story Stitchers Artists Collective is pleased to announce the
2015 Youth Art and Writing Contest judges!
Divisions I — Grades 5-9
ART AND WRITING
Jordia Benjamin
Jordia C. Benjamin is the 2014-15 Romare Bearden Graduate Minority Fellow at the Saint Louis Art Museum. Benjamin completed a master’s degree in Nonprofit Management from the University of Central Florida and holds both a Bachelor’s of Arts degree in Art History and a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts degree in Studio Arts from the University of South Florida. She joins the Art Museum from the National Art Gallery of The Bahamas, where she served as the Educational Officer.
Jeffrey Q. McCune is Associate Professor of Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and an Associate Professor of Performing Arts Department at Washington University in St. Louis. His research interests include popular culture; masculinity; critical/race/gender/sexuality theory; performance studies; queer theory; contemporary African-American Literature, Culture and Media communication. His books include Sexual Discretion: Black Masculinity and the Politics of Passing, (University of Chicago Press, 2014.) He has published articles including “Out’ in Da Club: The Down Low, Hip-Hop, and the Architexture of Black Masculinity.” Text and Performance Quarterly (2008) and “A Good Black Manhood is Hard to Find: Toward a Transgressive Reading Practice.” Spectrum: A Journal on Black Men.
Saint Louis Story Stitchers programming is produced with support from the Regional Arts Commission.
Kimberly Jade Norwood joined our Saturday Workshop with Teen Council on February 7th to discuss issues related to her book, Color Matters and to the theme of our project, Perception Isn’t Always Reality. Teen Council members sat on the Studio Theater stage at Kranzberg Arts Center with Ms. Jade and discussed perceptions people have of each other as related to skin tone, facial features and hair, both in the United States and internationally. They discussed some of the realities related to these perceptions including lower income that those with darker skin tones may experience. Teens walked away more aware of their own perceptions of others, thinking more deeply about what attracts them to certain individuals, and a better idea of how they might help to make the world better for all.
After the discussion Teen Council enjoyed Game Day and snacks!
Thank you for sharing your research with the Story Stitchers! We hope you come back soon!
Perception Isn’t Always Reality opened February 6th to 100 guests. Thanks for coming out and supporting us!
The installation features 28 St. Louis artists and will remain open through March 15th. Photo Booth Sessions can be scheduled by emailing us here. We invite everyone to participate and add your voices to the project.
Additional events with this project are listed here: http://storystitchers.org/portfolio/black-history-month-events/
We will be adding some of the content collected from the project to our website in the coming weeks.
Teen Council members will take over the Studio Theater to host two open events for local teenagers called Teen Stitch Squad Sessions. Sessions include opportunities to make new friends, have snacks, play games, RAP on our open mic, draw and photograph. All teens are welcome to come and join the fun and check out the Story Stitchers. Events are FREE! Parents are welcome on these dates (we will keep them busy for you!)
WANT TO KNOW MORE?
We are looking for teens to join our Teen Council, grades 5-12, who are interested in arts and culture, are drug and gun free, have good references but not necessarily good grades. Email us or just come on down and say, Hey! to learn more. Sponsored memberships are available.
Teen Stitch Squad Sessions
Saturday, Feb 7th and February 21, 10:00-12:00 at Kranzberg Arts Center, 501 N Grand.
Perception Isn’t Always Reality is the theme of our upcoming series of events at Kranzberg Arts Center. The theme was chosen by Teen Council and grew out of discussions and reflections on bullying, bias, profiling and perception, identity and difficulties faced by contemporary urban youth. We will explore this intriguing theme more broadly with community members, including, we hope, YOU! throughout February and March.
The Community Video Sketchbook, curated by Jarmel Reece, features original work projected on the gallery wall by 27 outstanding artists. All reflect on the theme, Perception Isn’t Always Reality. Many add commentary to the discussion surrounding Ferguson. Denise Ward Brown premieres a new interview, Little Rock 9, Buzz Spector questions the role news media played in Ferguson, KP Dennis asks us to Put the Gun Down, Mike Pagano shares Chalk Unarmed, and many more.
Join us for the opening reception, Friday, February 6th, 6:00-9:00 at the Kranzberg Arts Center. We are excited to share what we’ve been collecting and creating!
