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African American News
"Series of works commemorate 50th anniversary of Emmett Till lynching"
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"The Murder of Emmett Till50 years later" (a performance series) & "EMMETT" (a visual installation) opens at HIGHWAYS Performance Space on August 26, 2005
Kevin Spicer, creator/performer of "The Baby with Emmett Till's Eyes," curates a series of works commemorating the 50th anniversary of the lynching of fourteen year-old Emmett Till on August 28, 1955, a murder that mobilized the civil rights movement.
Renowned L.A. area performance artists Mark Broyard, Babe Evans, Brian Freeman, Joyce Guy, Winifred R. Harris, Keith Antar Mason, Joanne Morris, Charles Reese, Kevin Spicer and others present original performance pieces exploring the theme of Emmett.
Accompanying the performances is an installation of visual art on the Emmett Till theme from Samella Lewis, Avery Clayton, Toni Scott, The Butler, Robert Lowden, Mark Broyard, Alisa Adona, Lori-Antoinette and others.
In his piece Mark Broyard presents an evocative link between the murders of Emmett Till in 1955 and in 1998, James Byrd Jr. (in then-Governor George W. Bush's Texas). Babe Evans interprets the words of Emmett Till's mother, Mamie Till Mobley, into a powerful monologue. Joyce Guy presents "From My Mother's Mouth," a piece created when a recent conversation with her Mother revealed long buried truths and insights about the crime. Keith Antar Mason provides a challenging exploration of "what has changed since 1955?" Brian Freeman's "My Nephew" interweaves Emmett's fateful visit to his Great Uncle with his own relationship to his Nephew.
Kevin Spicer presents a tone piece examining his unique personal connection to the events of August 1955. Winifred R. Harris is choreographing "The Strength of a Mother's Heart," a dance piece based on the life of Mamie Till Mobley, performed by her renowned company, Between Lines. Charles Reese explores the unrelenting quest for truth, freedom and healing in his poetry/spoken word rhapsody "Today Feels Like A Poem for Emmett." Joanne Morris explores the story from the perspective of Carolyn Bryant, the woman whose husband murdered Emmett. Additional guests will be announced at a later date.
The installation of visual art encompasses sculpture, digital prints and paintings from Toni Scott, mixed-media work from Mark Broyard, digital prints from George Evans, sculpture from Carol Cherry and paintings from Samella Lewis, Avery Clayton, Alisa Adona, Lori-Antoinette, Robert Lowden, The Butler, Sylvia Morris and others.
The artists use the theme of Emmett as a launching point for their work.
The 1st night of the Performance Series and the Opening Reception for the art exhibit takes place on Friday, August 26, 2005. The reception for "EMMETT" starts at 6:30 pm in the HIGHWAYS Gallery. The exhibit runs from August 26 September 11, 2005.
"The Murder of Emmett Till 50 years later" opens Friday, August 26, 2005 for three performances ending Sunday, August 28, 2005. The Friday and Saturday performances start at 8:30 pm, the Sunday performance at 7:30 pm. The event takes place at the HIGHWAYS Performance Space and Gallery, 1651 18th Street in Santa Monica, CA (1/2 block north of Olympic Blvd. on 18th Street). For
reservations, call (310) 315-1459.
This event at HIGHWAYS coincides to the day the 50th anniversary of Emmett's murder. The event promises to be an emotional, provocative and ultimately healing experience.
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