SELECT COLLABORATIONS
LIVE PAINTING
Collaboration for "The Voodoo of Hells Half Acre" Blues Poetry Opera
Written by Lasana Kazembe
Airing on PBS April 2021
‘The Voodoo of Hell’s Half-Acre”: The Travelin’ Genius of Richard Wright from Natchez to Chicago – A Blues Poetry Opera is a live, multimedia theatrical presentation chronicling the story of Mr. Wright from his migration from Mississippi to the decade he spent in Chicago from 1927-1937. The performance involves a ten-piece ensemble featuring spoken word poetry, singing, saxophone, piano, upright bass and drums. Musical interludes enhance and animate the element of spoken word poem performances as part of the 90-minute piece broken into six movements.
The work derives its title from a lost short story published by a 15-year-old Richard Wright, and aims to contextualize Mr. Wright alongside culturally significant aspects of history including the Great Migration, the evolution of Black literature and protest writing, protracted struggles against White supremacy and anti-Black racism, the Black Freedom Movement and Black Radical Tradition.’
Collaboration with Cat Head Press Print Shop
Screenprint on Rives BFK paper
21” x 21”
2019
Cat Head Press collaborated with 10 Marion County emerging artists/designers to be featured in a collaborative print project. Each artist worked with CHP to design a unique image to be printed as a limited edition.
This project is made possible by The Create Indy Fund, a grant from the City of Indianapolis Cultural Initiatives Fund a fund of Central Indiana Community Foundation.
Bandana
Collaboration with Cat Head Press Print Shop
Screenprint on cotton
21” x 21”
Print and bandana available at Cat Head Press, 3125 East 10th Street, Indianapolis, IN
RECLAIM, SHED MURALS
Mural collaboration with Micah Wilson
Mural on wood shed
275 sq. ft.
2019
Located at 26th and Rader, Indianapolis, IN
This project was done for RECLAIM. Sheds were built and placed at vacant lots to activate a blighted neighborhood, and to activate the route community children would take to school. The murals were then made into furniture, designed by Shamira Wilson in collaboration with Project Lia.