Events for 02/03/24 - 02/09/24
February 2024
The City of Tomorrow
Featuring the premiere of a brand-new work for wind quintet by George Lewis, commissioned by the ensemble, the City of Tomorrow sets the audience inside a kaleidoscope of culture and memory. Composer, musicologist, and winner of MacArthur and Guggenheim fellowships, George Lewis is currently the Artistic Director of the International Contemporary Ensemble and has written extensively on American experimental music, race, and the decolonization of contemporary music. His music is presented alongside another masterpiece for the modern quintet, De Memorias by Cuban-American composer Tania León. The City of Tomorrow’s specialty is creating immersive experiences, in which audiences are carried from one piece to the next in a transformative musical art installation.
MicroCinema: 61st Ann Arbor Film Festival Shorts Tour
Indie Memphis and Crosstown Arts are honored to continue to showcase films from the most recent edition of the Ann Arbor Film Festival, the oldest experimental and avant-garde film festival in North America. Using various techniques, from puppetry to mixing digital and analog film approaches, these films explore shades of the relationships between humanity and the natural world, between humans and each other, and speculate on their meaning and changing possibilities.
Modern Masters Jazz Series: Dan Wilson and The Ted Ludwig Trio
Growing up in Akron, Ohio, Dan Wilson spent the majority of his youth within the church community, where his musical path began.
Traces of his major guitar influences – including Wes Montgomery, Charlie Christian, Joe Pass, and George Benson to name a few – can be discerned through his playing, but his musical identity has been shaped by everything from gospel and blues to traditional jazz, hip-hop and horn players like Sonny Rollins and Joe Henderson.
The Crosstown Arts Film Series presents THE LAST DRAGON
Leroy Green (Taimak), a young martial artist living in New York City, trains tirelessly to attain the same level of mastery as the great Bruce Lee. One night, his life changes forever when he rescues television personality Laura Charles (Vanity) from evil businessman Eddie Arkadian (Chris Murney). Impressed by Leroy’s bravery, Laura falls for Leroy — but to keep her safe, he will have to defeat a gang leader named Sho’nuff (Julius J. Carry III), the self-styled Shogun of Harlem.
“Iliumpta”
Iliumpta is a retelling of Homer’s Iliad set in the Southernmost bayous of Mississippi. Named after the county the story takes place in, Iliumpta draws comparisons between masculinity in the American South and the sandaled heroes of yore, often pointing out the weakness in a regional outlook that insists on staying put during hurricanes.
“The Earthworm and the Hawk”
The Earthworm and the Hawk is the overlap between two states of being.
In the private and non-verbal world of Melissa Dunn’s sketchbook, she burrows deep, generating drawings intuitively from her imagination. As the pages fill up, she steps back and shifts perspective, becoming more objective. The lay of the land comes into sharp focus. Here she maps out, poses questions, and acts decisively.
“What Were You Meant For?”
“What were you meant for?” is an art exhibition that delves deep into the world of film to uncover the seldom-seen layers of Black male identity. It navigates a tapestry of scenes that bring to the forefront the poignant battles between vulnerability and societal expectations, challenging the confining boxes of toxic masculinity. Through curated cinematic moments, the exhibition forces viewers to confront their own biases and question ingrained beliefs about strength, resilience, and emotional depth.
Opening Reception for “Iliumpta”
Crosstown Arts presents an Opening Reception for “Iliumpta” by Michael “Birdcap” Roy in the Galleries at Crosstown Arts.
Opening Reception for “The Earthworm and the Hawk”
Crosstown Arts presents an Opening Reception for “The Earthworm and the Hawk” by Melissa Dunn in the Galleries at Crosstown Arts.
Opening Reception for “What were you meant for?”
Crosstown Arts presents an Opening Reception for “What were you meant for?” by Kevin Brooks in the Galleries at Crosstown Arts.
