MFP Contributor
Demeaning images of the past—Black mammy figures, minstrel toys and more—are reclaimed and repurposed in the art of Betye Saar. In that object-to-art transformation, they’re given a strength that speaks volumes in the present, particularly now as social injustices involving race and gender grab daily headlines.
In 65 paintings, 29 works on paper and three sculptures, “Piercing the Inner Wall: The Art of Dusti Bongé,” available through May 23, covers the range of her work as Mississippi’s first consistently Modernist artist, progressing through periods of figurative and Cubist work, Surrealism and finally Abstract Expressionism, from the 1930s through the early 1990s.
A year later, the pandemic is still here, and the Oxford Film Festival is back stronger, this year rolling out as a hybrid affair that takes advantage of every screen opportunity available, physical and virtual. With the pre-warning and plenty of prep time, “we came into it with a game plan knowing all the areas we need,” Addington says. And they built a festival that kept every comfort level in mind.
If eyes offer a window to the soul, paintings may be a peek into the psyche. That’s the lasting impression from a collection of artworks by famed playwright and native Mississippian Tennessee Williams, now on display at The MAX, the Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Experience.
“Tennessee Williams: The Painter and the Playwright,” on view through April 11 at the Meridian facility, shows a surprising side of the literary master known for “The Glass Menagerie,” “A Streetcar Named Desire,” “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” and more—showcases of raw emotion and classics of American theater and often, American film, too.
Dissatisfied with digital photography, and hankering for the straightforward yet mysterious allure of classic photographs, Amanda and Jason Ray researched alternatives. They found a medium format Yashica Mat-124G twin lens reflex camera from the 1970s, and rediscovered real film photography.
The abstract artworks of Ginger Thomas conjure up oceans and heavens in a dreamscape swirl of blues, trails of gold, and textured surfaces awash and aglow like islands and nebulas of the inner psyche. Her creations since 2014 have captured the eye of an international audience and prompted classes where the artist shares techniques.
Jeffrey Cornelius is one of seven musical theater teens in “Homeschool Musical.” The project is the brainchild of Tony Award-winning actress and singer Laura Benanti. Her documentary looks at the challenges young performers faced when COVID-19 dropped the curtain on their plans.
A year’s postponement of the USA International Ballet Competition in Jackson puts dreams on hold, but also puts the event in the best position to attract world-class dancers at the top of their game along with an audience of ballet fans hungry to see it, organizers say.
“Leonardo Drew: City in the Grass,” on view through Feb. 21, is a sculpture that beckons to be touched, sat on, walked around (even upon) and inspected up close and personal. Like a magic carpet ride, it can whisk the imagination off on a journey where viewers can roam, loom over, lounge around and hang out in the cityscape, interacting directly with it.
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