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Donations are currently being matched 1 to 1 by Artists2Artists Fund.
I am working on an exciting collaborative project called The Clothesline Muse: an evening length theatrical production with choreographer, Kariamu Welsh, and visual artist Maya Freelon Asante. As the “Muse” or storyteller I will tell stories that center around the clothesline; I will also compose the music, which will be performed live on stage. Kariamu Welsh choreographsmovements that are pedestrian and vernacular and projects a movement motif that reverberates with memory and rhythms. Crafting the bodies of six-dancers, Kariamu will lead the story through movement. The set will comprise of “tissue paper art” created by artist Maya Freelon Asante. Maya uses vibrant tissue paper as a visual metaphor to represent “the wash” on the line, bringing light and color to the stage through larger-than-life tissue sculptures. As the “Muse” character, I call our attention to the clothesline as I “hang” songs and stories of hope, loss and celebration out on the line for all to see. I’ve created original music and new arrangements of old classics from the blues influenced “Miss Mary Mack” to the bubbling groove of “Clean White Sheets”. Fusing dance, art and music onstage will be an experience not to be missed!
The community will be involved in our project through interactive art exhibitions that will accompany each performance, as well as music and dance workshops, which will be open to the public. A clothesline will be hung in the lobby at every venue. Audience members will be instructed to write a memory on a piece a paper and hang it on the line. The writing and hanging of memories will be recorded and will appear in that evening’s performance, so that audience members can have their “say”.
Over the past year we have collectively developed and funded the storyboard and script, started rehearsals, created original music, choreography and art. The premier of The Clothesline Muse will be at The Painted Bride in Philadelphia in 2013. We have also secured venues in Baltimore, MD and Durham, NC and envision The Clothesline Musetraveling around the world. We are asking for your help to bring this beautiful and important work from conception to reality. Reaching our fundraising goal will allow us to continue the work we’ve already funded thus far.
Funds raised will allow for the following: an Interactive Website, a Video/Editor for performance projections, a Costume Designer and Costumes, a Lightning Designer, Rehearsal fees, Set fabrication and design, Music and Recording fees, a Percussionist fee and Travel.
Thanks for being a part of this journey and for helping to make The Clothesline Muse a reality for ourselves, our ancestors and for our children!
And a BIG thanks to everyone who’s helped over the last year!
– Kariamu & Company- Temple University- The Painted Bride – The Hayti Heritage Center – The Brandywine Workshop – Reginald F. Lewis Museum- Ekua Holmes- Cici Stevens- Pierce Freelon – MK Asante- Phil Freelon- Beverly Botsford- John Brown- Roxana Walker-Canton- NaOme Rich- Tina Morton -Alan Mercer- Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library- Les Rivera- Michael Bowles
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Morton Fine Art: curator's notes 