Transcendence: Call & Response – Things Unseen

Inspired by the latest sonification of the black holes in our universe, we are interested in exploring the latest theme in our Transcendence artist salon. We are inviting creatives to explore the theme of call and response within the realm of the unseen.

Makers and creators of art are in conversation – but with who and with what? This year’s salon is dedicated to this idea of creativity as a dialogue and conversation. What are we calling or what is calling us? In our summoning, how do we respond?

We open this question to you as our invitation to participate in year three of our artist salon series that connects with creatives across mediums and geographic boundaries who transcend the surface of the things they create.

FRIDAY, JULY 7 @ 7 P.M.
Performances at Epsilon Spires, 190 Main, Brattleboro, VT
Cost: $5 – $20

Kora and Cello Duo: John Hughes & Stephen Katz

An avant-garde fusion of African and European strings. Reverent and cheeky, these two virtuosic trailblazers from different backgrounds weave a seamlessly genre-blurring tapestry of sound. Hypnotic grooves, unalloyed soloing and deep synergy celebrate both tradition and improvisation in a spell-binding nexus of bliss. Playing in unison or in poignant counterpoint, the kora and cello, in the hands of these joyful souls, act as crystalline foils for each other, glorifying the unique and arresting beauty of each. Euphonic praise of poetry and fellowship!

The Metadata Memoir: Minne Atairu

In 1897, British colonial forces looted over 4,000 of the Benin Bronzes from the royal palace and later auctioned them to European collectors as souvenirs from their so-called civilizing mission. To date, less than 100 of these artifacts have been repatriated to Benin city, Nigeria. To address these concerns, Minne Atairu proposes the Metadata Memoir, a decentralized archive dedicated to documenting repatriated Benin Bronze objects. Can this lead to promoting accountability, transparency, and correcting a historic wrong?

Time Is… A Film by Shanta Lee

A short film inspired by Shanta Lee’s second full length poetry collection illustrated by Alan Blackwell, Black Metamorphoses. The short film attempts to address the question: How does time pass for the forcibily shapeshifted body? How does race, gender, and colonialism impact shapeshifting? Does time cease to exist through morphing?

Conversations with Rumi: Haleh Liza Gafori

The 13th century mystic and sage Rumi was dedicated to unshackling his mind, opening his heart, and accessing deeper levels of serenity, compassion, and generosity. Inducing ecstatic illumination and liberation in listeners, his poetry has been sought by readers across the world, returning to his text for inspiration and nourishment. Among Haleh Liza Gafori’s body of work as a translator, vocalist, poet, and educator, Gafori is this cross-media performance piece, also entitled GOLD, weaving translations from the book, original musical compositions, and stories.

SATURDAY, JULY 8 WORKSHOPS
Location: Green River Bridge Inn
2435 Stage Rd, Guilford
Cost:
For both workshops: $20
Per workshop: $15

12:00-1:30pm | Olfactory Imprints: Scent for Self-Reflection | Dana El Masri

Scent as a medium is a powerful tool for self-reflection and self-expression. It transcends traditional semiotics and goes straight to memory and emotion. In this immersive conversational workshop, Dana shares six essential oils from several parts of the world, covering some of their history and cultural significance in hopes of eliciting personal scent memories from the participating artists. Dana also has a theory she has put into practice in other workshops; Olfactory Imprints, where she believes that using our scent memories can help us re-identify ourselves through a new lens, bringing us closer to ourselves. This would also be a chance to showcase the possibility of using scent/olfaction in their own art mediums.

2:00-3:30pm | Conversations with Rumi: an Interactive Poetry Workshop | Haleh Liza Gafori

The 13th century mystic and sage Rumi was dedicated to unshackling his mind, opening his heart, and accessing deeper levels of serenity, compassion, and generosity. Inducing ecstatic illumination and liberation in listeners, his poetry has been sought by readers across the world, returning to his text for inspiration and nourishment.

In this workshop, we will read new translations of Rumi’s poetry from the book GOLD and dialogue with the poem, using excerpts as prompts for discussion and for our own writing.

We’ll hear excerpts in Persian, unpack Sufi terms that have no one-to-one exquivalent in English, and explore the wise, confessional, and sometimes humorous messages and imagery that pervade his poems. Through our discussions and writing, we’ll see how his insights on love, ego-death, mortality, generosity, greed, and compassion dialogue with our lives and our times.

SUNDAY, JULY 9: CLOSING & BRUNCH WITH THE ARTISTS
Location: Green River Bridge Inn
2435 Stage Rd, Guilford

If you are interested in joining the artists for a closing brunch, reservations are recommended. To reserve your spot, contact the Green River Bridge Inn in Guilford, VT.

https://www.greenriverbridgeinn.com/
Phone: (802) 490-2632