BmoreArt’s Picks presents the best weekly art openings, events, and performances happening in Baltimore and surrounding areas. For a more comprehensive perspective, check the BmoreArt Calendar page, which includes ongoing exhibits and performances, and is updated on a daily basis.
To submit your calendar event, email us at [email protected]!
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Constitution Day Panel: “Is this what democracy looks like?”
Tuesday, September 19th : 7-9pm
MICA Brown Center, Falvey Hall
1300 West Mount Royal Avenue : 21217
MSNBC’s Joy-Ann Reid will headline the opening panel of this year’s programming around Constitution Day. The free, two-day symposium sponsored by the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) commemorates the holiday (September 17) with panels and commentary on contemporary issues in politics, government, civic engagement and activism.
This year’s opening forum, entitled Is This What Democracy Looks Like?, will explore the emerging crisis that democratic institutions and government are facing due to the advent of the Trump administration. How can the country consider these issues at a time when the president, his advisors, and majority leaders in the Senate and Congress are testing the public’s faith in government and its ability to represent their best interests?
Alongside Reid, the panel will also include “revolutionary” artist Dread Scott and Kenneth Ledford, chair of the department of history at Case Western University. WYPR Maryland Midday host Tom Hall will moderate. The first day of Constitution Day programming is co-sponsored by the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland(ACLU-MD).
In this panel, we are questioning our assumptions and understanding of our democracy within the US. Given the current political climate, many individuals and groups find themselves at a crossroads with regards to race, immigration, education and personal responsibility, amongst other issues. The panelists in this symposium will probe deeper into the role of the everyday citizen in defining democracy and question whether our actions shape our democracy or does our democracy shape our actions?
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Flickering Treasures Book Launch
Tuesday, September 19th : 7-8pm
Maryland Film Festival Parkway Theatre
3 West North Avenue : 21201
Talk/slide show & book signing by author/photographer Amy Davis to celebrate the release of the photo book, “Flickering Treasures: Rediscovering Baltimore’s Forgotten Movie Theaters.” The event is being presented by the Enoch Pratt Free Library, Johns Hopkins University Press, JHU Film & Media Studies, and The Maryland Film Festival.
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Yearbook (2007-2017)
Wednesday, September 19th : 7pm
Metro Gallery
1700 North Charles Street : 21201
Seth Adelsberger
Lesser Gonzalez Alvarez
Julie Benoit
Kevin Blackistone
Lauren Boilini
Se Jong Cho
Alyssa Dennis
Annie Ewaskio
Erin Fitzpatrick
Noel Freibert
Zoe Friedman
J.M. Giordano
Mollie Goldstrom
Felipe Goncalves
Seth Goodman
Beth Hoeckel
Elena Johnston
Stefani Levin
Greg McLemore
Katherine Nonemaker
D’Metrius Rice
Xavier Schipani
Regina Tumasella
Yearbook
September 20 – ?
A group exhibition featuring a selection of artists who’ve exhibited at Metro Gallery between 2007 and 2017
Over the past ten years, the Metro Gallery has served as an anchor in the Station North neighborhood, welcoming artists across media and geography to exhibit their work, perform and gather. In many cases, this venue offered artists their first professional opportunity after graduation and has been an outlet for conceptual side projects and collaborations.
To honor their ten year milestone and significant impact on Baltimore’s art community,”Yearbook” features a cross-section of artists who’ve previously exhibited their work at Metro Gallery. Each artist will include a piece from 2007 and 2017, exhibited side by side.
This exhibition is the first organized by Metro Gallery’s new curator, Alex Ebstein.
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The Mobile View
Curator Talk: Thursday, September 21, 7pm
Amalie Rothschild Gallery, Creative Alliance
3134 Eastern Ave.: Baltimore 21224
September 15-30
This exhibit features work by 12 artists and photographers using the iPhone in their creative practice.
featured artists:
Patricia Beary
Joseph Hyde
Karen Klinedinst
Chris Krupiarz
Tom Macintosh
Yvette Meltzer
Mary Deacon Opasik
Dan Pfisterer
Tim Reese
Etta Stewart
Doug Wagner
Sally Willse
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I’m Still Here: Abdu Ali Live w/ TT The Artist & More!
Friday, September 22: 8pm – 1am
EMP Collective
307 W Baltimore St: Baltimore 21201
Issa Tour: This is Abdu Ali’s home turn up for his “I’m Still Here” tour as he begins a new styled performance with his drummer, Josh Stokes.
ft.
TT THE ARTIST
Infinity Knives
Bandhunta Jigga
Tomi Yeyo
Styles Bond
Doors: 8pm
Show: 9pm – 1am
$8
Abdu Ali is an independent music artist, writer, and multimedia arts curator based in Baltimore and Brooklyn. Ali has released five musical projects, all notable for his idiosyncratic blend of punk, futurism, Baltimore Club Music, and rap music, with lyrics yielding poetic uprise. Through his work as a rapper, curator, writings, and outspokenness via social media/interviews Ali, has been elected as a radical underground Baltimore music and cultural figure. Unapologetically black and queer, Abdu Ali’s work is bold, raw, and most importantly life-affirming. Abdu has done several tours across the U.S. and Europe, and through his energetic visceral performances, spiritualizing audiences, he has been anointed as a cosmic, punk, and soulful tempest on stage. He has shared stages with notable music acts like the Sun Ra Arkestra, Mykki Blanco, Busdriver, Dan Deacon, Lower Dens, Blaqstarr, FKA TWIGS, and has been covered internationally by Complex, AfroPunk, Saint Heron, Noisey, The Fader, Mask Magazine, Subbacultcha, Les In Rocks, Tracks Arte TV, and many more. Abdu Ali is working on his debut album and now his performances is accompanied by drummer and musician Josh Stokes.
As a child, Josh Stokes took a great liking to music, not knowing the journey it would take him on later in life. The journey began with drums, anywhere he could bang he would. Josh began playing at the age of 2, and professionally at 6 for plays, and various events in the city. At 9 his father opened a church which gave him every opportunity to play, take his craft seriously, and grow beyond his wildest imagination. Wherever he could play music he would. School (Classroom, and Cafeteria] which would ultimately lead to trouble in class, and wind him in detention. He was the designated beatboxer for all of the lunch cyphers. At 12 his means of expression began to broaden as he was introduced to beatmaking by his cousin. With this new, exciting way to create, Josh would walk to his cousins house any chance he could to make beats to show his friends. Josh continued playing drums, and would gain the attention of other local musicians, and artists that were interested in collaborating with him. He spent the majority of his early career traveling as a drummer for many artists in the gospel genre (Maurette Brown-Clark, Anthony Brown, and Erica Campbell) to name a few. The urge to create his own music was still a desire of his so he decided to come from behind the drums and break into the industry in more ways than one. Josh’s hugest influences are some of the most game changing musicians, and artists such as James Brown, Little Richard, George Clinton, Sly Stone, Prince, JDilla, and D’angelo.
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2017 Fall Play Lab
Friday, September 22nd – Sunday, September 24th
Center Stage
700 North Calvert Street : 21202
Play Labs provide an opportunity to witness, and even participate in, the process of making a new play. Learn more.
This season, our fall Play Lab celebrates two firsts: For the first time ever, we’re welcoming two playwrights to our signature developmental workshop and reading series. Plus, both are homegrown Baltimore writers.
Miranda Rose Hall, whose one-act To the Flame will be one of the two plays in the Lab, grew up coming to shows at BCS before becoming the inaugural Hot Desk Resident Playwright. Rachael Knoblauch came to BCS while still a theater student at UMBC, and actually participated in the final readings of Miranda’s residency. The following year, she became the next Hot Desk Resident Playwright and a member of our Playwrights Collective—where she worked on a prior draft of Handle It, the other one-act in the Play Lab.
Play Lab brings to life our “Season of Community” by inviting these hometown artists to partner with theatergoers to develop their works. Join us in welcoming back these two dynamic young writers!
Fall Play Lab
Both one-act plays will be read at each event.
To the Flame
by Miranda Rose Hall
&
Handle It
by Rachael Knoblauch
Sep 22–24, 2017
$10 | $5 for Members
Fri, Sep 22 at 7 pm
Sat, Sep 23* at 7 pm
Sun, Sep 24 at 2 pm
Tickets to Play Lab include the Toast Bar, an array of breads and spreads.
*Another way to be part of the playwriting process: Patrons are also invited to attend a free open rehearsal at 2:30 pm on Saturday, September 23. To RSVP, email [email protected].
Play Labs are made possible by The Nathan and Suzanne Cohen Foundation Fund for Commissioning and Developing New Plays.
Be a part of creating new theater! Tickets are just $10 ($5 for Members). Call the Box Office 410.332.0033 or buy online.
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Baltimore Book Festival
Friday, September 22nd – Sunday, September 24th
Join Baltimore’s annual celebration of the literary arts as the Baltimore Book Festival returns to the Inner Harbor Friday, September 22 through Sunday, September 24, 2017. The Baltimore Book Festival takes place along the Inner Harbor Promenade from the Inner Harbor Amphitheater to Rash Field from 11am to 7pm daily. The renowned local, regional and national authors appearing at this year’s festival include 2017 One Maryland One Book Winner Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Purple Hibiscus; from the BRAVO reality TV show Southern Charm, Patricia Altschul and Deborah Davis, The Art of Southern Charm; Ada Calhoun, Wedding Toasts I’ll Never Give; Michael Eric Dyson, Tears We Cannot Stop; winner of Fox’s Master Chef Season 7 Chef Shaun O’Neale, My American Table; 2017 Caldecott Winner Javaka Steptoe, Radiant Child and more.
In addition to the hundreds of author appearances and book signings, the Baltimore Book festival features more than 100 exhibitors and booksellers, a full schedule of readings on multiple stages, cooking demonstrations and samplings by renowned chefs, poetry readings, workshops, panel discussions, storytellers, children’s activities, live music and a one hundred percent local food and craft beverage program. The Ivy Bookshop returns once again as the festival’s official bookseller and will sell copies of appearing authors’ books on site at the festival’s bookshop.
Highlights for the 2017 Baltimore Book Festival include a talk from Chef Barton Seaver presented by the National Aquarium on the Food For Thought Stage, a special Ancient Ales Dogfish Head Brewery Happy Hour takeover with Dr. Pat McGovern and Sam Calgione, a conversation between Donna Kaz, author of UN/MASKED, Memoirs of a Guerrilla Girl on Tour and artist, producer, musician, and performer Rahne Alexander, and from the popular podcast ‘Serial,’ Asia McClain Chapman, Confessions of a Serial Alibi and Rabia Chaudry, Adnan’s Story: The Search for Truth & Justice after Serial.
Other appearing authors include 2017 Newbery Honoree, Alex Gidwitz, author of The Inquisitor’s Tale: Or, The Three Magical Children and Their Holy Dog, Virginia Grohl, mother of rocker Dave Grohl and author of From Cradle to Stage: Stories from the Mothers Who Rocked and Raised Rock Stars, Emil Ferris, My Favorite Thing is Monsters and Eileen Myles, a recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship in non-fiction, an Andy Warhol/Creative Capital Arts Writers grant and four Lambda Book Awards, among others.
Additional authors and the complete schedule are announced leading up to the festival. The 22nd annual Baltimore Book Festival is produced by the Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts.
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2017 Baker Artist Awardees Celebration
Monday, September 25th : 6-9om
Center Stage
700 North Calvert Street : 21202
Featuring performances and presentations from:
Mary Sawyers Imboden Awardee:
Susan Alcorn – Music
And Mary Sawyers Baker Awardees:
Naoko Maeshiba – Performance
David Marion – Visual Arts
Theo Anthony – Film/ Video
Elizabeth Dickinson – Literary Arts
Sara Dittrich – Interdisciplinary
Meet the awardees here: http://bakerartist.org/awards/past-awardees
Explore the Baker Artist Portfolios at www.bakerartist.org
