Mayday! Mayday! New York Now

(*Do they know what this year is? All pics enlarge.)

Aw-w-righty now. If you're either visiting, or in New York City this month, see and do Harlem––here's the latest from the Knitter-At-Large!

Soulful Stitching At The Schomburg Center

   (Pride––a deeper love; photo by Henry John Drewal, co-curator.)

After seeing this show, I bought the book Siddis and Scholars: Essays on African Indians. In my next post I'll review this exhibition in depth,  but at this moment go and see the works of these Christian, Muslim and Hindu sisters united by a common African ancestry. The quilts, known as Kawandi are the most visually arresting I've seen in a long time! (see sidebar for details). 

In the upstairs gallery is Harlem Views/Diasporan Visions: The New Renaissance Photographers. A big shout out to my peeps Kenya L. Smith and Shawn Walker for keeping the global, cross-cultural reference book current!

 

 

Movies With A Mission: The Maysles Cinema in Harlem

  (Hellura Lyle of Doc Watchers curated the films I saw on Monday night; you GO, sister!)

My tears flowed openly throughout Valery Lyman's One Of Those Mornings, a film seamlessly blending the past with the present via the journey from our fight for voting rights in the 60's, to the election of President Obama. The soundtrack featured a call in of messages from voters across the country! This was one of three short films from Doc Watchers Inc., a community-based documentary film screening series in Harlem. Forthcoming subjects at the Maysles are Old School (think Soul Train to Kool Moe Dee), Lee Scratch Perry, a corporate food fight (Bananas!), and forgiveness.

 

 

*If You Don't, There's Still Time

I'm gonna' wonder out loud why so many folks don't know that this year is the United Nations International Year For People Of African Descent. I'm giving a HUGE shout out to Yara Costa for mentioning this crucial year at Maysles. Her awareness raising film Why Are They Here? Chinese Stories In Africa is part of the 18th New York African Film Festival (see sidebar for link). Well people, you still have time to get in the know-ledge. So, on May 20th I'm asking the ancestors––and you do what you need to––for an exemplary evening, weather-wise. In partnership with The Big Screen Project, the AFF presents Soy Cuba (I Am Cuba). A seminal film back in the day (1964), and an iconic one in the present, it is beautiful, harsh, insightful. I'll leave you with this.

 

 

 

 

 

Comments

[mrs.pilkington]

Sahara! Thanks for all of these fantastic links. I've got to get up to that Schomburg exhibit right away. And many, many thanks for stopping by my To Mama With Love post. Nothing like mama love, right? Big hugs right back to you!

[Trina Robinson]

Thanks for the post about the show at the Schomburg. I can't wait to check out the show when I am back in town in July!

[Sahara]

Hi Trina!

I hope you make a special trip––the show ends in June! I will have a more in depth review, along with some additional resources. Maybe the show can travel to Chi-Town!