Black History Month full of activities at Arts & Science Center for Southeast Arkansas
- Ongoing: until Saturday, April 24, 2010
- Monday: 10:00am
- Tuesday: 10:00am
- Wednesday: 10:00am
- Thursday: 10:00am
- Friday: 10:00am
- Saturday: 1:00pm
- Where: Arts and Science Center for Southeast Arkansas, Pine Bluff
- Cost: Not available
- Age limit: Not available
Black History Month full of activities at Arts & Science Center for Southeast Arkansas
Expressions of African Culture exhibit open
Expressions of African Culture, featuring art and artifacts from West Africa that range in age from the 5th Century B.C. to the 20th Century A.D., are on display through April 24 at the Arts & Science Center for Southeast Arkansas, 701 Main St., Pine Bluff.
Most of the pieces in the exhibit, from the private collection of Dana and Laurie Mitchell of Memphis, have never before been seen in public. All exhibits at the Arts & Science Center are free and open to the public.
The approximately 250 pieces include carved wooden ceremonial masks covered in antelope skin; wrought iron money; bronze, ivory and stone figures; heavily beaded crowns, thrones, stools and clothing; carved wooden statuary; wrought iron shrines and figures; ivory dance wands, harps and trumpets.
Sponsors include Simmons First National Bank, Entergy, Pine Bluff Sand and Gravel, The Sarah Creasy Endowment Fund for The Arts & Science Center, The Entergy Endowment Fund for The Arts & Science Center, the Arkansas Humanities Council, Arkansas Arts Council and the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff.
Free Fun Family and School Events include African Myths and African Drum Ballet
The Arts & Science Center has planned two free family events on Saturdays in February on African myths and African Drum Ballet. The events are held in conjunction with the exhibit, Expressions of African Culture.
Adella, Adella the Storyteller Feb. 6: Adella Gautier – or Adella, Adella the Storyteller – will bring African animals to life, make history real, turn ancestors into wise friends, and open the imaginations and hearts of all her listeners during a free afternoon event Saturday, Feb. 6, at the Arts & Science Center for Southeast Arkansas. The afternoon activities, set for 1-4 p.m., will include mask-making activities and tours of the exhibit as well as Adella’s performance at 1:30 p.m.
Also on Monday and Tuesday, Feb. 1-2, 5th grade students in Jefferson County have been invited to tour the exhibit, enjoy Adella’s performance and take part in a mask-making activity provided by Historic Arkansas Museum from Little Rock.
Zinse Agginie and his African Drum Ballet Feb. 27: Zinse Agginie, a native of West Africa and now of Arkansas who uses African percussion to teach drumming technique, storytelling and movement, will perform with his African Drum Ballet at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 27. The afternoon’s activities, set for 1-4 p.m., also will include group interactions with Zinse after the performance and tours of the exhibit, Expressions of African Culture.
Agginie also is working with students from Oak Park Elementary and teaching African Drum Ballet in spring 2010 through the Artist in Education Program, funded by the Arkansas Arts Council, an agency of the Department of Arkansas Heritage, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Gallery Talks, Receptions Provide Closer Look at Expressions of African Culture
African-American Advisory Committee Open House Feb. 2: The Center’s African-American Advisory Committee will host an Open House, including a presentation by Adella, Adella the Storyteller, to introduce the community to its activities 5-7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 2. The event is free and open to the public. Members of the committee include Chairman Regis Versey, Cynthia Bennett, Courtney Hampton, Pearl Harris, Brenda Martin, Felicia Miller, Michelle White and Cloyd Willis, Jr.
African Art and Life Gallery Talk Feb. 12: Dr. Joanna Edwards, professor emeritus in humanities and art history from UAPB who holds a doctorate in the history of art (Africa, Mesoamerica and Oceania) from Indiana University where she studied under Dr. Roy Sieber, internationally known expert on the history of African art, will discuss the culture and history of the art in the exhibit, Expressions of African Culture, 5-7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 12, at the Arts & Science Center. The Gallery Talk, African Art and Life, is free and open to the public.
Reception Feb. 21: A reception honoring private collectors, Dana and Laurie Mitchell of Memphis whose generosity made the exhibit Expressions of African Culture possible, will be held 3-5 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 21, at the Center. The event is free and open to the public.
Classes on Life Masks and African Cooking planned
The Arts & Science Center also has planned special classes linked to the exhibit, Expressions of African Culture.
African Cooking Classes: A series of classes on the cuisine found in the countries of West Africa will be held 6-8 p.m. Mondays, Feb. 8, 22 and March 1.
Leading the classes will be Jamie McAfee with the Pine Bluff Country Club and visiting chefs. The classes will take place at Trinity Episcopal Church kitchen in downtown Pine Bluff. Space is limited and pre-registration is required.
Life Mask Classes for Children and Adults: Create a mask of your face and decorate it under the direction of Husny Dahlan, art educator at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff.
Classes will be held for both children – 1-4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 20 – and adults – two night sessions 5:30-7:30 p.m. Thursdays, Feb. 18 and 25. Life Masks capture the person’s likeness and allow a unique presence and beauty to be physically, emotionally and energetically expressed through a work of art. Pre-registration required and space is limited.
The Arts & Science Center for Southeast Arkansas, 701 Main St., Pine Bluff, is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, 1-4 p.m. Saturday and closed on Sunday. For more information, contact the center at (870) 536-3375 or visit the website at www.artssciencecenter.org.
This event was posted Jan. 26, 2010 and last updated Jan. 28, 2010
