The Music Education Initiative, in partnership with the Pine Bluff Advertising and Promotion Commission and the Arts & Science Center for Southeast Arkansas, will announce two upcoming exhibits, A Cast of Blues and Freedom & Blues, at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the Loft Gallery at The ARTSpace, 623 S. Main St., according to a news release.
Both exhibitions will be open from April 6 to May 25.
Presenters include Orson Weems, the initiative executive director and co-founder; Sheri Storie, A&P executive director; Jimmy Cunningham Jr., A&P tourism development director; and Rachel Miller, arts and science center executive director.
EXHIBITIONS
"Celebrating the Delta and its surrounding area's rich musical heritage, two exhibitions highlight the pioneers who brought the blues to life," according to a news release.
"A Cast of Blues features 15 resin-cast masks of blues legends created by artist Sharon McConnell-Dickerson, as well as 15 color photographs of performers and of juke joints by acclaimed photographer Ken Murphy."
"The Freedom & Blues Exhibit features over 60 portraits of blues greats from the Delta Rhythm & Bayous (DRB) Highway (including portions of U.S. Highway 65 South and U.S. Highway 82)," according to the release. The renderings were created by visual artists from Pine Bluff and the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff.
Visitors will be able to see both exhibits downtown. A Cast of Blues will be displayed in the loft gallery of The ARTSpace, 623 S. Main St., from April 6 through May 25. The Freedom & Blues Exhibit will be housed next door at the UAPB Incubator, 615 S. Main St.
During the exhibit, the A&P, the Music Education Initiative and the Arts & Science Center will collaborate to offer gallery viewing, educational programming, lectures, guest artists and performances. Specific dates for these activities will be announced later.
"A life cast is like a 3-D photograph to someone who is blind," said artist McConnell-Dickerson, who is visually impaired.
"It captures the flesh, muscle, bone, hair and subtle expressions of emotion. I wanted to discover the faces behind the music I love, so I went to Mississippi to map out the visages of the real Delta blues men and women."
Murphy's photographs are selected from the book "Mississippi: State of Blues" (published in 2010 by Proteus/Ken Murphy Publishing).
"A longtime Mississippi resident, Murphy captures the essence of the blues through highly detailed, panoramic color pictures.
The exhibition's compilation of casts and photos create a compelling portrait of the men and women who defined -- and continue to shape -- the tradition of Mississippi blues," according to the release.
"The exhibition is fully accessible to all visitors, featuring Braille labels and educational materials, as well as a music playlist for gallery use and a closed-captioned film about the Cast of Blues project.
In addition, visitors are encouraged to touch the resin-cast masks."
McConnell-Dickerson said: "As a sculptural and visual art experience, feeling the life-made casts of these individuals and their facial expressions transfers their experiences directly to our fingertips."
The exhibition is also accompanied by the 2008 documentary film "M for Mississippi: A Roadtrip through the Birthplace of the Blues" (94 minutes).
Organized and toured by ExhibitsUSA, a national part of the Mid-America Arts Alliance, the exhibition was curated by Chuck Haddix, music historian, author, radio personality and director of the Marr Sound Archives at the University of Missouri-Kansas City.
The Freedom & Blues Exhibit, curated by Cunningham, combines visual portraits of legends from the DRB Highway, along with blues memorabilia and images highlighting the social and political struggles of African Americans.
"There isn't a more potent gumbo of social, political, cultural and musical forces in early American music than one can find in the blues," Cunningham said.
"This exhibit is designed to stir that gumbo pot, allowing viewers to experience the layers of the ingredients using talented local artists to bring it to fruition."
The exhibit will have audio narration available on headsets to provide a more intensive experience for listeners.
For details, contact the Pine Bluff Advertising and Promotion Commission at (870) 534-2121 or www.ExplorePineBluff.com.