Fall is here! As we bid summer a fond farewell the new season ushers in a whirlwind of arts events. We have classic cars in the Bronx, a watershed moment in dance in Manhattan and Brooklyn, the “Queen of disco” is re-crowned Off Broadway and there are Killer Heels in Brooklyn that would make Nancy Sinatra “walk all over you”. Here are a few of the many events happening in the city that never sleeps guaranteed to keep you Out and About.
Killer Heels, in the Brooklyn Museum 1st floor Robert E. Blum Gallery through February 15, 2015, explores fashion’s most provocative accessory. From the high platform chopines of sixteenth-century Italy to the glamorous stilettos on today’s runways and red carpets, the exhibition looks at the high-heeled shoe’s rich and varied history and its enduring place in our popular imagination. As fashion statement, fetish object, instrument of power, and outlet of artistic expression for both the designer and the wearer, throughout the ages the high-heeled shoe has gone through many shifts in style and symbolism.
Designers and design houses represented in Killer Heels include Manolo Blahnik, Chanel, Salvatore Ferragamo, Zaha Hadid X United Nude, Iris van Herpen X United Nude, Christian Louboutin, Alexander McQueen, André Perugia, Prada, Elsa Schiaparelli, Noritaka Tatehana, Vivienne Westwood, and Pietro Yantorny. Presented alongside the objects in the exhibition are six specially commissioned short films inspired by high heels. The filmmakers are Ghada Amer and Reza Farkhondeh, Zach Gold, Steven Klein, Nick Knight, Marilyn Minter, and Rashaad Newsome.
The New Museum, 235 Bowery Street, presents Here and Elsewhere , a major exhibition of contemporary art from and about the Arab world. The exhibition brings together more than forty-five artists from over fifteen countries, many of whom live and work internationally. Taking inspiration from Godard, Gorin, and Miéville’s film—which has had a strong impact on an entire generation of artists in various Arab countries—“Here and Elsewhere” pays particular attention to the position and role of the artist in the face of historical events. A poignant example of personal reportage can be found in the short videos produced and distributed by Abounaddara, a collective of self-taught filmmakers dispersed throughout Syria, as well as in Bouchra Khalili’s video portraits, which reveal the clandestine journeys of migrants seeking to enter Europe.
Kyle Abraham/ Abraham.In.Motion will present two new works during the company’s two week engagement at New York Live Arts, 219 W 19th Street.
The Watershed, September 23, 24, 26, October 1, 3 at 7:30pm an evening-length work for nine dancers, is a commanding and provocative cross-cultural exploration of freedom. Featuring Abraham’s signature style of mellifluous fluidity juxtaposed with sharp accents, The Watershed follows the universal aspiration toward freedom and simultaneously references the emancipation following the Civil War, the political tumult of 1960s and the civil rights challenges of our present day. The work features arresting scenic design by world-renowned visual artist Glenn Ligon and a score ranging from a contemporary cello suite to the soulful sounds of Otis Redding.
When the Wolves Came In, September 25, 27, 30, October 2, 4 at 7:30pm, a stand-alone repertory-based program, explores the historical legacy of two totemic triumphs in the international history of civil rights: the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation and the 20th anniversary of the abolishment of apartheid in South Africa. The works take their inspiration from Max Roach’s iconic 1960 protest album We Insist: Max Roach’s Freedom Now Suite, which celebrated the centennial of the Emancipation Proclamation and shed a powerful light on the growing civil rights movements in South Africa and the U.S. The potent themes inherent in these historical milestones are evident in Abraham’s choreography, evocative scenery by visual artist Glenn Ligon, the visceral power of Roach’s masterwork and original compositions of Grammy® Award-winning jazz musician Robert Glasper.
For tickets and more information visit newyorklivearts.org
The 2014 DUMBO Dance Festival, September 25 through 28 will be held at White Wave’s John Ryan Theater, 25 Jay Street in the DUMBO section of Brooklyn, NY. The three-day festival will feature over 75 companies with 350 performing artists. Up to 7 companies are presented in every hour of programming, hailing from New York City’s vibrant contemporary dance scene as well as from across the United States and Mexico.
For more information and a complete list of performers and companies visit whitewavedance.com
Hector and the Search for Happiness: A psychiatrist searches the globe to find the secret of happiness.
This Is Where I Leave You: When their father passes away, four grown siblings are forced to return to their childhood home and live under the same roof together for a week, along with their over-sharing mother and an assortment of spouses, exes and might-have-beens.
Mighty Real: A Fabulous Sylvester Musical at the Theatre at St. Clement’s, 423 W. 46th Street, is a musical celebration of the life of the original 1970s Disco icon Sylvester. The Off Broadway production stars Anthony Wayne (Pippin, Anything Goes, Priscilla Queen of the Desert) and features signature Sylvester songs such as (You Make Me Feel) Mighty Real, Dance (Disco Heat), Do Ya Wanna Funk, and You Are My Friend. The musical has a book by Anthony Wayne, direction by Anthony Wayne and Kendrell Bowman, choreography by Anastacia McCleskey, and musical direction by Alonzo Harris. The limited-engagement is scheduled through Sunday, October 5th Tickets, which are priced from $25-$84.50, are on sale now by calling (866) 811-4111 or by visiting FabulousSylvester.com.
Black Wall Street, by Celeste Bedford Walker at the Andrew Freedman Home, 1125 Grand Concourse, Bronx, New York, through October 5. The production tells the story of the Boley family, the heart & soul of Greenwood, Tulsa Oklahoma. During an era of African- American financial prosperity and independence that arguably the most successful black Community of it’s time and any time in “these United States”. The production is directed by Michael Green and Fulton C. Hodges with a creative team featuring Bill Toles, Chris Cumberbatch, Dyane Harvey, Kharimah and Valerie Irizarry. For tickets and more information visit ShadesOfTruthTheatre.com.