Featured Events in Poplar in December, 2024 (August Updated)

Media art created by John Sanborn, featuring four pairs of works, one from the 1980s and one from recent times. As the world has changed, the artist’s passions have not. During the two years of organizing a retrospective of my work at ZKM—Zentrum für Kunst und Medien (Center for Art and Media Karlsruhe)—with curators Philip Ziegler and Stephen Sarrazin, we wrestled with the question of how to represent my highly productive 1980s. The curators argued that the 55+ single-channel works and several intense installations that came in a rush of inspiration and production deserved some kind of attention. I wanted to feature more recent projects, and I felt that the older works were a deadweight I was tired of carrying. Then, my friend and fellow artist (and director of the ZKM), the late Dr. Peter Weibel, scolded me, saying, “To have one foot in the past and one in the future is exactly where you want to be.” He pointed out that my themes remained steadfast while technology, culture, and times changed. I continued investigating transformation, our operations to define our “self,” and the frequencies of human experience. To share this, I developed Thematic Pairs, a screening with a discussion that brashly represents what Peter identified and takes the viewer across decades of media art creation. Each pair of works contains a “classic” from the 1980s, matched with a project from recent years – illuminating the evolution of circumstances, played against the constancy of my interests. Each pair highlights the palpable and the sublime –abstract storytelling created using structured improvisation, homages to those we lost, mixtures of beauty and nasty, and operatic adventures on the bleeding edges of music. Playlist for the evening: ACT III | 6:30 | 1983 John Sanborn, Dean Winkler Music by Philip Glass. This classic work builds an imaginary world from briskly multiplying three-dimensional forms that echo the repetitive strains and vital energy of Glass' music.I In C, Too | 5:00 | 2023 John Sanborn, Dean Winkler Music composed by Elaena Ruher, performed by Sarah Cahill In C, Too uses the tools of our all-digital age to illuminate how close our dreams are to a common reality. Untitled | 10:44 | 1989 Performed by Bill T. Jones Untitled pays tribute to the life and work of the dancer and choreographer Arnie Zane, who died of AIDS in 1988. His long-time partner, Bill T. Jones, evokes memories of Zane through a stark, eloquent dance lament and a parade of ghostly portraits and photographs. Hotel Essex | 4:46 | 2021 music by COMMANDO, words by Juba Kalamka COMMANDO is a queer/thrash band featuring a collective of eight LGBTQ+ musicians, all highly creative and talented. The work is an homage to gay poet and activist Essex Hemphill – where lead vocalist Kalamka raps, sings, and shouts over similarly crisp, aggressive guitars and drums. Ear to the Ground | 4:27 | 1982 Produced and Directed by Kit Fitzgerald and John Sanborn Conceived and performed by David Van Tieghem Van Tieghem plays the streets of New York City with reckless abandon. The sound you hear is just as it happened, the rousing alarm of the Big Apple. Now Their Pain is Sugar | 5:01 | 2023 Music by Simon Goff Performed by Sarah Cecilia Bukowski and Paunika Jones This work uses a combination of lidar and photometric scanning to produce live 3D models of the dancers Sarah and Paunika. Their slow but deliberate movement fools the functionality of the scans to suggest the complexities of the wear and tear of living. They are, at once, aching and sweet. Perfect Lives(excerpts) | 7:08 | 1983 Composed by Robert Ashley Robert Ashley’s epic work has been called a comic opera about reincarnation and was realized for television with a combination of location photography, computer graphics, text on screen, fantastic piano playing by “Blue” Gene Tyranny; and the transcendent voice of Robert Ashley. God in 3 Persons (excerpts) | 10:00 | 2022 Written and Performed by The Residents in collaboration with media artist John Sanborn A singular, live version of The Residents' legendary 1988 album God in Three Persons - the story of a traveling evangelist and his twisted obsession with a pair of conjoined twins he claims to be miracle workers. It does not end well. Information Source: New Performance Traditions | eventbrite

WRITER'S CAMP: Telling a True Life Story Come join us at the Ellisville Public Library for a unique event focused on honing your storytelling skills! Whether you're an experienced writer or just starting out, this workshop is perfect for anyone looking to delve into the art of telling a true life story. Learn how to captivate your audience, evoke emotions, and bring your personal experiences to life on paper. There is a $10 fee per person to attend workshop. Get a chance to share your story ideas with instructors. Information Source: Heart's Compass Imprint, LLC | eventbrite

Doing it FOR Congo. A fundraising event or organised by Arnuad Pepin and in collaboration with Poplar Poetry Evening. Come to Poplar Union on December 20th 2024 from 6pm to be a part of something special. A night where we all start to do things FOR Congo and we stand up FOR Congo. This will be a safe space where people will be able to tell the truth about what has happened for the last 28 years in Congo as a whole especially of course the Eastern part of Congo. You will hear poetry from various african poets as well as music from Congolese musicians and the wider african diaspora. If you like quizzes roll through, if you like thought provoking deep poetry roll through, if you like music (especially music inspired by where we are from) then roll through. We will be raising money for the charity Focus Congo who have distributed vital products and resources out to young children and mothers who have been displaced or is a victim as a result of the current situation. This will be a night full of good vibes and a introduction to the culture for people who might not know about us. Come through and help us raise a lot of money and awareness for Congo. Information Source: Poplar Union | eventbrite

Experience an unforgettable New Year's Eve celebration at NYE 24 "THE REMINISCE JUMP OFF" in Goldsboro. The event will take place at the Dillard Goldsboro Alumni - HV Brown Center, located at 801 Poplar Street, Goldsboro, NC 27530. Join the festivities from December 31st, 2024, to January 1st, 2025, and ring in the new year in style. Don't miss out on this exciting event filled with music, dancing, and memories that will last a lifetime. Get ready to start the new year with a bang at NYE 24 "THE REMINISCE JUMP OFF."