With spoken word events, author meets, photography from Mexico and a screening of Oscar-nominated short films, no curious soul in the city should miss these creative events in Charlotte this week.
The thumping town of Charlotte proudly stands as the country’s fastest-growing metro city today. But this wasn’t the case back in the early 20th Century. A photographic manifestation of the town in the era of 1900s by Charlotte Mecklenburg Library shows how Uptown, NoDa, Plaza Midwood and South End, which are now the bustling top pockets of the city, weren’t even considered as habitable vicinities by Charlotteans then. Whenever we sit down to compile a list of events for the Charlotte Art Weekly, our souls beam with pride on seeing how bustling the town is today, brimming over with cultural and creative activities in all of its pockets. The 36th Edition of CAW has brought us the same happiness again!
Our creative inspiration for this week is American jazz saxophonist John William Coltrane, fondly known as “Trane” by his fans. The musician evolved from being a bebop and hard bop artist to being a free jazz composer later in his career. Talented at producing spiritual music, Trane was proclaimed by many as a religious figure, and was posthumously canonised by the African Orthodox Church. He also achieved the Pulitzer Prize for his tremendously tuneful contributions.
Trane opened up the routes to use musical ‘modes’ instead of chord progression. He had a rich repertoire of up to 50 recording sessions and performed as an auxiliary musician with luminaries like Thelonious Monk and Miles David. Some of his well-known tunes are Giant Steps: Naima, In a Sentimental Mood, Blue Train and famous albums like The Avant-Garde, Live at the Village Vanguard Again!, and A Love Supreme, which is a soulful, spiritual work.
Here is a list of the most creative events of Charlotte city:
Derek Douget Plays Wayne Shorter in The Jazz Room
In this dose of jazz by Jazz Arts Initiative, musician Derek Douget plays epic saxophonist Wayne Shorter’s tunes
February 16 to 17, 2018
Stage Door Theater at Blumenthal Performing Arts Center
With tickets ($14-$16)
Jerry Garcia Band Cover Band
A rock concert by Jerry Garcia Band Cover Band for the lovers of the Grateful Dead.
February 16, 2018
Visulite Theatre
With tickets ($10-$15)
You Can Fly: Literary + Spoken Word Workshop
Meet author Carole Boston Weatherford of the celebrated, illustrated book You Can Fly: The Tuskegee Airmen, along with her son, the book’s illustrator Jeffery Boston Weatherford.
February 17, 2018
Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture at Levine Center for the Arts
With tickets ($5-$9)
Bilingual Spanish Tour: ‘Reveal and Detonate’
Enjoy a bilingual guided tour of ‘Reveal and Detonate’ (Develar y Detonar), an exhibition featuring works by leading contemporary Mexican photographers.
February 17, 2018
Mint Museum Uptown, at Levine Center for the Arts
Open to all
As Far as the Eye Can See
This entertaining play narrates the struggles and achievements of African-Americans, from the end of slavery to the election of Barack Obama.
February 17, 2018
Pease Auditorium at CPCC Main Campus
With tickets ($15 onwards)
Classic Painting, Van Gogh’s ‘Umbrella Lady’
Bring your brushes and be inspired to draw Van Gogh’s celebrated painting Umbrella Lady.
February 18, 2018
Wine & Design
With tickets ($35)
Asia in Amsterdam: The Culture of Luxury in the Golden Age
Attend this talk by the curator of Asian Export Art, Karina Corrigan, who will discuss the associations between decorative pieces produced in Holland in the 19th Century and Asian artifacts.
February 20, 2018
Mint Museum Randolph
Open to all
An Evening with John Leland
Attend this discussion with author John Leland, author of the book Happiness is a Choice You Make.
February 22, 2018
Park Road Books
Open to all
Back Alley Film Series – Mom and Dad
A film screening of the Selma Blair and Nicolas Cage starring Mom and Dad. This is a story of how a disorder turns parents against their children.
February 22, 2018
C3 Lab
With tickets ($5-$10)
2018 Oscar Nominated Short Films – Live Action
A screening of the short films nominated for the Oscars 2018: DeKalb Elementary, The Eleven O’Clock, My Nephew Emmett, The Silent Child and Watu Wote: All of Us
February 24, 2018
Theatre Charlotte
Open to all
It’s set to be an inspiring week in Charlotte NC, between 16th to 22nd February. Be sure not to miss out!
Illustration: Nilesh Ramani
Yatra Archives
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In this piece 64 year old Dr Yatin Desai, shares with CY his inspiring story of how to scale towering mountains with utmost ease and how this life adventure activity can shape human character and health. Chances are high that…