Derrick Adams: LOOKS

Posted on by Ali Jamal

School was out, so Kali and I went back to the Cleveland Museum of Art for another Diasporan display. My artiste of a teenager and I were able to check out LOOKS, the wig inspired/politically driven paintings of Derrick Adams. https://videopress.com/v/82as47Kg?resizeToParent=true&cover=true&autoPlay=true&loop=true&muted=true&persistVolume=false&playsinline=true&preloadContent=metadata&useAverageColor=true I love the scale of these paintings - they're quite massive. Bottom line, Derrick … Continue reading Derrick Adams: LOOKS

Kemet in Cleveland – the Kevin “Chill” Heard Tour

Posted on by Ali Jamal

Knowledge is power and there's no doubt about it. Learning the facts of the great civilization called Kemet is in itself empowering. Our Brother Kevin "Chill" Heard offers one of the most in-depth tours of the Cleveland Museum of Art "Egyptian" Exhibit around. He is able to decipher hieroglyphs, offer historical counter arguments, provide alternative … Continue reading Kemet in Cleveland – the Kevin “Chill” Heard Tour

Revealing Krishna at the CMA

Posted on by Ali Jamal

As always, Kali and I have the best experiences! On this day, it was unusually warm for December so we got out and enjoyed another CMA exhibit entitled Revealing Krishna. The virtual reality experience with narration was awesome, but the story of how "Krishna" made its way to Cleveland was even more amazing. It's a … Continue reading Revealing Krishna at the CMA

The Immersive Van Gogh Experience

Posted on by Ali Jamal

This was dope! Van Gogh, crazy as hell - or was he? I can relate, kind of.. Anyway, the Immersive Van Gogh was a fantastic experience. One of a kind. I have to respect all the work a project like this takes! Masterful projectors and painting and curating and graphic design - they completely transformed … Continue reading The Immersive Van Gogh Experience

Buckeye Neighborhood Mural Unveiling

Posted on by Ali Jamal

On this special day, the East 128th Street Block Club unveiled a historic mural that was two years in the making, It was NOT an easy process and in fact the challenges often felt insurmountable. But finally, FINALLY, the finished product was completed, installed, unveiled and celebrated. Early morning preparation.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JN6Am8vvwpA&t=1s

“Proof” Photo Exhibit

Posted on by Ali Jamal

Another really cool and free exhibit at the CMA. A fine demonstration of photo journalism documented by way of the contact sheet - (that sheet of camera film with multiple photos of the same image of which you pick out the best ones). With digital cameras we have a new type of "contact sheet". We … Continue reading “Proof” Photo Exhibit

Raul de Nieves at Transformer Station

Posted on by Ali Jamal

I stopped by the Transformer Station in the very cool Ohio City area on Cleveland's Near West Side for a quick peak at the Raul de Nieves exhibit. The number of figures were few (thus the quick peak), but getting a closer look at each figure, it's easy to understand why there weren't many. Each … Continue reading Raul de Nieves at Transformer Station

Umojah Nation at Chalkfest 2017!

Posted on by Ali Jamal

Once again the Umojah Nation crew came to Cleveland in style!  This time it was Chalk Fest 2017.  It was an all day performance - literally morning to evening, with a few breaks in between.  And as always, the Cleveland Museum of Art hosted a great event.  Like Pops asked when he visited the Museum … Continue reading Umojah Nation at Chalkfest 2017!

BCALA Conference 2017

Posted on by Ali Jamal

I had a great time at the BCALA Conference in Atlanta!  In case you don't know, BCALA stands for Black Caucus of the American Library Association.  No doubt, I am honored to be a librarian of African descent.  I often wear my garb to work proudly, even though I have been questioned on it at times … Continue reading BCALA Conference 2017