North Carolina Museum of Art is celebrating the newly reinstalled African art gallery with a free daylong celebration of African art, nature, music, and traditions.
Threads of Africa: A Celebration of Art, Nature, and People takes place Saturday, September 23rd, 2017, from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the East Building and Museum Park.
There’s a free concert at 6:45 p.m. by Angélique Kidjo with Diali Cissokho & Kaira Ba, but all the tickets have been snatched up.
Here’s what’s going on during the day:
Drum making with Magic of African Rhythms
Led by artist Teli Shabu and his family, this drum-making installation invites visitors to see the step-by-step process of creating the intricate West African “talking drums.” The drums-in-progress on display are the culmination of a residency with middle school students from Caldwell County, who worked with the Shabu family to sample African visual and performing art forms such as drumming and adinkra printmaking. Visitors will be able to explore each step and play the finished drums.
Collaborative collage with artist Maya Freelon Asante
Visitors may help create a tissue paper quilt under the guidance of award-winning Durham artist Maya Freelon Asante. The collaborative installation will remain on display on the Museum campus.
North Carolina Zoo station with African animals
Representatives from the North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro will be on hand with a collection of African insects and animals, including a ball python, Madagascar hissing cockroaches, African giant millipede, and African hedgehog. Visitors will have the chance to see and touch the creatures.
Hands-on cultural connections in the gallery
At stations around the African art gallery, experts will be on hand to answer questions and discuss the cultural connections between ancient and modern art. Artists include Ibrahim Said, an Egyptian ceramic artist, and Amponsah Opuku, a North Carolina Central University student and descendant of Ghana royalty, who will discuss kente cloth with samples visitors can touch.
Storytelling, culinary demonstrations, and art making throughout galleries and Park
Hands-on and participatory opportunities include storytelling with Braima Moiwai, a West African storyteller and artist who has been performing for more than 30 years; culinary stations with Chef Kabui and The Palace International Restaurant to highlight both traditional and modern takes on African foods; and additional art making inspired by the African collection.
Parade through the Park
At 3 pm the completed drums from the Shabu family drum making will be played and paraded through the Park by the Magic of African Rhythms and celebration visitors. The walk through the Park will showcase the instruments and highlight their breadth of sounds.
Outdoor music performances
A series of performances and workshops will be staged on the John Deere Green between noon and 3:15 pm, including Senegalese kora master Diali Cissokho and his band Kaira Ba; Congolese ensemble Muningu, which mixes jazz, Afropop, and reggae influences with traditional sounds from the Republic of Congo; and Charlotte-based Ewe Dancers.
Food trucks and beverage tent
Visitors can choose from more than 20 food trucks throughout the day; a beverage tent features beer from local breweries.
Lunch trucks include:
- The Palace International
- Bo’s Kitchen
- Qspresso
- Flirting with Fire
- Chirba Chirba
- more
Dinner trucks include:
- Thai Box Zing
- Cockadoodlemoo
- Humble Pig
- Mac Ur Roni
- Jam Ice Cream
- more
