New Voices: In Film, Art, Literature, Dance, Theater, And Music

Center for Latter-day Saint Arts 2019 Festival NEW VOICES: In Film, Art, Literature, Dance, Theater, and Music June 28-29th, 2019 The Italian Academy for Advanced Studies (Columbia University, New York) The Kaye Playhouse (Hunter College, New York) FRIDAY, JUNE 28TH9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. (Library)Tangos de otro Puerto (“Tangos from Another Port”) (Performance/Presentation)Julián Mansilla with Luciano SellánThis remarkable duo dusts off forgotten tangos from Bahía, Argentina. Recovering lost archives from the city and even from personal family records, Mansilla (bandoneon) and Sellán (guitar) unearth fresh possibilities for cultural storytelling. 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (Teatro)Ways of Seeing (Panel Discussion)Brontë Hebdon, Travis Anderson, and Page TurnerAn art historian, a philosopher, and a painter look at three religious paintings and describe what they see from their perspectives. Brontë Hebdon, from the institute of fine arts at NYU, Travis Anderson professor of philosophy at BYU, and Page Turner, a prize-winning art maker, bring their perspectives to bear on classic religious works from the Renaissance, French Impressionism, and twentieth-century Abstract Expressionism. 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (Library) Utah Landscape As A Metaphor (Presentation)Karalee Kuchar and Daniel George Karalee Kuchar and Daniel George come together to discuss the influence Utah landscape has on their art and the symbolism it brings to their work. Kuchar uses her camera to reflect her own experiences of struggle and opposition mirrored through her interactions with the desert landscape while George surveys and documents locations across Utah to study the effect of religious history on present-day cultural identity. 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. (Teatro)Engaging with Dance: To See, to Feel, to Know (Performance/Presentation)Marin Leggat Roper, Pat Debenham, Kathie Debenham, Kevin Giddins and Lita GiddinsThis interactive performance offers kinesthetic and visual tools for viewers to relate dance among other genres of art. It communicates how we “witness” intellectual and spiritual truths; relationships; and the human condition as experienced through the body. The troupe is led by Marin Leggat Roper, Assistant Professor of Dance at BYU, and founder of Danceworks, a modern dance company committed to “bridging cultural and religious differences through dance.” Leggat served as U.S. Cultural Envoy to India, writes about dance and empathy, and the impact of somatic principles on adolescent women. 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. (Library)How Poetry Works (Panel Discussion)Lance Larsen, Susan Howe, and Michael LaversTo help audience members understand how poems are written, critiqued, revised, and interpreted, three prize-winning oft-published poets will read and discuss each other’s work. They will bring drafts of their early efforts to illustrate how poems evolve. 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. (Teatro)After the Show: Collecting in Today’s Art Market (Presentation)Diane P. Stewart, Warren S. Winegar, Cris BairdDiane Stewart (Owner, Modern West Fine Gallery), Warren S. Winegar (independent art dealer and consultant, formerly at Sotheby’s) and Cris Baird (contemporary art collector) join forces to discuss art patronage and the buying and selling of visual art in today’s market. 7:00 p.m. (Teatro)Coming of Age on Landscapes of Faith: Art and Religion in the American Novel(Keynote Address)David F. Holland, Harvard Divinity SchoolDavid F. Holland has been on faculty at HDS since 2013 where he is a renowned scholar of American religious history, admired by his students for captivating lectures and seminars. He is the author of “Sacred Borders: Continuing Revelation and Canonical Restraint in Early America” (Oxford, 2011) and is currently working on a comparative biography of Mary Baker Eddy and Ellen White. 9:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. (Library)Night Song: A Play with Music in One Act (Exerpt/Reading)Davey Erekson and Jamie EreksonIt begins in silence. The death and emotional aftermath of James Wilson McConkie’s death is told by those who know too well: his grandsons. Together, the Erekson brothers have been collaborating on large-scale media projects for over twenty years, including​ Forty Years (Utah Philharmonic Orchestra premiere, 2016) and ​The Lost Children of Hamelin (BYU Opera premiere, 2016). Using the original compositions of James McConkie—younger brother to Bruce R. McConkie—Davey and Jamie Erekson explore music and family as tethers that mend. SATURDAY, JUNE 29TH9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. (Teatro)The Music of David Fletcher (Performance)David FletcherDavid Fletcher is the former student of Steven Sondheim and an institutional composer in his own right. Joined by special guests Sarah Asplund (Soprano), and Jonathan Austin (Tenor), Fletcher will present various religious compositions including “Weepin’ Mary,” "A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief,” and “Fathers and Sons.” A children’s choir will present “The Articles of Faith.” 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. (Library)The Book of Jer3miah—10th Anniversary Screening and DiscussionJeff Parkin and Jared Cardon In 2008, BYU faculty members Jeff Parkin and Jared Cardon embarked on an ambitious class project with twenty of their students. The goal? To tell an immersive and interactive story digitally. A breakthrough series, The Book of Jer3miah, went on to receive praise from The New York Times as “a tight, suspenseful little series [that] may just have what it takes to get web audiences to utter the words 'Mormon conspiracy thriller' without a touch of irony” and was a Best Drama honoree at the Webby Awards. The Festival’s screening of The Book of Jer3miah comes ten years after its debut, with Parkin and Cardon sharing their experiences making the film, and insights about the digital landscape and how it’s evolved over the last decade. 10:00 a.m. to 12 p.m. (Conference Room)Children’s Event: Creative Process of Children’s Book Making || Storytelling through Dance (Ages 4-11) Kevin Hawkes, Lita Giddins and Kevin Giddins. Kevin Hawkes has written and/or illustrated over 50 books, including the New York Times bestseller, Library Lion. Lita Giddins has been involved in the recording, film and musical industries and Kevin Giddins has performed as a leading dancer in television commercials and has also been involved in the film, theater dance and music industries. Using sketches, dummy books, and original paintings, Kevin Hawkes will walk children through his creative process for illustrating a picture book. Always lively and entertaining, this presentation will include a demonstration of drawing and technique and story building. Lita and Kevin Giddins will use dance and movement to make the stories in the books of Kevin Hawkes come alive. Kids will mimic shapes and characters and will learn how the human body can be a source of storytelling. 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (Teatro) Thorns & Thistles (Performance)James Goldberg, Nicole Goldberg, and Arisael RiveraJames Goldberg, Nicole Goldberg, and Arisael Rivera come together to perform a three-act masterpiece concert of literary works. The first act is focused on the rich landscape of Latter-day Saint explorations of the creation and The Garden of Eden, the second act grapples with the struggles of mortality, and the third act focuses on a harvest of hope. 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. (Teatro) Women in Art (Panel Discussion)Margaret Olsen Hemming, Rose Gochnour Serago, and Michelle Franzoni ThorleyThe world of Latter-Day Saint women’s art is rapidly evolving. Three women at the forefront of LDS art discuss how these changes affect what narratives we use, how new media allows for women to enter the artistic sphere, and the exciting ways in which women of color are telling stories. 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. (Teatro) Heart of Africa (Film Screening)Tshoper Kabambi and Margaret Blair Young Tshoper Kabambi (director, co-producer and co-screenwriter) and Margaret Blair Young (producer) bring us this feature film, set in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The movie is based on the experiences of two Latter-day Saint missionaries – one African and one American - who serve together in the country. The pair must overcome their own prejudices, their harrowed pasts and challenge their cultural assumptions. Heart of Africa is the first feature filmed by Congolese in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in thirty years and includes some of the best actors and technical advisors in the country. 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. (Library)Alice Merrill Horne and the Art Matronage of the Frontier (Presentation)Ingrid AsplundIngrid Asplund recounts the incredible life story of Alice Merrill Horne, a Latter-day Saint who was elected to the Utah House of Representatives in 1898. While in the state legislature, she wasa key force behind enacting a bill to create a state art institute and was a driving force behind the creation of a state art collection. Horne was also a Relief Society General Board member. Asplund will take a closer look at Horne’s life and achievements in this riveting lecture. 7:30 p.m. (The Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College - 68th St. between Park & Lexington Avenues)Center Stage - A Collection of Latter-day Saint Performers (Performance)Alyssa Gustafsson and Brent Meacham (producers)Tickets for the Center Stage event purchased separately here: [hidden] Some of the most talented artists will grace the stage in this live event featuring musicians based in NYC and abroad. Performers include a Finnish pop artist, an American Idol finalist, Broadway singers and everything in between. Learn more about what brought these artists to the big stage and how their faith has influenced their music. FESTIVAL ART EXHIBITIONS: Photography, video installation, sound, and interactive exhibitions will be on display throughout the festival. Out of the Rolling Ocean (Library, ongoing)Emily Erekson This interactive, music installation piece explores the dynamic relationship between the individual and the community. Ereksen explores the way this relationship impacts the choices we make as individuals and the way these choices interweave to create our social framework. Belief in Zion (Salon, ongoing)Megan Knobloch Geilman, Page Turner, and Samantha ZauscherDelving into themes of representation and the current discussion of women’s voices, this display explores the idea of Zion and what Zion might be like, specifically in terms of women and women's voices in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. God to Go West (Gallery, ongoing)Daniel George Daniel George explores Utah’s religious history and culture in this exhibit, which is reflected in the distinct names given to its cities, towns and geographic features. A Long Mournful Cry (Gallery, ongoing)Karalee Kuchar A Long Mournful Cry is a series of photographs that explores the struggle we experience through long periods of opposition. Using the Great Salt Lake as a landscape for reflection, Kuchar places herself in unknown places to seek transformation and healing. The ritual performances documented by her camera reflect her own experiences, mirrored through her interactions with the desert landscape. In this body of work, she engages with others through visual communication in ways that transcend our differences and unite us in the universal experience of opposition, endurance and preservation. Ab Imo Pectore (accessed by cell phone, ongoing)Hannah PardoeThis project uses sound - recorded, found and generated - to create places where the past and present can exist together. Anyone with a phone can access these soundscapes during the festival. Dial in and connect with the person on the other end of the line, to experience this sound project alone and in a way that cannot be passive. The system also allows for a recording capability, so that participants can offer a layer of their surroundings to be archived. More Info below.