NOW. takes on the spirit of activism, with artists and work tapping into the zeitgeist of our current climate to redirect culture.
November 7-9, the 2019 wats:ON? Festival invites us to explore art as activism NOW. The artists use light, music, sound, architecture, art, spoken word, and performance to evoke deep social and political questions. Read more about the artists and their performances here.
This semester, the wats:ON Festival offered a companion course for students to work directly with two festival artists: Jasiri X and Blak Rapp M.A.D.U.S.A. Students have collaborated with the artists to produce a music video for the artists' song "Speak No Evil" that will premiere at the festival on opening night. The wats:ON course is allowing students to work across artistic disciplines — behind and in front of the camera.
NOW's interdisciplinary spirit isn't new for the wats:ON Festival. Since 1997, each festival has aimed to celebrate the arts, architecture, and design together in honor of the late Jill Watson, a professor in the School of Architecture who was pursuing a Master of Fine Arts degree when she perished in the crash of TWA Flight 800 in July 1996.
The wats:ON Festival is made possible through the love, generosity, and support of Jill's family.
Learn more about the event on the College of Fine Arts website.
Schedule of Events
THURSDAY. 11.07
Artist talk and music performance \\ JASIRI X
Reception 5:30PM @ CFA Great Hall
Artist talk and performance 6:30PM @ CFA Kresge Theatre
Music video premiere \\ feat. JASIRI X and BLAK RAPP M.A.D.U.S.A. \\ a collaboration with CFA Interdisciplinary Course
Premiere 6:30PM @ CFA Kresge Theatre
FRIDAY. 11.08
Sound-Light performance and artists talk \\ MENDI+KEITH OBADIKE
Book of Light 6:30PM @ CFA west facade
Reception 7:30PM @ CFA Great Hall
Artists talk 8:00PM @ CFA Kresge Theatre
SATURDAY. 11.09
One-woman play \\ BLAK RAPP M.A.D.U.S.A.
Memoirs of an Artivist 5:30PM @ CFA Kresge Theatre
Music performances \\ JASIRI X, BLAK RAPP M.A.D.U.S.A., and artists from 1HOOD MEDIA
Reception 7:00PM @ CFA Great Hall
Performances 7:30PM @ CFA Great Hall
ALL FESTIVAL. 11.07–08–09.
Sound installation \\ MENDI+KEITH OBADIKE
Anyanwu @ CFA Great Hall