International Artists News

Today OZ, Nashville's first contemporary arts center, announces its 2014-15 season, which runs today, September 12, 2014 - June 27, 2015. The season is bookended by premieres, beginning with two performances (September 12 & 13) of Tim Robbins' interpretation of A Midsummer Night's Dream, produced and acted by the company he founded and leads, The Actors' Gang, in the production's first U.S. engagement outside of the company's home theater in Los Angeles. OZ's 2014-15 program will conclude with the world premiere (June 18-20) of Memory Rings, the latest multi-media stage production from innovative New York City-based puppetry collective Phantom Limb Company.

In the world premiere of The Imperfect is Our Paradise, choreographer Liss Fain creates a new environmental work with longtime collaboratorsMatthew Antaky, set design; Mary Domenico, costume design; Dan Wool, sound design; andFrederic Boulay, projection design. Using spoken text from Faulkner's 1929 masterpiece, The Sound and the Fury, the company explores the technique of stream of consciousness as a source of inspiration. The Imperfect is Our Paradise runs this weekend, September 11-14, 2014 at ODC Theater in San Francisco.

Bahar Behbahani, in collaboration with interactive artist, Negar Behbahani and musician, Maciek Schejbal, has created A Tide of a Memory—a participatory video installation exploring the power of bread through people's personal memories amid larger political and economic spheres of this universal sustenance. This Saturday, September 13, the artists will premiere the project in Port Chester, New York. The collaborative project was created during their residency at MAPSpace: Miranda Arts Project Space. A Tide of a Memory is inspired by the history of the Tide Mill, a prolific grain mill operated in Rye, New York during the 18th century.

POMPANO BEACH, Fla., Sept. 9, 2014 /PRNewswire/ Alyona Ushe has always thought big, and now the cultural visionary is launching a campaign to attract artists nationwide to Pompano Beach, Florida. Ushe, who helms the Creative City Collaborative (CCC), is implementing an ambitious program to integrate culture into every aspect of the city. Her initiative will showcase international artists while cultivating emerging talent, and program and manage all cultural venues in Pompano Beach, consisting of the Pompano Beach Amphitheater, the soon-to-be constructed Cultural Center, Bailey Contemporary Arts (BaCA), and the Ali Cultural Arts. In addition, the CCC (www.ccc-arts.org) will be creating citywide festivals that will immerse the city in music and art and create signature events such as Pompano Beach Music Fringe and Sea of Jazz.

The Suzi Bass Awards, Inc. revealed nominations for the 2013-2014 Atlanta professional theatrical season this evening to theatre patrons and industry artists. The Suzi Nomination Party, which rotates venues, was hosted this year by Actor's Express in the King Plow Arts Center of Atlanta. Guest announcers included performers Christy Baggett, Laura Cole, Danielle Deadwyler, and Tess Malis Kincaid.

FirstWorks and the City of Providence announce the final line-up of artists from across the globe for the FirstWorks Urban Carnevale. The Urban Carnevale is a celebratory evening of music, spectacle, art, and food capping four days of activities celebrating FirstWorks 10th Anniversary. The free public celebration brings the world to Providence with awe-inspiring performances from Australia, Italy, Morocco, Mali, and Rhode Island on Saturday, September 20, 2014, starting at 5:00 PM in the Providence Rink and surrounding parks, Kennedy Plaza, downtown Providence.

Artvera's gallery is pleased to present Metaphysical Landscapes, an exhibition of works by four international artists, Marc Couturier, Evgeni Dybsky, Raffi Kaiser, and Frank Perrin. Curated by Paris-based art historian Jeanette Zwingenberger and Artvera's director, Sofia Komarova, the exhibition brings together over thirty paintings, drawings, and photographs, which collectively explore multiple dimensions of time and space. The show will be on view September 26 - November 22, 2014, with an Opening reception set for Thursday, September 25 at 6:00 PM.

Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) announces the first-ever BAM 24-Hour Movie Marathon benefiting BAM Education. Beginning at 8pm tonight, September 5, the Steinberg Screen at the BAM Harvey Theater will host this peer-to-peer fundraiser, inspired by traditional athletic fundraisers, challenging participants to binge watch classic and modern film favorites for a full 24 hours. With support from media partner New York magazine, funds raised will support BAM Education's in- and after-school programs, workshops, and internships, which serve over 30,000 K-12 students, teachers, and parents annually.

In 2015, Australia's iconic theatre-makers are coming to play. It's a year of adventure, and we look forward to having you along for the ride - you'll be in great company.

Cleve Carney Art Gallery presents 'Amy Vogel: A Paraperspective' today, Sept. 4 - Oct. 25. 'Amy Vogel: A Paraperspective' is a collaboration between Joseph Grigely and Amy Vogel, with a catalogue essay by Joseph Grigely. The opening preview reception is today, Sept. 4 from 12-2 p.m. and is free and open to the public.

This autumn, the world will mark the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall and subsequent collapse of the Soviet Union. To commemorate this event, Burning Coal Theatre Company will present, for the first time anywhere, David Edgar's monumental Iron Curtain Trilogy. Performances run today, September 4 - 27, 2014 at 117 S. West Street, Raleigh, NC. Directed by Jerome Davis.

Schimmel Center at Pace University is proud to announce the 2014 / 2015 season at The Schimmel Center at Pace University, located at 3 Spruce Street between Park Row and Gold Street in downtown Manhattan, adjacent to City Hall and the Brooklyn Bridge. Schimmel Center is a world-class performing arts and culture series with an emphasis on music superstars from around the globe, charismatic and crowd-pleasing dance performances, spectacular theatre and contemporary cabaret. The Schimmel Center season begins on September 21 with Voce, Rising Opera Stars in Recital, and culminates on May 30 with Ben Vereen.

In a mesmerising display of performance art, renowned camouflage artist, Liu Bolin, vanished into his painting to craft yet another indelible memory at Art Bengaluru 2014. Showcasing his work in India for the first time, the artist created an installation titled "Charger Series - Peony No. 2" and also put up a live performance for the inauguration of the Art Festival, where he emerged from a Magazine Rack. South India's biggest Art Festival, Art Bengaluru's 5th Edition is being held at The Collection at UB City, Bangalore from 21st to 30th August, 2014. Beijing-based artist, Liu Bolin, uses art as a medium to comment on society and repressive social norms. His best known photo series, "Hiding in the City", took form in November 2005 when the Beijing city management demolished Suo Jia Cun - Asia's largest international artist village and Liu Bolin's home. As a silent protest to this event, Liu Bolin started his now legendary series Hiding in the City, which has spread beyond China countries like France, Italy & U.S.A. Art Bengaluru began in 2009 as a quest to encourage & develop a thriving community of artists & art connoisseurs in Bangalore. Each year, the festival puts forth new art concepts for its audience; this year the event has scaled new heights with Bolin's engaging performance at the inauguration. The Opening Night saw this talented artist blend into rows of shelves lined with magazines. Uzma Irfan - Executive Director, Corporate Communications - Prestige Group, Founder - Sublime Galleria and Conceptualizer & Organizer - Art Bengaluru said, "We are honoured to have an artist of the caliber of Liu Bolin at Art Bengaluru who will unveil an exclusive creation for the event. Each year Art Bengaluru aims to get bigger & better and this time we have reached a new level with the artworks & artists, which will place the festival on the global art map. I urge all of you to join us in celebrating these unique creations of art which are displayed at the festival." Speaking about Art Bengaluru, Artist Liu Bolin said, "Art Bengaluru is an incredible platform for artists to display their works. Over the years, the organisers of this festival have done their best to promote & support artists from diverse backgrounds and it is a pleasure to perform & showcase my work in India for the first time at Art Bengaluru." Another work of art by Bolin, which has held the audience captive, is his installation the Charger Series which has originated from the artist's dissatisfaction towards material possessions. This work of art shows cell phone chargers plugged into steel forms of the human body. The cell phone charger serves as an indicator of the boundless desires of human beings. Artist Bolin explains the concept, "As we carry more and more burdens on our shoulders, we are gradually pulled away from the essence of life. In my work, the variety of brands, styles & sizes of the chargers demonstrates the diversity of life while also exhibiting the traces of human desire. As functional objects become unusable, they perfectly represent the unappeasable nature of human desire." A form of social commentary, Bolin's artworks warn audiences of impending disasters caused by human overindulgence. About Art Bengaluru: Art Bengaluru (http://www.artbengaluru.in), one of the most reputed Art Festival's in India, has been created to showcase a wide spectrum of art forms and provide a platform for artists (both Indian & International) to exhibit their works. Launched in 2010, Art Bengaluru began with a vision to promote works of art and cultivate a thriving art community in the city. The First Year of Art Bengaluru saw 15 Galleries across the city participate in the week-long festival that also screened a series of Short Films, in addition to an Art Competition for Children. The Second Edition featured 15 Art Galleries from across the country with the highlight being the inaugural Luxury Art Auction. The Third Edition showcased 15 top National & International Art Galleries, a Children's Art Competition, Workshops, Speaker Sessions and the iconic International Art & Luxury Auction. Each year, the festival strives to rise a notch higher than the last, and in 2013 the much-awaited event saw over 100 National & International Artists showcase a diverse collection of artworks while the Auction saw on block works of celebrated artists such as M.F. Hussain, S.H. Raza, F.N. Souza, amongst others. The Fourth Edition also introduced Berserk - a unique Arts Conference for Children in addition to the trademark activities. For more information on 'Art Bengaluru 2014' please visit http://www.artbengaluru.in

The Canadian Opera Company's beloved production of Puccini's heartbreaking masterpiece of love, longing and loss, Madama Butterfly, comes to the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts this October. An exquisite production by Canadian theatrical legend Brian Macdonald, designed by Susan Benson with lighting by Michael Whitfield, the COC'sMadama Butterfly has become a Toronto favourite, playing to sold-out audiences at its 1990 premiere and subsequent revivals in 1994, 1998, 2003 and 2009. Madama Butterfly is sung in Italian with English SURTITLESTM and runs for 12 performances on October 10, 11, 15, 18, 19, 21, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30 and 31, 2014.

The Canadian Opera Company's 2014/2015 season opens with an opera hailed as the crowning achievement of Verdi's career,Falstaff. This new company production is led by master director Canadian Robert Carsen and COC Music Director Johannes Debus with internationally acclaimed Canadian bass-baritoneGerald Finley making a long-awaited return to the COC in his role debut as the impoverished, loveable knight, Sir John Falstaff. Falstaff is sung in Italian with English SURTITLESTM and comes to the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts for seven performances onOctober 3, 9, 12, 14, 25, 29 and November 1, 2014.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) presents Isango Ensemble's The Magic Flute (Impempe Yomlingo), bringing thirty actors and musicians from South Africa to Chicago as part of CST's celebrated World's Stage Series. The Magic Flute reimagines Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's most beloved operatic work, incorporating African singing, pulsating beats and spirited storytelling into this 223-year-old classic. Based in Cape Town, the vibrant company of the Isango Ensemble unites the diverse nation of Africa by reinventing classics from the Western theater canon within a South African setting. Adapted and directed by Isango co-founder Mark Dornford-May, The Magic Flute took London by storm, garnering London's prestigious Laurence Olivier Award. The production will be performed at Skyline Stage on Navy Pier (next door to CST) for a limited engagement, September 25-28, 2014.

Cleve Carney Art Gallery presents “Amy Vogel: A Paraperspective” Sept. 4 - Oct. 25. “Amy Vogel: A Paraperspective” is a collaboration between Joseph Grigely and Amy Vogel, with a catalogue essay by Joseph Grigely. The opening preview reception is Thursday, Sept. 4 from 12-2 p.m. and is free and open to the public. The gallery will also host a conversation between the artists and Anthony Elms, a 2014 Whitney Biennial curator and Associate Curator of the Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA), Sunday, Sept. 7 at 1 p.m. This lecture is also free and open to the public. For more about the exhibition and related events, visit cod.edu/gallery or call 630.942.2321.

The Canadian Opera Company is proud to announce that it has selected Steven Kelley to serve in the opera company's new senior staff position of Chief Communications Officer. Kelley joins the COC in early October, coming directly from Houston Grand Opera where he has been director of marketing for the past four years.

The Harris Theater for Music and Dance, in partnership with Millennium Park and the City of Chicago, presents the opening night simulcast of the Chicago Dancing Festival tonight, August 20, at 7:30PM.