BRIC Announces 2020 Spring Programming
By: Chloe Rabinowitz Dec. 20, 2019
BRIC has announced its Spring 2020 programming showcasing live concerts and performances, family events, community discussions, contemporary art exhibitions, documentaries, series, podcasts, and more.
In its 41st year, BRIC is reaffirming its mission to build Brooklyn's creative future by advancing opportunities for artists, presenting bold work that reflects diverse audiences, igniting learning for people of all ages, and uniting its community through art and creativity. "We envision a Brooklyn where all people have meaningful connections to artistic experiences, the tools and opportunity to express their creative potential and the power to transform their world," said Kristina Newman-Scott, President of BRIC. "By presenting genuinely accessible cultural programming and investing in creative risk-takers, we both nurture individual expression and enrich our communities." In addition to the following programming schedule, it will produce and host multidisciplinary special events, educational opportunities for all ages, and performances. While many events are free and open to the public, select dates require prior registration or low-cost entrance fees. For the most up-to-date event calendar, please visit bricartsmedia.org.JANUARY AT BRIC
FAMILY WORKSHOP: PRESENT BODIES
Saturday, January 11 - 11AM-2PM
Inspired by the Present Bodies: Papermaking exhibition, families participate in two hands-on activities influenced by the works on view. Explore bookmaking and paper quilling to create your own responses to the show, and explore the gallery through a scavenger hunt.
Thursday, January 16 - 7AM
How are artists responding to the unceasing array of political crises? The apocalypse may be nigh, but the creative spirit can refract even the smallest pinprick of light into something glittering and sublime. On a new season of our podcast Glitter & Doom, host MacKenzie Fegan explores creative reactions to seemingly insurmountable problems through in-depth conversations with creators working at the intersection of art and activism. Listen to Glitter & Doom on Spotify, Transistor, Apple Podcasts, or on the BRIC Radio website.
Monday, January 20 - 5:30PM
The Brooklyn Poetry Slam Writing Workshop is designed to investigate how our experiences can inform our poetry. Focusing on imagery and new ways in which we study contemporary poetry, this workshop will bloom new writing in an effort to create an urgent dialogue using our memories as limbs with their own language. The workshop consists of five components: analysis, discussion, writing, and editing. There will be an opportunity to share your work during the open mic after the Brooklyn Poetry Slam. Led by poet, activist, and educator, Mahogany L. Browne. BROOKLYN POETRY SLAM
Monday, January 20 - 7PM
The Brooklyn Poetry Slam brings together Brooklyn's best slam poets for a monthly gathering of words and wisdom, hosted by poet, activist, and educator Mahogany L. Browne with music by poet and educator DJ Jive Poetic. BRIC FAMILY HOUSE PARTIES: 2020 VISIONS
Saturday, January 25 - 12-5PM
2020 Visions House Party is a free family-friendly event that celebrates the new decade and explores how we can be a stronger community. Families come together to discuss citizenship and envision the future that they want to see. Join us for futuristic art and media activities and live performances, plus a Valentine's Day-themed hand papermaking activity with Present Bodies artist Candy Gonzalez. NOT I BY Samuel Beckett
January 10-13, 16-19, Various Times
$30
A Touretteshero and Battersea Arts Centre Production, in association with the Albany. Part of the Under the Radar Festival.
Jess Thom has Tourettes, a condition that means she makes movements and noises she can't control, called tics. Following award-winning Backstage In Biscuit Land, she takes on Samuel Beckett's short play in a theatrical experience that explores neurodiversity and asks who is allowed to perform what and who gets the final say. All performances are ASL integrated and Relaxed. This means that if you tic, shout, or move about, you're more than welcome. And the great thing is, everyone can benefit from a Relaxed Performance.
RELATED PROGRAMMING
Audience Accessibility Panel
Sunday, January 12, 3PM FREE
FEBRUARY
Death Becomes Her Exhibition | Rachel Grobstein, Ghost Bike, 2019
INTERGENERATIONAL COMMUNITY ARTS COUNCIL
Launching in February
Now in its second year, the Intergenerational Community Arts Council (ICAC) is a multigenerational team of residents working in conjunction with Najee Omar to curate and produce values-driven arts programming by and for community members of the Ingersoll, Whitman, Farragut and Atlantic Terminal NYCHA Houses and the neighboring Fort Greene area. Their first event will celebrate Black History Month this February. The ICAC is proudly supported by program partners BRIC and University Settlement.
Thursday-Friday, February, 6-7 - 7PM
$8 Adv / $12 Day of Show
The Golden Spike borrows elements of the Monkey King legend to tell an epic love story of Sun Wu and Jiao Zhou, spanning 13 years, from the completion of the First Transcontinental Railroad to the passing of the Chinese Exclusion Act. Sun Wu, a Chinese railroad worker pursuing equal rights for his fellow laborers, finds himself caught in the machinations of America's largest infrastructure project. While his head is steadily focused on negotiating fair working conditions for him and his fellow workers, his heart yearns for a young Chinese laundress. Weaving strong emotional narratives of Chinese and Irish immigrants, and driven by a rocking folk-roots score from NY-based theater collective and band The Lobbyists, The Golden Spike explores the pursuit of love, family, truth, and the sparkling light of equality under the otherwise dark shadow of America's history. THE KNIGHTS: FAMILY SHOW
Saturday, February 15 - 2PM
$10 Adv/$14 Day of Show
At BRIC's one-hour Family Shows, little ones are introduced to classical music in a fun, relaxed, and interactive setting. The Knights are known for connecting with audiences of all ages and educating while entertaining. The Knights residency at BRIC is made possible through generous support from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and, in part, with public funds from the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council; the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature; and the National Endowment for the Arts. DEATH BECOMES HER EXHIBITION
February 20 - April 19
Opening Reception: Wednesday, February 19 - 7-9PM
Death Becomes Her is a group exhibition on view at BRIC in the Main Gallery, co-curated and in collaboration with The Green-Wood Cemetery. The exhibition explores the potential of loss as a catalyst for self-discovery, as well as recognition of the larger cultural, social, and political implications of death and dying. It will include a programming series taking place at both BRIC and Green-Wood. The seven featured artists include Mimi Bai, Nona Faustine, Rachel Grobstein, Gyun Hur, Heidi Lau, Catalina Ouyang, and Keisha Scarville. CHRISTIE NEPTUNE: CONSTRUCTS AND CONTEXT RELATIVITY EXHIBITION
February 20 - April 19
Opening Reception: Wednesday, February 19 - 7-9PM
In this exhibition, visual artist Christie Neptune investigates the site of a now-defunct community center in the neighborhood of Dixwell located in New Haven, CT, that she first encountered during her NXTHVN residency. Through extensive research and the lens of an archeologist studying ancient ruins, Neptune created video, sculpture, and photographs seeking to draw a deeper narrative of the hidden potential in absence. Neptune is a 2019-20 recipient of the ArtFP, an open call for Brooklyn-based visual artists to exhibit at BRIC House. PADMA RAJENDRAN: MOVE ME WITH YOU EXHIBITION
February 20 - June 7
Opening Reception: Wednesday, February 19 - 7-9PM
Move me with you is an installation consisting of dyed and printed fabric drawings selectively sewn and layered over one another to reveal layered stories, transitions, and re-telling. The work will be suspended to enable interactive movement, fluttering quietly as visitors walk through BRIC's hallway. Padma Rajendran is a 2019-20 recipient of the ArtFP, an open call for Brooklyn-based visual artists to exhibit at BRIC House. BROOKLYN POETRY SLAM WRITING WORKSHOP WITH CJ PARKER AND LINDSAY YOUNG
Monday, February 24 - 5:30PM
The Brooklyn Poetry Slam Writing Workshop is designed to investigate how our experiences can inform our poetry. Focusing on imagery and new ways in which we study contemporary poetry, this workshop will bloom new writing in an effort to create an urgent dialogue using our memories as limbs with their own language. The workshop consists of five components: analysis, discussion, writing & editing. There will be an opportunity to share your work during the open mic after the Brooklyn Poetry Slam directly following the workshop. Led by CJ Parker and Lindsay Young. BROOKLYN POETRY SLAM
Monday, February 24 - 7PM
The Brooklyn Poetry Slam brings together Brooklyn's best slam poets for a monthly gathering of words and wisdom, hosted by poet, activist, and educator Mahogany L. Browne with music by poet and educator DJ Jive Poetic. COFFEE & CONVERSATION: DEATH BECOMES HER
Saturday, February 29 - 12-1PM
Join some of the Death Becomes Her artists for an intimate, artist-led tour of their work on view in BRIC's Main Gallery. Coffee provided!
MARCH
BRIC House Sessions, Alex Anwandter | Thursday, March 5
BRIC TV: FISTS OF FLATBUSH
Premieres Sunday, March 1
Airs Mondays at 12PM
Fists of Flatbush is a 6-part documentary series of 6-8 minute episodes that will explore the influence of martial arts on New York City street culture, ultimately showing how karate and kung fu have become essential parts of the urban experience.
Thursday, March 5 - 8PM
$15 Adv/ $18 Day of Show
One of the leading names of South America's new vibrant pop scene, Alex Anwandter brings together '80s-influenced dance music and emotional songwriting, all wrapped up in engaging live performances full of raw intimacy and showmanship. Nominated for two Latin GRAMMY Awards, his groundbreaking performance of "Manifiesto" at the 2016 awards show was a strong statement for LGBT+ rights. BRIC HOUSE SESSIONS: ORLANDO JULIUS
Thursday, March 19 - 8PM
$18 Adv / $21 Day of Show
With a career spanning more than five decades and several continents, Orlando Julius has become an indelible figure in African music and global music alike. Beginning in the 1960s, Julius' revolutionary blend of traditional Nigerian sounds with those of American pop, R&B, and soul is often cited as pivotal to the invention, development, and popularization of Afropop. The Nigerian-native continues to be active in the international music community, and he returns to Brooklyn for an exciting performance. BRIClab: FOR C.J. (work-in-progress)
Thursday - Friday, March 5-6 - 7PM
$8 Adv / $12 Day of Show
For C.J. incorporates an arts and a community engagement initiative to address systemic, medical, and environmental discrimination. The work stems from the untimely passing of Davalois Fearon's nephew from an asthma attack. His passing was tragic and with proper care and treatment, entirely preventable. Urban planning and systemic redlining in government agencies have pushed populations of color to areas that face disproportionate levels of pollution, which results in the asthma hospitalization and death rates among Blacks and Hispanics being 3 to 5 times those of Whites. The piece features Fearon's ballet-infused postmodern/Caribbean movement vocabulary; music composed by Mike McGinnis; wearable sculpture, costume, makeup designed by interdisciplinary artist Jasmine Murrell, and set design by performer/visual artist Myssi Robinson. BRIC TV: Sauce
Premieres Monday, March 9
Airs Mondays at 12PM
From award-winning filmmaker Dui Jarrod comes a provocative drama about rising culinary star Moon Hampton, who seems to have it all-until a damning story costs him a coveted executive chef position. Chef Moon decides to take matters into his own hands by concocting a sauce infused with an illicit ingredient for his ailing mother. Can Moon find the recipe for redemption with the help of his three great loves: food, fame, and his soon-to-be ex-wife? DEATH BECOMES HER: 5 x 10 @ THE CATACOMBS
Saturdays, March 14, 21, and 28 - 6PM & 9PM
At The Green-Wood Cemetery (5th Ave and 25th St, Brooklyn)
$60 / $50 for Green-Wood members
A program in conjunction with Death Becomes Her, 5 x 10 @ the Catacombs is an intimate gathering in the Catacombs of Green-Wood that brings strangers together in an artist-led discussion about death, dying, and the hereafter. Founded in 2018 by artist Mckendree Key, the 5 x 10 is a gathering hosted by a different artist each night with a specially chosen topic, evocative setting, and hand-selected food and drinks, more information to be announced. BRIClab: JURY DUTY (work-in-progress)
Thursday - Friday, March 19-20 - 7PM
$8 Adv / $12 Day of Show
JURY DUTY collages verbatim voir dire transcripts, harrowing personal testimonies culled from interviews with former jurors, eerily surveillance-like live video by Ray Sun, and virtuosic performances by actors playing dozens of attorneys, civilians, and citizens at once, to paint a loving and chilling portrait of America's most theatrical democratic ritual. BROOKLYN POETRY SLAM
Monday, March 23 - 7PM
The Brooklyn Poetry Slam brings together Brooklyn's best slam poets for a monthly gathering of words and wisdom, hosted by poet, activist, and educator Mahogany L. Browne with music by poet and educator DJ Jive Poetic. The slam will be followed by an Open Mic. B FREE AWARDS
Saturday, March 28
This night celebrates the talent and dedication of the community producers who tell their stories on our Brooklyn Free Speech TV and Podcast Network. A live televised event complete with a red carpet, local media makers take home top honors for their extraordinary skills, storytelling, and creativity.
APRIL
BRIClab: Ty Defoe | GIZHIBAA GIIZHIG | REVOLVING SKY (work-in-progress) | April 9-10
REELABILITIES FILM FESTIVAL: CELEBRATING THE CULTURE OF DISABILITY THROUGH FILM
Wednesday, April 1 - 7-9PM
ReelAbilities Film Festival and BRIC present selections by or about the disabled community. Panel discussion with filmmakers and subjects will follow the screening.
Thursday, April 2 - 8PM
$18 Adv / $21 Day of Show
Maimouna Youssef AKA Mumu Fresh is a GRAMMY-nominated singer, songwriter, MC, and activist who has stepped out on her own after years working as a sought-after backup singer for legends like The Roots, Erykah Badu, Lauryn Hill, and more-and we're officially on notice. After a breakthrough Tiny Desk performance and two independent solo albums, the Baltimore native will be joined at this BRIC House Sessions by New York-based MC and poet KAMAUU, a quiet warrior making otherworldly music. BRIC FAMILY HOUSE PARTIES: ONE WORLD, ONE EARTH
Saturday, April 4 - 12-5PM
In honor of Earth Day, BRIC's One World, One Earth House Party brings families together to explore the creative side of going green. Through hands-on art and media activities, discover creative traditions from various cultures using plant-based, recycled, and eco-friendly materials. BRIClab: GIZHIBAA GIIZHIG | REVOLVING SKY (work-in-progress)
Thursday - Friday, April 9-10 - 7PM
$8 Adv / $12 Day of Show
Zhooniyas has fallen from their home in the stars onto Earth, shrouded by light pollution. Interdisciplinary artist Ty Defoe and the All My Relations Collective merge augmented reality installation, performance and story circles to explore the intersections of science and sacred knowledge. Utilizing Anishinaabe star maps, astrophysics, and personal narrative, GIZHIBAA GIIZHIG | Revolving Sky creates a lens to view indigiqueerness and the current climate crisis. BRIC HOUSE SESSIONS: BLACK BELT EAGLE SCOUT | DENITIA
Thursday, April 16 - 8PM
$15 Adv / $18 Day of Show
Multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Katherine Paul, known as Black Belt Eagle Scout shows power chord-driven indie rock direction, though still guided by her indigenous identity and commitment to indigenous rights. THE KNIGHTS: FAMILY SHOW
Saturday, April 25 - 2PM
$10 Adv / $14 Day of Show
At BRIC's one-hour Family Shows, little ones are introduced to classical music in a fun, relaxed, and interactive setting. The Knights are known for connecting with audiences of all ages and educating while entertaining. The Knights residency at BRIC is made possible through generous support from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and, in part, with public funds from the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council; the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature; and the National Endowment for the Arts. BROOKLYN POETRY SLAM FINALS
Monday, April 27 - 7:00PM
See the Brooklyn Slam Team as they go head to head for the final slam of the season. JOEY DE JESUS: HOAX EXHIBITION
April 29 - May 31
Opening Reception: Fri, May 8 - 7-9PM
Transforming BRIC's Project Room with swirling patterns of words, HOAX utilizes the structure of poetry in a performative, installation-based format to question intentions of power and sources of oppression. De Jesus is a 2019-20 recipient of the ArtFP, an open call for Brooklyn-based visual artists to exhibit at BRIC House.
MAY
THE 32nd ANNUAL CONTEMPORARY ART EDUCATION EXHIBITION
May 20 - June 14
A lively, thought-provoking exhibition of work completed by students in BRIC's Education residency program, which places professional contemporary artists in public schools across Brooklyn. BRIC will also introduce an auxiliary, For-Teens-by-Teens exhibition curated by the inaugural BRIC Youth Curatorial Fellows.
Premieres in May
New Episodes Fridays at Noon
Host Drae Campbell returns for season two of TELL, a podcast bringing you real stories told by the queer folks who lived them, on everything from traveling abroad to stolen bikes to family secrets.
ABOUT BRIC
BRIC is a leading presenter of cultural programming in Brooklyn. BRIC presents and incubates work by artists and media-makers who reflect the diversity that surrounds us. BRIC programs reach hundreds of thousands of people each year. BRIC in Downtown Brooklyn offers a public media center, a major exhibition space and project room, two performance spaces, a glass-walled TV studio, and artist workspaces. Some of BRIC's acclaimed programs include the BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival held each summer in Prospect Park, a renowned contemporary art exhibition series, and two distinct media initiatives: Brooklyn Free Speech, Brooklyn's public access initiative, and BRIC TV, a community TV channel and digital network. BRIC also offers arts and media education and other vital programs at BRIC House and throughout Brooklyn.
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