Back in August, the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts brought in "Common Ground," a joint exhibit from art museums in Kalamazoo, Muskegon and Flint featuring centuries of African-American art. On February 4th -- almost six months later -- the KIA is putting on a new event, called “Common Threads," where activists, musicians and poets will gather together to perform a kind of “call and response” to the “Common Ground” exhibit and explore how its themes still resonate today.
One of the event's featured performers is Kalamazoo professor and poet Denise Miller. She distinctly remembers seeing one painting at the KIA’s “Common Ground” exhibit late last year. This one was called “At Home and Abroad,” from the African-American artist Whitfield Lovell.
The painting features three African-American males in ordinary work clothes. Two are standing, with their hands resting on a third man, sitting. It all seems normal enough, until you see the bullseye on one man’s chest. The image shook Miller.
"Their work is still so relevant. And that's unfortunate. Because it's still telling the same story of injustice and oppression."
"Just the idea that [African Americans] always have a bullseye on their chest. That there’s always the possibility that we may not survive," Miller says. "What does it mean to live in a society where you’re not always safe? You’re a target?"
This image, and others in “Common Ground,” made Miller think. She says she saw themes in those works that were just as relevant today as they were decades, and even centuries, ago.
"Their work is still so relevant," Miller says. "And that’s unfortunate. Because it’s still telling the same story of injustice and oppression."
Seeing those connections, Miller and the KIA have now created “Common Threads,” a performance to explore those stories and put them in context for today’s audience.
As part of "Common Threads," Miller will perform original poetry based around the stories, including a new poem, called "Dear Spectators."
The poem is distinctly modern. It talks about subjects like police brutality, but it also reflects on the past. Miller says it shows the listener that images like the one of the African-American man with a bullseye on his chest haven’t faded away. You can hear the themes it in this excerpt:
"And 2015 and 2016 look so much like 1910. See the silhouetted corpses of African Americans. Shot from a 1920 Kodak. Shot on a 1982 Sony. Shot on a 2015 dashcam. Shot on a 2016 bodycam. Shot."
“Common Threads” isn’t just about poetry, though. Historian Michelle Johnson will also showcase
historical music that may have inspired artists years ago. Johnson says she sees music as deeply important to these works and causes. She even sees the connections today, in political causes.
"For instance, I think of McFadden & Whitehead’s “Ain't No Stopping us Now” as a theme for Barack Obama’s campaign."Johnson says. "But it had been out for 20 years and spoke to people’s sense of trying to rise above a situation that sought to oppress them. So the ways in which we’re able to identify songs of uplift, recognizing struggles we deal with."
"The next time [the audience] hears ["Ain't No Stopping Us Now"], they’ll hear more and see more," Johnson says. "That it isn’t just a song or piece of poetry. That we add those layers of understanding to really getting the depth of our experiences as black people. As Americans. As women. Because there are so many layers to experience, and bringing those all together really does that."
Johnson and Miller say that the combination of music, poetry and art creates a kind of “chorus” effect. With so many voices sharing and responding, they say, the audience has to pay attention.
You can see “Common Threads” at the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts on February 4th at 6:30 p.m.