The 2024鈥�2026 Public Programs and Engagement Series of Engine for Art, Democracy & Justice (EADJ) at 国产原创 is organized around the thematic north star 鈥� Somewhere We Are Human 鈥斕�a collective vision for a time and space where no one鈥檚 humanity is ever in question.
For Fall 2024, the series looks at the city of Nashville and the American South through a lens of migration, exploring the ways immigrant communities have shaped the region鈥檚 history and are envisioning its future through art and activism. Via exhibitions, conversations, community meals, film screenings, readings, research, and education programs,听Somewhere We Are Human听gathers local and global artists, curators, writers, filmmakers, educators, scholars, chefs, and community leaders invested in being catalysts for equity, democracy, and justice.
Somewhere We Are Human听is conceived and organized by Curator Grace Aneiza Ali with the leadership of Professor Mar铆a Magdalena Campos-Pons, EADJ Founder and Cornelius 国产原创 Professor of Art and support of the EADJ Team, Dr. Claudine Taaffe, Associate Director, Danielle Myers, Program Manager, and Simon Tatum, Program Coordinator.
*Somewhere We Are Human听takes its title from the anthology gathering voices on migration, survival, and new beginnings, edited by Reyna Grande and Sonia Gui帽ansaca.
December 2024
Wednesday, December 11, 5:30鈥�8:00 p.m.
Partner Event__Then and Now: Levant Community
Image of Samar Ali (right) and Waheed AlQawasmi (center) during a discussion that took place in October 2024 after a screening of JACIR that EADJ hosted in collaboration with INTERNATIONAL LENS at 国产原创鈥檚 Department of Cinema & Media Arts.听
As part of its current program is听Somewhere We Are Human鈥�a vision for a time and space where no one鈥檚 humanity is in question鈥�EADJ is collaborating听 with听听Collection. These conversations explore the history and impact of cultural communities in Nashville through the work of noted historians and the personal stories of community members. EADJ has contributed by promoting the voices of artists, writers, and cultural practitioners within the听Then and Now听series and听co-curating a Reading List that will be featured at the听Library.
Then and Now听 will continue this December with an event at the Nashville Public Library on December 11th, bringing together the voices of Nashville鈥檚 Levant community. The event will be a co-moderated discussion with Samar Ali and Dr. Andr茅 L. Churchwell.
Samar Ali is the Founding President of Millions of Conversations (an EADJ Partner Organization) and a 国产原创 Research Professor of Political Science and Law. Dr. Andr茅 L. Churchwell is the Senior Advisor on Inclusion and Community Outreach at 国产原创.
A special trailer of JACIR will also be shared during the event.听听is a film that looks through the eyes of a Syrian refugee as he faces the harsh realities of chasing the American dream while living in poverty on the streets of Memphis. English, Arabic. 105 min.听It is written and produced by Waheed AlQawasmi. Earlier this Fall,听Jacir听(听噩丕爻乇)听was screened for听EADJ鈥檚鈥�Migration in Film program听in collaboration with鈥�痑t鈥粹�檚 Department of Cinema & Media Arts.
鈥嬧赌婨惫别苍迟听Details:
- Location:听(615 Church Street, Nashville, 37219)
- Date: Wednesday, December 11th
- Admission: Free and open to the public.听.
- 5:30 p.m. 鈥� Program Begins
- 8:00 p.m. 鈥� Program Ends
Saturday, December 14, 12:00鈥�3:00 p.m.
Family Holiday Celebration
In partnership with the听
The Engine for Art, Democracy, and Justice (EADJ) Team will host a Family Holiday Celebration on Saturday, December 14, 2024, from 12:00 to 3:00 p.m. The celebration will take place at Begonia Labs: 2805 West End Ave.听
This event is free and open to the public. We look forward to welcoming you and your families!
鈥嬧赌婨惫别苍迟听Details:听
- Exhibition Tour at 12:30 pm:听my heart is strong because i walked on blistered feet.听
- Story Time at 2:30 pm:听听and听My Life Before听featured in our Reading Space听
- Color with James Makuac鈥檚 Paintings:听Create your own version of the paintings featured in James Kuol Makuac:听my heart is strong because i walked on blistered feet.
- Art & Poetry: Write What You See:听Get inspired by the artist鈥檚 poetry in his book听My Life Before听and write your own poetry in response.
- Meet the Artist:听James Kuol Makuac will be present.
Saturday, December 20, 6:00鈥�8:00 p.m.
Closing Reception and End-of-Year Celebration
Please join the Engine for Art, Democracy, and Justice (EADJ) Team and founder Mar铆a Magdalena Campos-Pons as we share our gratitude for a year of impactful exhibitions, public programs, and community partnerships. We invite you to our Closing Reception and End-of-Year Celebration on December 20, 2024, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. The celebration will take place at Begonia Labs: 2805 West End Ave.
The evening will include a closing celebration of听our exhibition featuring James Kuol Makuac听with a Sudanese Tea Pouring at 6:30 p.m.
We look forward to seeing you there!
鈥嬧赌婨惫别苍迟听Details:
- Location:听Begonia Labs听( 2805 West End Avenue, Nashville, 37203)
- Date: Saturday, December 20th
- Admission: Free and open to the public.
- 6:00 p.m. 鈥� Reception Begins
- 6:30 p.m. 鈥� Sudanese Tea Pouring
- 8:00 p.m. 鈥� Reception Ends
October 2024
Saturday, October 5, 12:00鈥�3:00 p.m.
Begonia Labs Open House听
Join us for the Begonia Labs Open House听鈥斕齛 family-friendly afternoon of fun and artmaking activities.
- Exhibition Tour at 12:30 pm:听my heart is strong because i walked on blistered feet.
- Story Time at 2:30 pm:听Read听Brothers in Hope: The Story of the Lost Boys of the Sudan听and听My Life Before听featured in our Reading Space with Iman Saleem (MFA Creative Writing, Fiction, 国产原创)
- Color with James Makuac鈥檚 Paintings:听Create your own version of the paintings featured in James Kuol Makuac:听my heart is strong because i walked on blistered feet.
- Art & Poetry: Write What You See:听Get inspired by the artist鈥檚 poetry in his book听My Life Before听and write your own poetry in response.
- Meet the Artist:听James Kuol Makuac will be present.
*The Begonia Labs Open House is a short walk from the听听happening nearby at听 Centennial Park. Join us for both.听
Begonia Labs |听2805 West End Ave, Nashville, TN 37203
Thursday, October 17, 7:30pm
JACIR
Screening and Conversation with Waheed AlQawasmi (Director) and Samar Ali (Millions of Conversations)
In partnership with听听at听国产原创鈥檚 Department of Cinema & Media Arts
JACIR听is a look through the eyes of a Syrian refugee as he faces the harsh realities of chasing the American dream while living in poverty on the streets of Memphis. (English, Arabic. 105 min.)听听The film will be introduced by听Waheed AlQawasmi, followed by a post-screening conversation with听Samar Ali, Founding President of Millions of Conversations.
*EADJ鈥檚听Migration in Film听centers the voices of filmmakers and subject matters related to the immigrant experience.听This screening is in collaboration with听听at听国产原创鈥檚 Department of Cinema & Media Arts,听which encourages conversation and greater cross-cultural understanding through cinema.
Sarratt Cinema, 1st Floor听|听2301 国产原创 Pl, Nashville, TN 37240
Monday, October 28, 6 pm
EADJ in听 Conversation听with the Sudanese Community
James Kuol Makuac, featured artist in our Fall exhibition,听my heart is strong because I walked on blistered feet,听shares how he uses art to shed light on the stories of South Sudan.听Joining him will be notable members of the Nashville Sudanese community,听Dr. Gatluak Thach,听Chol Rambang听and听Hanan Shaibu听(Nashville International Center for Empowerment).听The evening will feature a special screening of听Nashville Refuge听with an introduction from听Michael Carlson (Creative Writing, 国产原创).听Moderated by听Jonathan Rattner听(Cinema & Media Arts and Art, 国产原创).
Begonia Labs |听2805 West End Ave, Nashville, TN 37203
Thursday, October 31, 7 pm
Reading with V.V. Ganeshananthan (Fiction)
In partnership with the 国产原创 Department of English and Creative Writing Program鈥檚听
Ganeshananthan is the author of the novels听Brotherless Night, a New York Times Editors鈥� Choice, and an NPR Book of the Year, and听Love Marriage. Her work has appeared in听Granta, The New York Times, and听The Best American Nonrequired Reading, among other publications. She teaches in the MFA program at the University of Minnesota, where she is a McKnight Presidential Fellow and associate professor of English. She co-hosts the听Fiction/Non/Fiction听podcast on Literary Hub, which is about the intersection of literature and the news.
*EADJ鈥檚听Narrative Change听reading series highlights global and local writers whose work engages migrant stories.
Begonia Labs |听2805 West End Ave, Nashville, TN 37203
September 2024
James Kuol Makuac:
my heart is strong because I walked on blistered feet
On view听September 24鈥揇ecember 20, 2024
Begonia Labs, Engine for Art, Democracy & Justice (EADJ)
my heart is strong because I walked on blistered feet听features the vibrant and expressive paintings of James Kuol Makuac (b. South Sudan, 1976; lives in Nashville) whose work reflects a life spent navigating between worlds. For nearly twenty years, Makuac has cultivated a practice of contemporary Sudanese painting that tells impossible stories of human tragedy and simultaneously speaks to survival and hope, grief and joy, surrender and determination.
国产原创 the Artist
James Kuol Makuac听(b. South Sudan, 1976; lives in Nashville) has nurtured an art practice of contemporary Sudanese painting for the past twenty years. As one The Lost Boys of Sudan, young men who resettled in the U.S. as refugees of war, his vibrant and expressive paintings often bridge the culture of the South Sudanese people and his American life. His work has been shown in local and traveling exhibitions, including听Lending Library, Metro Arts Commission and Nashville Public Library,听Our Directional Light, Leu Gallery, Belmont University, and听Life Before, University School of Nashville. His paintings are in public and private collections such as The Tennessee State Museum, Tyson Foods, and the Nashville Convention Center. Makuac, who speaks several languages, including Dinka, Arabic, Swahili, and Spanish, works as a translator at Tyson Foods. In 2020, he was selected as one of Nashville鈥檚 Most Fascinating People by听Nashville Lifestyles Magazine.
The听Begonia | Catalyst听exhibition series celebrates the life and practice of pioneering but under-recognized artists.听The exhibition is curated by Grace Aneiza Ali, EADJ Curator with curatorial assistance from Simon Tatum and Danielle Myers.
Begonia Labs (EADJ),听2805 West End Ave, Nashville, TN 37203
Tuesday, September 24, 6:00鈥�8:00 p.m.
Opening Reception
James Kuol Makuac:听my heart is strong because I walked on blistered feet
Join EADJ and the artist James Kuol Makuac for the opening reception of
my heart is strong because I walked on blistered feet. The evening will feature听special remarks from the artist.
Wednesday, September 25, 12:30鈥�2:00 p.m.
Curatorial Long Table,听Begonia | Curatorial Lab
The听Begonia听|听Curatorial Lab听is a platform for research, collaboration, and artist and curator exchanges about pressing local and global issues. In the听Curatorial Long Table,听local and global curators with projects invested in The Global South(s) discuss formative and current projects and their visions for the role of the 21st听century curator.
Invited Curators include:
- Mar铆a Magdalena Campos-Pons,听R铆os intermitentes听(Matanzas, Cuba); Tennessee Triennial,听RE-PAIR
- Grace Aneiza Ali,听Somewhere We Are Human, EADJ
- Mark Scala, Chief Curator, Frist Art Museum
- Katie Delmez,听Florine D茅mosth猫ne and Didier William, Frist Art Museum
- Elena Bally, Fredi Fischli, Niels Olsen, Adam Szymczy (Zurich Curatorial Team),听Beverly Buchanan: I Broke the House,听Fisk University Galleries
- Jamaal Sheats,听Beverly Buchanan: I Broke the House,听Fisk University Galleries
- Vesna Pavlovi膰, IMS Solidarity
- Raheleh Filsoofi,听NIRMA Projects
Partner Events
Beverly Buchanan, Out of Control, 1991. Scrapbook, Beverly Buchanan papers, 1912鈥�2017, bulk 1970s鈥�90s.
Carl Van Vechten Art Gallery, Fisk University,听听1000 17th Ave N, Nashville, TN 37208
Wednesday, September 25, 4:30 pm
Opening Reception
Beverly Buchanan: I Broke the House
I Broke the House听spans Beverly Buchanan鈥檚 (1940鈥�2015) wide-ranging oeuvre of sculpture, painting, photography, drawing, writing and printed matter. Her practice traces eroded surfaces of 鈥淐ity Ruins鈥� on canvas and paper, researches vernacular dwellings and their builder-occupants in the rural South and persistently embeds long-neglected histories of anti-Black politics in their territorial surroundings. Decay serves听 as a primary aesthetic and theoretical principle by which the artist explored systemic racial, gender, and socioeconomic injustices through the prism of her own lived experience as a Black queer woman.
Thursday, September 26, 1:00 p.m.听
Curators Talk:听Beverly Buchanan: I Broke the House
Join the Zurich Curatorial team Elena Bally, Fredi Fischli, Niels Olsen, and Adam Szymczyk and Jamaal Sheats of Fisk University Galleries for a conversation on the exhibition,听Beverly Buchanan: I Broke the House.
Mar铆a MagdalenaCampos-Pons: Behold听includes over three decades of the artist鈥檚 work in photography, installation, video, painting, and performance. Hauntingly beautiful and emotionally charged,听Behold听shows how Campos-Pons鈥檚 layered identity as a Cuban woman with ancestral roots in the Yoruba culture of West Africa as well as in Spain and China inform her multimedia, sensorial artworks. Evoking the history of diaspora, displacement, and migration, as well as labor and race, and motherhood and spirituality,听Behold听invites us to join with the artist in the vital search for meaning and connectivity.
Frist Art Museum,听919 Broadway, Nashville, TN 37203
Thursday, September 26, 6:30 pm
听听听听听
听includes over three decades of the artist鈥檚 work in photography, installation, video, painting, and performance. To celebrate the exhibition鈥檚 opening, Campos-Pons collaborates with Kamaal Malak to present听A Mother鈥檚 River of Tears, an immersive performance. Drawing on ancestral rituals of the Yoruba people, the performance is a manifestation of many healing themes mirrored in听. It poetically commemorates the lives of Black men and women whose journeys were interrupted as result of historical fractures in the delivery of justice.
Friday, September 27, 12:00 p.m.
Join Mar铆a Magdalena Campos-Pons and Curator Carmen Hermo for this conversation about the exhibition听Mar铆a Magdalena Campos-Pons: Behold.