Screening: The Unveiling of God / a love letter to my forefathers

Join us for an evening of film, performance, and conversation prompted by the film The Unveiling of God / a love letter to my forefathers, on view now in The Culture: Hip Hop and Contemporary Art in the 21st Century.

The Unveiling of God is an operatic visual poem that celebrates the Black men in the artists’ lives. In counter to narrow and destructive ideas of masculinity that are present—though not unchallenged—in hip hop. Hear from the film’s creators: poet and educator Nia June, cinematographer Kirby Griffin, and poet and music producer APoetNamedNate, in conversation with womanist and cultural worker Sharayna Christmas.

The film will be accompanied by a live musical overlay by trumpeter Brandon Woody and pianist Troy Long.

This program is sponsored by Steven Pulimood.

Schedule

6 p.m. – Check-In
6:30 p.m. – Program begins
8 p.m. – Program ends

Free. RESERVE SEATS.

Artists

Nia June

NIA JUNE is a published poet, filmmaker, arts educator, dancer, and author of Paper Trails of the Undying. In 2020, she was recognized by Baltimore Magazine as Best Poet of Baltimore. Her directorial debut, A Black Girl’s Country, featured in national and international film festivals and was recently acquired by the Baltimore Museum of Art as a part of their permanent collection. JUNE’s award-winning film, The Unveiling of God, featured in multiple film festivals and has been taught in schools and universities. In 2022, JUNE received the Black Arts District’s Women of Impact Award. She is a proud native of Baltimore and it shows at the center of her work.

Kirby Griffin

Kirby Griffin is a self-taught cinematographer from the West Baltimore area of Maryland. Griffin is known for his unique take on lensing black skin and his immense love for the Baltimore community. His debut solo exhibition, Draped in Dark, captured the depths of Black personhood and humanity through his methodical use of chiaroscuro. Griffin has worked for networks such as BET, Revolt TV, NBC, and HBO and has directed and filmed commercials for UPS, AT&T, Peloton, and Calvin Klein. His filmography includes Dark City Beneath the Beat (Netflix), In Search of Our Mothers Gardens (Netflix), and Really Love (Netflix).

APoetNamedNate

APoetNamedNate, a multifaceted artist from Baltimore with a diverse artistic background. He is a poet, music producer, songwriter, creative director, filmmaker, and curator. Known for his poetry productions, bringing both nationally ranked and amateur poets together with a goal to create a space where poetry can be experienced authentically. He also has two short films as the co-director and executive musical producer of The Unveiling of God and creative director and musical producer of A Black Girl’s Country. His book, Anticipational Love Poems, is available now at Barnes & Noble, Amazon, and local bookstores.

Sharayna Ashanti Christmas

Sharayna Ashanti Christmas is a mother, womanist, abolitionist, and cultural worker who creates at the center of who she is. As a dancer, filmmaker, and assemblage artist, her work explores movement in relation to how our bodies connect with the subconscious to tell stories of our past, present, and unseen. In 2004, Sharayna founded Muse 360, a youth-led organization on a mission to radically develop youth to use their voice and creative talents in pursuit of knowledge of self. Muse 360 offers opportunities to over 2000 annually in the area of civic engagement, entrepreneurship, high-quality dance and artistic training, and black diasporic study abroad trips. In 2017, she launched Necessary Tomorrows a platform to support black/POC artists comprised of an advocacy agency, formative advisory, curatorial practice, and fund. Her most recent work, New Generation Scholars Intergenerational Institute is a global educational platform that aims to unify black folks across the diaspora who are deeply committed to learning through an African-centered point of view through a range of FREE courses. Sharayna has been the recipient of numerous awards, has been featured on both national and international media platforms, and holds a B.S. in Finance from Morgan State University.

Brandon Woody

Baltimore native Brandon Woody was referred to as an artist on the rise in the region by the Baltimore Sun in 2015 at the age of 17. Since then, Woody has gone on to become an international artist, performing with his band, Upendo, curating projects for major museums, collaborating with international brands, and performing at major venues and institutions around the globe. Woody uses music as a tool for healing, genuine connection, and celebrating community.

Troy Long

Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Troy Long got his start in music through the Baltimore School for the Arts’ TWIGS program, where he studied saxophone with the late Dominic Selvi. He then transitioned to their high school, where he continued to study both classical and jazz genres. After graduation, Troy discovered his love for the piano and began to teach himself to play while studying jazz Saxophone at Peabody Institute. Two years into his studies, he transitioned to jazz piano. He has studied with Tim Green, Gary Thomas, Tim Murphy, Alexander Brown, Nasar Abadey, and Alex Norris and has performed with artists that span most musical genres. Tory’s mission is to express the universality of music through his playing and artistry.

Image

The Unveiling of God / a love letter to my forefathers, 2021. Single-channel video (color, sound), 20:00 min.