Black Girl Basel: If you can't meet 'em, join 'em online
I’m told art fairs at Art Basel Miami Beach can be both great fun and nightmarishly pretentious at the same time. Fortunately, there’s at least one bright spot: Black Girl Basel, which goes virtual this year!
Artist Kesha Bruce co-founded the event with attorney Mavis Gragg and communications expert Carol McDonald in 2018. It’s meant to accelerate forming those bonds that often lead to “hey, I know the perfect person for that role/ exhibit/ project” collaborations. And like all memorable gatherings, it was just… FUN. So much fun spilled over from the first Black Girl Basel event that even the New York Times arts section noticed.
And if you’re wondering about the elephant in the room:
I know for sure that my girl Liz Tran will be there (and believe me, Liz does not waste her time on soul-sucking distractions). Black Girl Basel happens on Miami time, so if you’re on the West Coast like me check the session timing carefully. Hope to see you there!
Help me make "Magic"
When I learn to control the universe with magic, Things Are Going to Change Around Here. But until then, I’m concentrating on making magic to support contemporary art.
“CoCA Magic” happens the week after next: it’s a fundraiser for the Center on Contemporary Art (CoCA) Seattle. Here’s how it goes:
Thursday: we start the art-making marathon. Each artist has 24 hours to complete three or more pieces.
Friday morning: we go home to recover.
Saturday night: we help CoCA auction off the pieces we’ve made.
Artists raise auction paddles at 2018 CoCA Art Auction. Photo credit: Lonnie Mckenzie/CoCA
I love interpreting a theme! I could go a few ways with this:
Black Girl Magic (thanks to CaShawn Thompson)…
Perhaps a riff on the 1940’s-era “Magic Skin” doll (the body’s latex skin is known to darken with age)…
Or maybe my spin on the Magical Negro trope.
But I haven’t settled on which interpretation to take. One? All three? Something totally different? Let me know what you think here.