Pray & Play
Atlanta Drum Academy is a family affair for kids and teens Members of the Atlanta Drum Academy.
By Clare S. Richie At a rainy Sunday rehearsal in early January, about two dozen members of Lil’ Rascalz drumline grouped by drum were hard at work with a joy and pride in their
efforts. Parents, siblings, and caregivers of the 3 to 12-year-olds watched from the hall or seated on matts inside a metro karate dojo, where the Atlanta Drum Academy (ADA) meets since it outgrew its space. “New students, I’m gonna put you
Atlanta Drum Academy on “Little Big Shots” show.
on the drum that fits your skill set,’ said James Riles III, ADA Executive Director, arranging students on the snare, bass, tenor, duo, and other kits. “You are here to be part of a family.” All eyes were on Riles as he taught skills, crescendo and footwork “with swag” in a manner that was inspiring, strict and fun. Riles’ teenage sons, Sadarien and Darius,
moved through the drumline to provide personalized instruction. An hour later, The Squad drumline, ages 13 to 18, started to arrive for their rehearsal. “Listen to each other,” Riles instructed the drummers. “Many drums should sound like one.” The drumlines are preparing for competitions. The Squad traveled to the
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Gay grew up in a deeply religious household cloaked by belief (her mother is a pastor), and while she doesn’t untie herself from her Christian background, she has given herself permission to ask questions in a way that she was not allowed to as a child. The elements of fantasy that arise in Gay’s work highlight a disparity in popular culture: the lack of portrayals of Black women as protagonists, especially in fantasy and futuristic worlds. “The only time I ever saw women who look like me in “What Remains” at space travel was ‘Star Trek,’” Mint Gallery said Gay. “Very rarely are we who was brutalized and murdered by her centered, so I wondered, what roommate and her boyfriend. The exhibition does that look like?” at Mint gallery back in 2019 featured a stark In essence, these works that cross black wall and floor that was painted with the between realism in the depictions of female woman’s portrait and complemented by paper form, recognizable representations of the flowers. Gay then encouraged visitors to write African American and specifically southern notes on flower petals to honor lost, missing, Black experience, animal iconography, and and murdered Black girls. bold, graphic design elements, constitute Another particularly moving and haunting an on-going conversation that Gay has with work was the 2016 “Ode to Kathryn Johnson” herself. At times she uses her artwork and her performance piece where Gay donned a blue platform to bring attention to worthy causes bull head and read poetry, danced, sang, that are often devastating in nature. prayed, and shared readings. The intent of this One such example is an altar of sorts that exhibition was to bring attention to the life she created with paper flower artist Bolanle of Kathryn Johnson, the 92-year-old Black Pace to honor the life of a young Clark woman killed by Atlanta police officers during Atlanta University woman, Alexis Crawford,
36 FEBRUARY 2022 |
“Mother Johnston’s Front Yard”
an illegally obtained warrant who later planted drugs in the house. “Being able to stretch myself in my work is really important,” Gay said. “I don’t want to be stagnant, so the ability to be able to speak about different things through different media is really important to me. That is who I have been all my life. Growing up I wrote plays, I wrote poems, I played violin, I painted, I sang, I danced, I was the drill team captain… I did 50 million things as a kid, so being able to engage and speak in a variety of different ways has always been important to me.” With an extensive CV that includes more than 16 solo exhibitions, 17 group shows, 20plus listed collections (including Elton John), along with 12 listed awards and grants, Gay
“Heaven’s Gate”
is certainly an esteemed and prolific artist. In October 2021 she participated in an Af-flux Transnational Black Biennial called Monde Bossale in Quebec, Canada. The exhibition sought to highlight Black communities and their contributions to the contemporary art world, and the invitation to exhibit highlights just how instrumental and important Gay’s work is both locally and abroad. “There is a lack of people who look like me in a lot of spaces that are white walled with only white males. My narrative belongs there as much as anyone else’s,” affirmed Gay. “I belong there, I think I belong in the canon. I believe in my work enough to be bold enough to say we can send this out into the world.” At l a n t a I n t o w n Pa p e r. c o m
