AN INDEPENDENT ARTS & CULTURE GUIDE
Art By: Adrian Alvarez @mawfko Boston’s Grassroots Graff Shop:
AOA Supply Collective
A graff shop is to the graffiti artist what the skate shop is to the skateboarder. It’s a supply shop, but it’s also a support network and community resource for the artists surrounding it. When Kulturez, one of the last graff shops in the Boston area left Harvard square in 2015, it dealt a blow to these artists. This is where the grassroots paint shop AOA (Avenue of Art) Supply stepped up to fill the vacuum. The crew of street artists and muralists had been selling supplies through a pop-up shop on Huntington Avenue when they recognized their potential as a valuable resource beyond the merchandise they were offering. They began by expanding their inventory and making sales of art pieces, paint, and other merchandise online. Then they formally established themselves as a collective, which is headed by artists MAR, JB183, Doe, and Eyevan. The work of the group speaks for itself. They’ve produced eye-catching pieces like the Dudley Square Black Lives Matter street mural and the CityPop project covering the vacant house on 192 Green Street in Jamaica Plain. But MAR says that AOA supply’s priority and purpose is to support the Boston street art scene and the artists that make it up. The collective provides essential materials, but it is also a cultural hub for collaborations, gigs, and exchanging art- a grassroots response to the loss of institutions which once provided them resources they now aim to share. Soon, they will begin selling their products through the Dorchester Art Project store at 1486 Dorchester Avenue; closer to the community where AOA’s founders reside and create.
—Rory Lambert-Wright
What’s up, Boston?! I’m Abby, and I volunteer for BCN. I’m in charge of sending out our bi-monthly newsletter, which started this past year as a way for us to boost what is going on in the Boston Compass world. I also help out with the Zine archive and donations at Dorcheter Art Project. It has been awesome for us to expand our reach so folks can be informed about the local art community both online and in print. We all felt the loss in artistic spaces this past year. Creativity was challenged, and we were forced to question the role that art plays in our lives. I’m happy to be a part of BCN’s collaborative effort to grapple with this as a community. It has been inspiring to see the dedication that manifests among those who are involved in the work we do. There is an ebb and flow of community out here that all surrounds one mission: lifting up local voices and ensuring the arts remain at the forefront of our lives always. Make sure to subscribe to the BCN newsletter at www.bostoncompassnewspaper.com! You’ll be happy to know more about what’s going on in Boston every month, and you’ll be supporting local writers and creatives too. Enjoy this month’s print issue too, y’all! Peace and love. —Abby
Growing up in Jamaica Plain is all about survival. Despite recent gentrification, you can’t mask the 73 percent increase in domestic assault cases and 30 percent increase in motor vehicle larceny (Lynds, 2020) happening in the E-13 district. However, through it all, Trottie Gang’s Y Gizzle makes the best of it. Previously arrested during a sweep conducted by the Boston Police Department Youth Violence Strike Force, BPD SWAT, and the City Wide Drug Unit back in February, that hasn’t stopped the artist from doing what he does best: rap. In 2020 alone, Y Gizzle has released 13 singles in the midst of his project, True Stories (Deluxe). This year, the Heath Street native dropped three singles and two remixes in anticipation of his sophomore effort, Project Baby, coming April 24th. “If you go on Youtube and you see all my tracks, I’m not just a drill rapper, I’ma talk to the streets,” said Y Gizzle during an interview on the CTWFB Podcast. The rapper isn’t lying either. If there’s one thing he’s going to talk about that people can relate to, it’s his pain. After starting the #FreeTrottieMoula campaign, Y Gizzle released a visual called “Far Away,” where he wishes he could escape his reality. This further affirms why Y Gizzle’s music is needed in the city - to feel like we’re not alone—a feeling we all know too well. Project Baby is set to feature 10 tracks with no features. Be sure to stay tuned and follow Y Gizzle on Instagram via @ trottieygizzle
—Tahisha Charles LAYOUT DESIGN:
Phoebe Delmonte: p.1,4,& 5 Hannah Blauner: p.2 & 3 Adrian Alvarez: p.6 & 8 Julia Baroni: p.7 THIS PAPER IS AN ONGOING PROJECT OF BRAIN ARTS ORGANIZATION, INC., A 501(C)(3) NONPROFIT. PLEASE CONSIDER DONATING TO, VOLUNTEERING OR OTHERWISE SUPPORTING US: BRAIN-ARTS.ORG
THIS PROGRAM IS SUPPORTED IN PART BY A GRANT FROM THE BOSTON CULTURAL COUNCIL, A LOCAL AGENCY WHICH IS FUNDED BY THE MASSACHUSETTS CULTURAL COUNCIL, AS ADMINSTRATED BY THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF ARTS + CULTURE
EXPERIMENTAL EXCURSION
Well, looks like I’m on paper now. It must be for a very good reason because these two weeks were home to a lot of astounding textures and sounds. 1. The Virtues - Orb of the Moon
Deconstructing sound at its very root is Fuct as Punk, a noise superduo consisting of Chuck Steak and Dirty Steve. This tape has some of the most upfront, abrasive textures I’ve heard in a while. I see this album as a return to the cathartic qualities we tend to take for granted in complete overdrive. 3. Inertia Nowhere - Zach Rowden
------------------ CAROLINE DUNLAP
WASTE IS WOEFUL
@cx_dunlap
WEEDS : PLANTS :: TRASH : MATERIALS Hey buds! Spring has SPRUNG, huh? As local flora show off their petals, half of me wants to don my fanciest frock, and the other half wants to swan dive straight into the DIRT. **Flower Feelings** I’m much more of a builder than a gardener, though. When I’m watering my houseplants I’m usually ruminating on woodworking, plastics, and adhesives (while fretting I’ll kill these strange, green lifeforms). This approach to plant care has some benefits, though. For one, I’ve noticed that weeds and trash are basically the same thing. Maybe that’s obvious, but hear me out. “Weeds” don’t exist, biologically speaking. It’s a word my culture uses to separate the plants it values from the plants it doesn’t. Some “weeds” can hurt people, like poison ivy. Others, like phragmites reeds, choke out native species and harm ecosystems. Still others like dandelions are non-native to this area but mostly harmless, and can be used for food and medicine. And milkweed is native to the Americas and absolutely essential for monarch butterflies, but it’s often treated like a weed because it grows quickly and “invades” people’s gardens. The main thing all “weeds” have in common is that people want to remove them.
With a name like “Orb of the Moon”, it’s hard to make anything sound as mind-awakening as such but somehow they’ve done it. The space-induced loops and ambient tones throughout the album are ghostly and are not to be missed. Throughout The Virtues, it gets more complex and introspective as the tracks go on with no awkward changes in tone. By all means, stream this album on Bandcamp. 2. Paid in Gnosis - Fuct as Punk
This doesn’t mean they aren’t useful, though. The internet is overflowing with “upcycling” tutorials for anything a Youtuber can get their hands on. Yes, lots of these videos are stupid, and best enjoyed with popcorn and creative cursing. Some of them are really good though. Did you know you can heat-fuse mylar (the reflective plastic in many snack bags and balloons) with a clothes iron? And that you can then use it to make a solar cooker? Why do we dump and destroy so much useable stuff?
I’m not advocating for plastics. Plastics are HARMFUL and companies need to stop producing them NOW. I just think the entire concept of “trash” might be part of the problem. If our society valued the things we throw out for what they can do, maybe we wouldn’t have a waste crisis to begin with. Billions of dollars are spent by corporate lobbyists to retain our *garbage system*. However, ordinary people can still resist it. If you’re an artist or maker, why not use trash as source material? Curbside couches can be skinned for leather. Recycling bins offer paper and cardboard for bookbinding. I once talked my local yacht club into giving me yards and yards of white shrink wrap for making drums. Trash is tragic but it’s free, and a handcrafted I think trash is the same, but for materials. wallet is much better than greenhouse gases Bubble wrap, tissues, and old shoes have very from waste incineration. different makeup and functions, but we call them all “trash” and put them in the same garbage bin. “Trash” means materials and objects that we don’t want or find useful.
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As an arts and culture reporter around Boston, I hear repeatedly from local artists that lack of space is among their biggest barriers, forcing many to leave. For those who don’t want to leave or can’t, there aren’t a lot of options. There’s both a dearth of affordable studios and a set of complicated zoning laws and astronomical fees that make it near impossible for small venues to open and puts on the defensive from both landlords AMELIA YOUNG them and city governments when they do. @ameliacyoung The developers partly responsible for displacing communities are exploiting the very crisis that they’re exacerbating by using artists to distract from their misdeeds. As their buildings sit vacant waiting for the highest possible bidder (and for area median income in gentrifying neighborhoods to increase), developers and landlords offer their empty storefronts to artists for very low, often free rent. It seems mutually beneficial and in many ways it is. The artists need the opportunities to show their work, and the landlords get buried in good press from arts journalists like myself. But as someone who’s been observing this trend before and throughout the pandemic, what I’m seeing is insidious. Community and artist advocates agree and say the problems go all the way to the core. “The thing standing in the way of artists having more space is not solely the developers and gentrification. The city of Boston’s own rules are made to protect and help the elite, white class,” says Brain Arts Org co-founder Sam Potrykus, adding that the city and its institutions haven’t been recognizing artists as the valuable members of society that they are. “They are in tune with their communities.
Hailing from New Haven, Zach Rowden brings the most haunting experience of this list to the table. While comprised of only 8 tracks and tape loops this tape will incite droning textures that are going to be hard to forget. After listening to Inertia Nowhere I strongly recommend brewing chamomile tea, no questions asked.
------------- MICHAEL MAMBRINO
They’re expressing themselves. They bring people together. They’re the ultimate community builders.” Potrykus says it’s time for area elites and the politicians whose pockets they line to stop the lip services about diversity and start redistributing the wealth and power they currently hoard. He laments how hospitals, developers, and universities approach artists and grassroots organizations for advice on how to diversify without compensating them for their expertise. Meanwhile they pay consultants in the bio-medical fields exorbitant fees, further widening the gap between the haves and have-nots. “These artists are working three, four jobs just to put food on the table,” says Potrykus. “We must advocate for ourselves to not do things for free. We have to stand up.” And the vacant space takeovers seem akin to unpaid internships. Sure it could boost an artist’s resume and visibility, but they can be evicted at any time, with little to no warning. To make the benefits truly mutual, the power dynamics need to shift. Creative workers deserve to be paid, and there needs to be a pathway for people to reasonably open venues and small businesses. According to The Boston Globe, developers are hedging their bets in the upcoming mayoral race, making multiple donations even to the most progressive candidates. It’s up to the next mayor to decide whether to prioritize the artists and community builders who still want to live and create here despite all these challenges. Boston deserves an organic arts community with its own spaces, not the precarious scraps of developers who put profit over people.
----------------------------- JENN STANLEY
BITE BACK
Has patio dining affected sidewalk accessibility in Boston? And other questions with disability rights activist Olivia Richards
DEFINING LEADERSHIP
A NEW BCN VIDEO SERIES
The new BCN digital media series “Defining Leadership: The Artist Interview Project” is all about creating space for the stories of untraditional creatives and the unique ways that they lead in community. Hosted by Cambridge-based creative leader Pauline, the series consists of in-depth artist interviews that inspire conversation around themes of resistance, healing, intention and what it means to challenge the limitations placed on creativity in a capitalist society where artistic practice and talent are more often than not exploited as a means for profit. “The inspiration for ‘Defining Leadership’ was really just kind of being disappointed with the lack of just artist representation. I wanted to create a space where activists and artists can really just talk about their lives without judgment or policing of their narratives,” explains Pauline. “This is an end of the day for artists, by artists, and we only hope to grow that.” Featuring artists who embody intersectional identities and creative practices, beyond being an interview series, “Defining Leadership” is a space for different artists and activists to come together and share stories of life, experience and inspiration. This emphasis on intersectionality and the variety that creatives can hold in inspiration and application is what truly drives the series. That, and a celebration of individuality. “Intersectionality is probably the biggest theme outside of just individuality,” explains Pauline. “And intersectionality, it really means to me in terms of how we apply it, just having all different types of thinkers, having all different types of people in terms of artist expression. I’ve really wanted to make sure that it was people who embody a lot of different things. I didn’t want there to just be one type of artist. I wanted there to be so many different types of artists, even in that one artist, if you will.” Filmed by Jason Kimball and with animation by K. Myers, the series provides space for artists to discuss what it means to be creative to them and what challenges they overcome in life as it relates to practice, but above all what brings joy on a personal level and within the broader contexts of community, solidarity and healing. With discussions on creative health, uplifting others and the importance of community-level education, the series also offers a framework for approaching the intersections of art and community in new and profound ways.
In addition to a lack of representation around nontraditional artists who don’t necessarily conform to the boundaries placed on defining what it means to be an artist and community leader, Pauline’s personal experience as an artist, healer and individual more broadly speaking played a large role in inspiring the series. “I’ve always been super shy and awkward. And I kind of was always given this almost expectation that people put on me, of me having to be this really confident, almost sassy, woman. And in reality, that’s just not who I am. I’m very to myself, I’m very shy,” she explains. “I definitely can talk to people and all that. But that’s when I feel comfortable. And I just kind of wanted to create more of a space for people who, you know, don’t always get welcomed to center stage.” Pauline notes that within this framework, representation is not just about showcasing people who embody intersectional identities but who take up space in different ways and who approach life, leadership and creativity in various ways — falling outside of what is expected and accepted by society. In addition to representation, creating space and platforms for everyone is essential to beginning to tell a truer story. And “Defining Leadership” fills those gaps. “My hope that the series is that it can inspire conversation on the topics that are introduced throughout the interviews,” explains Pauline. “And my hope for this series too, is that it can uplift people, it can inspire people and it can even change some people’s minds or make people think about something in a different way, or in a way that they’ve never thought before.” You can watch the monthly “Defining Leadership” series on the Boston Compass Newspaper Youtube channel. And make sure to follow Pauline @conformingsucks and @bostoncompass on Instagram for updates!
--------------------------- TARANEH AZAR
Outdoor dining has returned to the city of Boston. While a huge boon for restaurants that spent the winter ‘hibernating,’ the outgrowth of patio spaces has nevertheless transformed countless city blocks. But could they also be infringing upon the accessibility of the sidewalk? To find out, I talked with Olivia Richards, a long-time housing, health, and disability rights activist who serves on the Boston Disabilities Commission Advisory Board. A self-described “rolling human megaphone,” Olivia and I chatted about what the Commission has done to help outfit the city’s patios with ramps and how she can’t wait for the arrow stickers on supermarket floors to disappear. Since the start of the pandemic, how do you think outdoor dining has reshaped the city, if at all? I noticed that outdoor dining has come back on Harvard Ave [in Brighton]. It’s not a problem because they build it out so that it affects parking and not movement on the sidewalk. Do those businesses account for the curb? They do, yes. This particular restaurant [that I go to], Falafellas, does. Though, I have been more of a let’s-have-it-delivered person, I am in the high-risk category, so I haven’t really been out and about. The regulation is pretty clear that you have to [design the patio] so that it doesn’t block traffic, and doesn’t block sidewalk access. As far as whether they are level with the sidewalk, that has been a mixed bag. But the Disability Commission has been giving out ramps for free to businesses that are doing outdoor dining, so that they can make it accessible for people in wheelchairs. The commission itself has done a good job making sure the program is well-known. They have encouraged constituents to let businesses know, so that their favorite eating establishments can continue to be patronized. I have to say, [City of Boston] Inspectional Services has done a really great job. Occasionally, you get bicycles that are locked up inappropriately; that’s an ongoing issue… As far as patio dining, people are generally doing a very good job of containing it to the patio, and not having things hanging out on the sidewalk. Boston has an ordinance that
the sidewalk has to be passable by a certain number of inches—I think it’s 42—so that a wheelchair and stroller can get by. It’s [also] about reporting. People have to be proactive about these things and speak up. The city has made it easy by using the [311] app to [report problems], and they’re pretty responsive. What’s grocery shopping been like during the pandemic? It’s been rough. I live [near] a Whole Foods Market, and it frequently goes over capacity, and you have to wait in line in order to be allowed in...Trying to get around and navigate one-way aisles in a wheelchair, [that’s] a real problem for me—like when I am trying to grab something, and there’s someone who’s trying to get by me...that type of thing. The aisles are narrow to begin with, and making them one-way has caused a traffic jam. What else has the Disability Commission been working during the past year? One of the latest things [we’re focused on is] the classification guidelines of who gets vaccinated early, and what’s considered a comorbid condition. They’re very strict, and there are a lot of medical conditions that aren’t considered in that guideline, and people who would really benefit from having the vaccine... [In general,] we would like to see more of a functional list, rather than a medical categories list. People who are affected, rather than it being, “you have asthma,” you know? We just feel that people are being left out who shouldn’t be. We’d also like to see an ordinance put into Boston city code that wherever there are TVs in public accommodations, like bars and restaurants, the [business should be required to] turn on the closed captioning. It benefits everyone! Places get loud. It’s not just the Deaf and hard-of-hearing community that benefits, I think everyone does. And this is something that doesn’t cost anyone anything, all they have to do is push the setting on the television. How can businesses contact the commission? Email disability@boston.gov, or call 617635-2541.
The Tarot Forecast is a look at the month ahead in a tarot spread. For this series of The Tarot Forecast, instead of pulling cards for the moon’s cycles, I’ll be asking questions for us to contemplate and using the cards for guidance. Remember, tarot doesn’t predict the future, rather each card invites us to inhabit a certain energy, and reflect on our lives. X of Swords is the card I pulled for the month of May. Fears and anxiety will be running high, and if we give in to these feelings we will find ourselves in a doom spiral, cycling down into the depth of our own despair. The X of Swords is a jagged pill to swallow, this card can signal melodrama and the feeling of being dragged down. Yes, times are hard. Yes, there may be betrayals. Yes, we may feel defeated by the world. And yet, things are not as bad as they seem, things are not as bad as they could be. The X of Swords tells us that an inevitable end is coming. We must embrace change, even if it leaves us tired and in need of healing. If you find yourself distressed and in ruin this month, the X of Swords reminds you to revive yourself and to rejuvenate your mind. This ending could allow room for new thoughts to enter your consciousness. Stay open. What gifts is May bringing us? XII The Hanged Man showed up to answer this question preaching surrender, sacrifice, and the art of letting go. You cannot carry all that weight around; it’s time to release. The message of change echoes here too. Letting go of things that hold us back, makes space for transformation. The Hanged Man also asks us to try to see things from a new perspective. How can you pause, and use non-attachment as a tool to see what is necessary in your life and what can be given up? There may be an unnecessary fear following you around. Let go of that too. You will feel lighter and enlightened.
What challenges does May bring us? For this question, the card of sorrow showed up: V of Cups. Buddhists believe that expectations lead to suffering; this is the message of the V of Cups. You may be disappointed in others, or disappointed in yourself. But why are you disappointed? Is it because you set unrealistic expectations? What would it look like to have no expectations? Practice the non-attachment lesson from the Hanged Man and find out. XVII The Star brings us guidance this May, and its guidance is bright and hopeful. This card is a blessing, and a request to let light guide you. Say yes to anything that brings you a sense of calm, a sense of purpose, and helps you feel closer to the universe, inspiration, and the divine. Be open to receiving messages, you are now ready to hear them. Trust that wishes can come true. Trust in your own strength.
----------------------- DANA FERRANTE
MAY TAROT FORECAST
---------------- NAOMI WESTWATER
more at bostoncompassnewspaper.com Som Vibes Art Studio in Attleboro is an expressive visual arts and entertainment center with lots of cool events this month including a Glow in the Dark Paint night for kids and adults! Somvibesstudiollc.com
LITERARY ART & NEWS MEDIA Moral Crema Zine has released its second edition of its new publication dedicated to the archiving and promotion of experimental artists who are primarily queer, POC, working class, and women. Find out more @moralcrema and www.moralcrema.com
ADVOCACY Mass Action Against Police Brutality A campaign to prosecute the police and jail those who are guilty, open all past cases of police brutality, and end the harassment of victims and witnesses. Visit www. maapb.org for info on actions/ protests in the Boston area. Follow Voices of Liberation for regular information and advocacy for housing equity in greater Boston. They host meetings, summits, and actions to engage the public in this important cause! Follow Survivor Theatre Project for online events and opportunities that support women, queer, and POC voices. More info on IG @survivortheatreproject CityLife/VidaUrbana: Organizing for racial, economic, and gender justice since 1973. Building solidarity to put people before profits. Support their Homes For All Act at homesforallmass.org/act ! Support SD. 2105 An Act To Rebuild the Commonwealth’s Cultural Future! The bill will establish the Cultural Economy COVID-19 Recovery Grant program, to support the stability and recovery of the cultural sector in Massachusetts. Visit Mass-Creative.org for details on how to get involved. Partners for Youth with Disabilities are throwing their annual fundraising gala May 13th at 7PM. Now is the time to support such an amazing organization. Get free tickets or donate now at www.give.pyd. org/event/party-for-pyd-2021/ e332188 Save Our Stages! Even with the Save Our Stages Act passed, it could take many weeks, even months for the funding to flow. The NIVA Emergency Relief Fund, with The Giving Back Fund as its 501(c)3 fiscal sponsor, continues to raise money to assist the venues at greatest risk of permanently going under as we wait for the grants to be issued. Saveourstages.com Pride 4 the People: Boycott Pride until Real Transformation Happens! The current Pride Board no longer holds the trust of LGBTQ+ community that
Boston Pride is supposed to serve, and Pride for the People has called for the current board of Boston Pride to step down. Visit pride4thepeople.org
MUSIC & AUDIO Check out WECB fm Boston! WECB is a student-run, creatively independent internet radio station at Emerson College in Boston. They host dozens of radio shows by hundreds of DJs and highlight new and exciting music both locally and beyond! Also check out their music review platform Milk Crate! To listen and for more info, visit: www.wecb.fm Boston Stream Party May Lineup! Follow @BostonStreamParty on IG for live local music streams! All shows are at 8pm on the following dates: 5/1 - Kaylee Federmann 5/8 - Erin Bonnie 5/15 - Melissa Mills 5/22 - Mae McCoy 5/29 - Prateek The Wanderer: A sevenepisode, single-narrator, audio journey from T.H. Ponders launches on 5/3. Check out this “Queer Fairy Tale About Being Separated from the Ones You Love”. www.callofthewander. com Sonorium. Ever check out the sick, recurring, Salem-based experimental music exposé known only as Sonorium?! You can see their past live performances online and stay informed on upcoming virtual performances, Youtube videos and more at www.sonorium.net Follow Bummer City Historical Society to sign up for their monthly online open mics, virtual performances, live music, and more! “The Bummer City Historical Society & Civic Engagement Coalition is a Boston-based community of DIY artists and organizers trying to develop intentional, inclusive, and civically engaged communities throughout the Greater Boston area” More info at bummercityhistoricalsociety. com Boston Lyric Opera present BLO Street Stage! “BLO Street Stage is a mobile performance space bringing beautiful live music
to your neighborhood. Join us in-person for an outdoor performance near you!” blo.org “Lunch is Ova!” on Spark FM with DJ WhySham: Every Tuesday/Thursday from 1-3PM www.sparkfmonline.com/ Feel it Speak it: Boston’s only monthly open mic movement dedicated to voices & experiences of the LGBTQ+ communities of color every Thursday. Open mic sign up: tinyurl.com/fisivirtual @feelit_ speakit The OOZE New England’s only party dedicated and catering to all the rad underground genres of electronic music and internet subculture. Check out @kerrydabrunette on IG for info and updates! Did you know that Modern Party Art hosts Open Mic Night every Wednesday 6:30-9:30PM EST? From beginners to people who do this for a living-- the stage is yours! Reserve your seat by buying tickets in advance. There is a 20 person limit during Covid. Follow @modernpartyart for more! Nonevent is a Boston-based concert series devoted to the presentation of experimental, abstract, improvised, and new music from New England and around the world. Visit nonevent.org Virtual First Fridays Open Mic: All ages and talents welcome! Sign up here! https://bit.ly/FFOpenMic-Signup
VIDEO & FILM Weird Local Film Festival has been killing it this past year by providing you with regular virtual film fests by some of the most forward thinking makers around! Follow them @weirdlocalfilmfestival for archived festivals and live ones too! ShowPlace ICON is host to a redefined movie experience with cutting-edge digital and theatre technology. Check out their website for events. www. ShowPlaceICON.com @showplaceiconboston The DocYard is an awardwinning film and discussion series at the Brattle Theatre in Cambridge which also sponsors special screenings and copresentations throughout the year. Thedocyard.com
Boston Compass Youtube Channel! Yes we are plugging ourselves because we are just so excited about our current and upcoming video endeavors! Check out our newest regular series Defining Leadership: personal interviews with local artists about their work and the state of arts in our community!
VISUAL ART Krik? Krak? A 2 day virtual healing event put on by Creatives of Color Boston. 5/14 will include a Visual Art Exhibition and Panel Discussion by local artists. 5/15 is a Performance Showcase featuring Terry Borderline, Hassaan Ghanny and Noemi Saafyr Paz. @creativesofcolorboston or www.creativesofcolorboston.com for more information and tickets Humphreys Street Studios: Our HeART: Artists of Dorchester Exhibition now on display until June 4th. It features work by Qadir Shabazz, Neil Horsky, Jaypix Belmer, Sophia Dubuisson and many more! More info @humphreysstreetstudio and www.humphreysstreetstudio. com CALL FOR ARTISTS: Kingston Gallery. There are many opportunities to apply to get your work shown and to get involved! Check out www. kingstongallery.com Praise Shadows Art Gallery: The work of Madeline Donahue now on view until May 23. www. praiseshadows.com CALL FOR WORK: Aviary Gallery is currently seeking work for our weekly online exhibition features on a rolling basis. All mediums are accepted, so long as the work can be represented by high quality images. More info at aviarygallery.com Boston CyberArts presents: SIM Silent Showcase. “An installation of work by a collective of students in The Studio for Interrelated Media at Massachusetts College of Art & Design. These students have responded to the unprecedented challenge of a global pandemic by launching SIMtv - a concept, a context, a website, and an episodic venue for sharing SIM student and alumni art.” www.bostoncyberarts.org
Pleasure Pie zines and illustrations about sexual empowerment and consent! @pleasurepie www.pleasurepie.org Check out Input/Output Magazine by Magdalena Abrego for interviews, music reviews, and more! Also check out their corresponding podcast for episodes featuring Susan Alcorn, Camilla Ortiz, Amanda Monaco and many others. More info, and listen at: inputoutputmag.com Check out the Papercut Zine Library virtual library! They are “a free, volunteer-run browsing library with a collection of 16,000+ zines & independent media”. www.papercutzinelibrary.com/ Boston ABG: Asian Book Group. Join the Boston Asian Book Group! We meet monthly in Kendall Square. Like our page to be notified about our next meeting! www.facebook.com/bostonabg
PERFORMANCE ART Studio 550 Performance Workshop Series! This workshop series is geared for performance creators (dance, theatre, music, etc.) as an introduction to the incorporation of utilizing digital media (cameras, projectors, streaming, etc.) into the way you create and present. Session 5: Streaming - Sun 5/2 12-2pm Discussion: Inspirations - Sat 5/8 6-7:30pm Check out Artists’ Theater of Boston! They produce “thoughtful, evocative work that challenges systemic injustices facing our communities through the collaborative process of making theater”. Online opportunities and performances can found at artiststheater.org Free programming through New Repertory Theatre including a monthly script reading book club and “Quarantine Creatives” short online plays based on community members’ experiences during COVID. More info at newrep.org/freeprogramming HOME Poetry Series - May Edition HOME consists of a featured reader and brief open mic every first Friday and a workshop every first Saturday. The series is curated by Boston Poet Laureate Porsha Olayiwola and hosted by Anthony Febo. This month the
workshop is May 1st 11:301pm and open mic is May 7th 7:30-9:30pm boston.gov/ poetry. The Cambridge Poetry MashUp. The series of virtual and in person socially-distanced events will celebrate the artistic and cultural diversity of poets who live in Cambridge and its neighboring cities. Youth & Teen poetry reading outdoors at Starlight Square Sat 5/15 1-1:30pm Midway or the Highway Open Mic! On Zoom! Find us on Facebook for the address. All are welcome when Angela Sawyer & Dave Robinson host some of the city’s most talented comedians, musicians, and weirdos too! If you’re feeling brave, put your name in the bucket and get a moment onstage under the lights. Every Monday night! The Black Comedy Explosion: Wednesday nights at Slades Bar and Grill starting at 7pm. Join us as we bring you some of today’s funniest comedians from BET Comic View, HBO DEF Comedy Jam, and more, with both national and local acts. sladesbarandgrill.com @slades.boston Concord Poetry at the Library Series presents: Krysten Hill, Cynthia Manick, Joyce Peseroff Join acclaimed poets reading from recent work and talking about their practice. Sunday, May 16th 3:00PM Register here: www.livingconcord.com/event/ concord-poetry-at-the-libraryseries-presents-krysten-hill-andcynthia-manick/
COMMUNITY Artist + Org Grant Opportunity: Save the Harbor Better Beaches Program Request for Proposals from organizations and creatives to find safe and unique ways to bring free public events and programs to our region’s beaches and the Boston Harbor waterfront this summer! Whether you are part of an organization, an artist collective, or are a creative individual with a vision for a more diverse and activated waterfront, there are Better Beaches grant opportunities for you! www. savetheharbor.org/2021-rfp Somerville Media Center offers lots of free ways to learn! From workshops to learn how to produce a virtual interview to various media literacy courses, SMC has got you covered. www. somervillemedia.org M.O.B. Melanin Owned Business Market! At Dorchester Art Project Every Saturday in May from 12-5pm at 1490 Dorchester Ave come support an amazing selection of Black-owned Businesses curated by Shakenna Appleberry of 2 Fruits Wellness. Follow her at @2fruitswellness! Check out the Daily Table at 684 Mass. Ave in Central Square! They sell affordable, sustainable food for all. Check out their other locations in Dorchester and Roxbury! They are open from 9AM - 8PM on Monday - Friday, and 11AM 7PM on Sundays.
WEEKLY MUTUAL AID (FFC) around Atkinson and Topeka Streets, Boston every Friday at 6 PM. Providing food, clothing, cold weather supplies. Donations are always welcome (funds and gloves, hand warmers, socks, hats, snacks/ sandwiches). All volunteers are welcome. Love to cook? Bring a hot meal to serve. Boston Democratic Socialists of America: Chill With Comrades in person and online! Find events on FB and on their website including February meetings that tackle issues surrounding rent control, prison abolition, immigration, mutual aid, community building, and more. Email mentalhealth@bostondsa.org with any questions. Boston GLASS operates Drop-In Community Centers for LGBTQ+ youth of color between the ages of 13–25! GLASS provides a continuum of services to LGBTQ+ youth of color and their allies in the Greater Boston and Greater Framingham areas and also provides education and consultation to other providers and community organizations. Women Explore Lecture and Discussion Forum: Women Explore provides lecture series within a feminist learning community for women, to connect with the sacred dimensions of their experience and to support and encourage each other in the world community. womenexplore.org
The Huntington Theatre just set the stage for live performances to return for the 2021–2022 season! This is big news as one of the largest companies in town is reopening their theatres starting in August. While touring shows are doubtful, this is the first bit of light at the end of this Covid tunnel, and it’s a welcome sight. There are lots of cool shows wrapping up their runs this first week of May, so check ‘em out while you can! This month also features the last four weeks of the Boston Theatre Marathon XXIII which is a great (FREE) way to get to know the local theatre landscape with a 10-minute play-per-day via Zoom. Also on the horizon are new dates for the Arlekin Players’ groundbreaking, interactive new media workshop of The Cherry Orchard, and the summer schedule of Central Square’s pop-up outdoor theatre, Starlight Square (starlightsquare.org). In Western MA, the prestigious Williamstown Theatre Festival returns with outdoor shows starting in July. Now’s the time to buy tickets, so see what’s up at WTfestival.org! Below are some highlights for May 2021, with our full listings at www.bostoncompassnewspaper.com. (Is there anything we’re missing? Email TheatrescapeBoston@gmail.com) —CEEK
Thru 5/6 Hype Man: A Break Beat Play A powerful show from Company One’s 2018 season, now captured for the screen. This play is more relevant than ever, confronting the consequences of police brutality while dealing with our expectations for friends and ourselves. Written by breakbeat poet and playwright, Idris Goodwin. WHERE: $25 tickets or pay-what-you-can at americanrepertorytheater.org
Thru 5/9 Othello Actors Shakespeare Project brings a virtual version of this layered, tragic play to life, adapted by Mfoniso Udofia. WHERE: ActorsShakespeareProject.org Thru 5/28 Boston Theatre Marathon XXIII A New England tradition and a great opportunity to sample new works by our local artists, thanks to the Boston Playwrights Theatre at BU. Check out a show while you have your lunch any Monday through Saturday at 12PM with 10-minute plays available via Zoom. WHERE: Schedule and tickets at http://www.bu.edu/bpt/
TBA The Cherry Orchard: A New Media Workshop Virtual theatre innovators The Arlekin Players are workshopping new ways to tell interactive stories, combining technology with live performance and some incredible talent. Visionary director Igor Golyak leads the way with local acting heavyweights Darya Denisova, Nael Nacer, and global phenomenon Mikhail Baryshnikov. This is an experiment you don’t want to miss! WHERE: ArlekinPlayers.com
Community Fridges! There’s a bunch of these popping up all around the city! They provide food for all, and is totally volunteer-run! Check Out @bostoncommunityfridge @dotcommunityfridge @allstoncommunityfridge @matcommunityfridge @cambridgecommunityfridge @roslindalecommunityfridge Boston LGBTQIA+ Artists Association is revamping with a new director and a new website! They just released a survey asking what LGBTQIA+ artists in Boston would like to see happen with this new organization. Find it at www.blaa.us
Whats DAP-pening So much is Dappening at DAP!! With the weather getting nice we are seeing more and more activities Dappening. The store has amazing lines like Latin Caviar, The Ave 617, Touch the Sky LLC and Queen Merch!! Also amazing artists like @fromstreet2canvas and Sylver Faustino. Not to mention the Melanin Owned Business (M.O.B) flea market has been picking up traction! Saturdays from 12pm- 5pm has become a vibe with Black owned independent businesses selling their products at the Dap store. While listening to great music you can fancy yourself with accessories, purchase food from local chefs, indulge in self care products, and shop creative art pieces. Did you also know that DAP sells plants!?? Our plant expert Amy is a DAP vendor offering exquisite plant designs available for sale! Last but not least, Solei Arts just released a jewelry line made out of recycled cardboard material! The color scheme consists of beautiful forest greens, browns with hints of gold. Her line is inspired by her passion for Astrology and the moon. Welp!! Like I said … there’s so much Dappening at DAP and we are here for it all!! Stay tuned and make sure to stop by the DAP store at 1490 Dorchester Ave, Dorchester MA to support your local community! —Nancia
FIND TH E N EA REST ROCK IN TH E SUN A ND ENJ OY BCN CO MICS!
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@cagenmiles
Art Schoolin by Laura Meilman @l_meilman
@jamjarastronaut rk to our wo send y ain-ar ts.org @br adrian
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tear this poster out and put it on a wall! -
Art by ADRIAN ALVAREZ
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@MAWFKO
SUBVERT & DESTROY
The Sky is Him
The heightened awareness of the danger that police pose to the Black population and the advent of smartphones and social media have allowed bystanders to document police abuses and release them into the digital public sphere. Citizen testimony has great power to expose abuse because it is removed from the interdependent relationship between police, the press, and prosecutors. Following the use of deadly force, newsrooms defer to the police for facts without acknowledging the overt bias of this decision. Investigations into police shootings require prosecutors to rely on the cooperation of police to gather evidence, a conflict of interest as cops are often the only witnesses. In contrast to body cameras where officer-controlled footage can be turned off, “lost,” or withheld by departments, eyewitness video does not rely on the promise of police transparency. In a move that secures the rights of bystanders, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit struck down a Massachusetts wiretap statute as unconstitutional and upheld that the First Amendment protects individuals who secretly audio record on-duty police officers performing their official duties in public. This decision will shield those who want to record police interactions without subjecting themselves to immediate retaliation for openly recording officers. People who dare to document police activities are frequently commanded by cops to leave the area or stop filming and can face reprisals like sequestered footage, arrest, and assault. Police narratives can be disrupted by videos that disprove police reports. In 2015, ex-officer Michael T. Slager initially reported that he feared for his life when he shot Walter Scott, claiming Scott had taken his taser during a traffic stop. Bystander video released days after the report not only shows Slager firing into Scott’s back as he flees, it shows Slager then planting the taser next to Scott’s body. Minnesota PD initially told the public that George Floyd died after a “medical incident during a police interaction.” The video that sparked global protests against police brutality showed a different story, one of a horrific execution by police. These graphic videos cause trauma and anguish for the Black population and, despite the protests that come in their wake, video evidence does not guarantee a conviction in our justice system. It is a sad fact that when witnessing police interactions people know to document them out of fear of escalation and to solidify proof. The media consumption of these videos is vulture-like and unnecessary, societal awareness of police violence is apparent. We shouldn’t need these videos, but not only do police often lie, they methodically stage cover-ups and the blue wall of silence protects them. Whatever the state decides to do with Derek Chauvin will not change how police function in society. Punishing one cop will not rework or dismantle an institution designed to violently uphold capitalist interests at the expense of the poor and marginalized. The video of George Floyd’s death is an unequivocal murder and unshakable indictment of policing that there is no going back from. Filming the police is not a solution to combat carceral state violence, but its ability to expose has mobilized millions to demand radical change and that is where its power lies.
GRACE RAIH
He sits there, watching the Sky And how the clouds seem to waddle through the sunset Moving as delicate as the Waltz Fading away like ink... At the edge of a sentence Or a forgotten memory Until the sun peaks a beauty that is only temporary See, the Sky breaks boundaries Creating an illusion of something more than life can handle It swallows the sun When it needs to be cold And breaths fire when feeling hot-headed. The Skies have emotions And on the days I heard the Skies scream I screamed with it Nature’s melancholy melodies The Sky shines its teeth And in turn, they fear lightning Black boy shine his teeth And in turn, they fear his joy So, he lays there watching the sky And learns how to harbor aggression And he still be looking
Plant Magic Be sure to think about these things when planting new plants, shrubs, or trees—or even containers or window boxes:
And sees it at its happiest some days
This is it! Planting season is here! You begin building an ecosystem from the ground, the literal dirt, up. So really, you should be thinking about every plant you put on your property. Is it native? Does it have the potential to be invasive?! If it’s a yes for that last one...don’t plant it! Better to encourage local fauna with your flora instead.
1. Is this plant native, invasive, or a non-invasive exotic plant? 2. Is this plant meant for this location? In this dirt? In this light? With this moisture? 3. Does this plant provide for me, the local birds, bugs, and/or animals?
Where birds fly in strides they wouldn’t ever think to fly And where trees dance to the sound of wind Sometimes he sees himself In the reflections of the bluish hue
4. How will this plant’s growth affect other plants and structures around it?
And some days
5. Does this plant make “sense” with the plants around it? Will they live happily together?
And on those days
The clouds form a shape similar to his shadows
He feels he is the sky. Kingsley Metelus
And ruminate on any other questions that come up when interacting with a new plant in a new space. Planting intentionally takes research, time, and Effort with a capital E. It’s worth it to see how the wildlife will thank you by giving you a show year after year. Think before you plant.
CHERYL RAFUSE
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