Allumer Natchez

Allumer

A NEW FESTIVAL AND EXHIBITION FOSTER REBIRTH AND RENEWAL IN NATCHEZ

By Swathi Reddy

Art can be extraordinary, but it doesn’t have to be untouchable.

This synchronous stance—bringing broad accessibility to an immersive array of art—is the bedrock behind Allumer Natchez, a light-based art exhibition and festival premiering November 19–21 in Natchez, Mississippi.

There may be no more apt a medium for expression, vitality, and delight than light itself—which co-founder Stacy Conde noted is particularly suitable to highlighting the striking architecture so characteristic of Natchez.

“The curatorial theme is based on rebirth and renewal, which is exactly what Natchez is going through,” said Conde, a Miami transplant who is owner and director of the fine arts gallery Conde Contemporary in Natchez.

For Conde and fellow co-founder Lindsay Glatz, Allumer (pronounced Ah-loo-mehr) Natchez is a long-considered melding of their intertwined passions for art and community.

“In ways, art provides an outlet for saying things that can be hard to communicate or create feelings that bring the community together,” said Glatz, a multi-disciplinary artist herself.

The two organizers were introduced several years ago during the course of one of Conde’s projects, discovering in each other kindred spirits. Apart from their shared dedication to championing creatives and the communities they serve, they discovered all sorts of lovely, geographical overlaps through the course of their own lives that further deepened their partnership.

ALVEARE Luminoso is an illuminated, suspended hive-like structure which celebrates the importance of bees and pollinators within the environment. The work is created by Luba Zygarewicz, a Chilean-Ukranian artist based out of Mandeville and will be displayed at the inaugural Allumer Natchez. Photo by Bryce Ell Photography, courtesy of Allumer Natchez.

Raised in the Midwest, Glatz enjoyed a childhood marked by frequent visits to museums and the theatre, cultivating an interest in the arts early on. Upon visiting Natchez as an adult, she recalled how, as a child, she leafed through one of her parents’ coffee table books featuring the historic homes of Natchez. Dreaming up Allumer Natchez with Conde was truly a full circle moment. She moved to New Orleans just prior to Hurricane Katrina, after which she witnessed the distinct ways the arts can contribute to healing in a community traumatized.

For Conde, art has long been a family affair. Her mother is a multi-disciplinary artist, her husband Andrés Conde is a painter (whom she represents through her gallery), she is a writer. She grew up in Miami (her grandparents were married in New Orleans and later moved to Miami) and spent summers in Mississippi, visiting her grandmother’s family. She relocated Conde Contemporary (which she opened in 2013) from Miami to Natchez in the early days of the pandemic, resulting in a homecoming of sorts for the growing family she and her husband are raising.

WHEN YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT LIGHT AND DARK, THERE ARE VERY PRIMORDIAL FEELINGS THAT ARE STIRRED UP.

As partners, the two women deeply value the work of showcasing fine artwork in a way that is accessible and far-reaching. Allumer Natchez in particular comes from a deep awareness of imagination’s infinite possibility, and a desire to posit that sentiment by inspiring the generations of tomorrow to ask fundamental questions of themselves like, “What else is possible?”

While the founders had originally planned to present Allumer Natchez on Main Street, they transitioned the inaugural festival to the historic and recently-reopened Dunleith property upon learning that production for the Hallmark movie Every Time a Bell Rings would bump up against their staging downtown. But neither was deterred by the change of plans; instead they celebrated it as evidence of Natchez’s continued development. From Dunleith, they plan to use this debut year to showcase what is to come as Allumer Natchez expands in the future.

The dazzling duet of light and darkness will play out on Dunleith’s sprawling grounds—which today encompass forty acres—as well as upon the walls of its main residence, a 1850s Greek revival design with twenty-six Tuscan columns.

While Allumer Natchez will possess the distinct flair of its Southern locale, reflecting its community from a contemporary perspective—the artists featured represent cultural backgrounds ranging from South America to Europe and home bases that span the country.

An alluring teaser of a few of the light installations to be unveiled, as a celebration of the wondrous natural world and the iconic, unaltered grounds on which they’ll be presented: botanical projections inspired by the flora of New Orleans from Courtney Egan, who has worked from the Crescent City for three decades; from Milwaukee-based artist Chelsey Noel, a colorful tribute to Mississippi’s swallowtail butterfly as a symbol of transformation and change; Jen Fuller of Portland invokes our interconnectedness with the natural world through innovative glass and steel sculpture; an illuminated hive-like structure by Mandeville-based artist Luba Zygarewicz highlights the crucial importance of bees and pollinators; and showcased across Dunleith’s iconic facade: original compositions set to an illuminated projection mapping installation, from artist John E. Gray, on the themes of rebirth.

“When you’re talking about light and dark, there are very primordial feelings that are stirred up,” said Conde. “That’s why I think this particular medium is so compelling. It’s a very magical experience that many people likely haven’t had before.”

With regards to inclusion and accessibility, Glatz emphasizes that Allumer Natchez will welcome all ages—at no cost. “The baseline of the festival is that it’s a free experience, so that really eliminates any barriers within the community of people being able to attend.”

Conde and Glatz credit the city and people of Natchez for embracing their efforts with open arms—providing support, in-kind donations, access to city officials; donating their time, resources, and more. That tangible appreciation for investing and celebrating Natchez remains a guiding motivator for the dynamic duo.

And it’s a direct tie-in to one of their main objectives: presenting the festival as a driver of economic benefits to the city. The arts have long been known as an unequivocal force of economic contributions for local growth, adding billions in revenue nationwide—more, it may surprise many to learn, than industries like agriculture and transportation.

Focusing on nighttime events, “leaves open the opportunity for other businesses to create events they can layer during the day with Allumer Natchez,” said Conde, noting the potential for capitalizing on the increased traffic to Natchez in years moving forward.

For now though, the pair is focused on creating a spectacular experience for the people of Natchez this November, illuminating the pleasure of art—for everyone.

Allumer Natchez takes place November 19–21 at Dunleith Historic Inn. Learn more at allumernatchez.com