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Cities of the Dead: Circum Atlantic Performance

Glenn Hayes

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Cities of the Dead: Circum Atlantic Performance is a groundbreaking exhibition that explores the history and legacy of the African Diaspora through the lens of performance art. The exhibition features the work of over 50 artists from the Caribbean, Brazil, Cuba, and the United States, and spans over 500 years of history.

Cities of the Dead: Circum-Atlantic Performance

by Betty Halbreich

4.5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	55060 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
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Print length	:	338 pages

The exhibition is organized into four thematic sections: "The Middle Passage," "The New World," "The City," and "The Dead." The first section explores the horrors of the Middle Passage, the forced migration of Africans to the Americas. The second section looks at the establishment of African communities in the New World, and the challenges they faced. The third section examines the role of the city in the African Diaspora, and the ways in which it has been a source of both oppression and liberation. The fourth section explores the theme of death in the African Diaspora, and the ways in which it has been used to both mourn and celebrate the dead.

Cities of the Dead: Circum Atlantic Performance is a powerful and moving exhibition that sheds new light on the history and legacy of the African Diaspora. The exhibition is a must-see for anyone interested in African American history, performance art, or the history of the Americas.

The Middle Passage

The Middle Passage was the forced migration of Africans to the Americas. It was a brutal and inhumane process that resulted in the deaths of millions of Africans. The Middle Passage had a profound impact on the African Diaspora, and its legacy can still be seen today.

The artists in this section of the exhibition explore the horrors of the Middle Passage through a variety of media. Some artists use photography to document the physical and psychological scars of the Middle Passage. Others use dance to express the pain and suffering of the enslaved Africans. Still others use music to create a soundtrack to the Middle Passage.

The Middle Passage is a difficult and painful subject, but it is an important one to remember. The artists in this section of the exhibition help us to understand the horrors of the Middle Passage, and its lasting impact on the African Diaspora.

The New World

The New World was a place of both opportunity and danger for Africans. On the one hand, it was a place where they could escape the horrors of slavery and build new lives for themselves. On the other hand, it was a place where they faced new forms of discrimination and oppression.

The artists in this section of the exhibition explore the experiences of Africans in the New World. Some artists focus on the challenges that Africans faced, such as racism, poverty, and violence. Others focus on the ways in which Africans adapted to their new surroundings and created new cultures and traditions.

The New World was a complex and challenging place for Africans, but it was also a place where they found new ways to survive and thrive. The artists in this section of the exhibition help us to understand the experiences of Africans in the New World, and the ways in which they shaped the history of the Americas.

The City

The city has been a central part of the African Diaspora experience. It has been a place of both refuge and oppression, a place where Africans have found new opportunities and faced new challenges.

The artists in this section of the exhibition explore the role of the city in the African Diaspora. Some artists focus on the ways in which the city has been a source of oppression, such as through segregation and police brutality. Others focus on the ways in which the city has been a source of liberation, such as through providing a space for African Americans to create their own communities and culture.

The city is a complex and contradictory space for Africans. It is a place where they have faced both oppression and liberation. The artists in this section of the exhibition help us to understand the role of the city in the African Diaspora, and the ways in which it has shaped the history of African Americans.

The Dead

Death is a central theme in the African Diaspora. It is a time of mourning and grief, but it is also a time to celebrate the life of the deceased. The artists in this section of the exhibition explore the theme of death in the African Diaspora through a variety of media.

Some artists use photography to document the rituals and traditions surrounding death in the African Diaspora. Others use dance to express the grief and loss of loved ones. Still others use music to create a soundtrack to the journey of the dead.

Death is a difficult and painful subject, but it is an important one to remember. The artists in this section of the exhibition help us to understand the ways in which death has been used to both mourn and celebrate the dead in the African Diaspora.

Cities of the Dead: Circum-Atlantic Performance

by Betty Halbreich

4.5 out of 5