Here come de Judge...

I recently had a  discussion where the prevalence of of black judges (male and female) in television was identified.  An enduring conversation in my conceptual practice is that of criminality and justice in the American context- especially as it relates to race.  I'm not sure how this notion will play out in my work, but there is something appealing about the visual representation of moral aptitude in popular fictions.  Check the article below...

The Ten Commandments | Performance Documentation

Hallelujah, up in this piece.
All Photos by Whitney Browne (c) 2010 

http://www.thirdstreaming.com/

cut to fit: Photo Documentation

All photos: Suzanne Broughel (c) 2010

Michael Paul Britto + Kenya (Robinson)...

Whitney Browne (C) 2010

Miami Art Basel: 2010

CUT TO FIT: a commissioned performance for Deutsche Bank

Clothing is a second skin, a personal vehicle that humans use to navigate the physicality of social interactions.  Metaphors for the flesh and bone bodies that clothe our character; both fiction and life have revealed a persistent need among some individuals to be free of the shell.  Whether it is a conflict of skin color, a conquest along gender lines, or even nationality, the reality of a physical body is an outfit not easily changed.

cut to fit considers the restriction of the body within different types of  “clothing”.  I will attempt to put on a series of garments, all of them ill-fitting, to illustrate the unmanageability of maintaining these restrictions.  After the layers have been added I will then carefully cut the garments to reveal a red bodysuit underneath.  The conclusion is a slow exit from the performance space while carrying single lit candle.  The soundtrack will be an audio collage of excerpts from Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys, and donning instructions for compression garments, surgical masks, and latex apparel.

Kenya (Robinson)

October 5, 2010

The Ten Commandments: Performance Score

"A huge part of my creative expression has been influenced by the Bible-Belt-Pentecostal shadings of my upbringing. It’s in my blood (Maternal: Church of God In Christ and Paternal: Church of God By Faith), so much so that despite my “sophisticated” views of spirituality, I mine these visceral experiences regularly for my creative work.  The role of music in sacred theatres cannot be over emphasized.  Voice, organ, piano, bass guitar and drum set are often the bare essentials of most Pentecostal ministries and throughout the development of American musical forms this standard has been a point of departure for secular examples.

Enter the Hip Hop era, where the preacher becomes the DJ, proselytizing the righteousness of the dance, or revealing the dangers of hateration to club congregationalists.   Call and response predominates these anthems as listeners are commanded to “make some noise”, “put ‘cha hands up”, “get money” or “rub your titties if your love hip hop”.  The Ten Commandments identifies a group of instructions selected by DJ Lightbolt and will be introduced in the context of an improvisational performance.  My interpretation of these commandments will be spontaneous, as the instructions will be unknown to me until they are delivered, a la Mt. Sinai.   

Audience participation is encouraged."

Kenya (Robinson) (c) 2010

A sample playlist with YouTube LINKS is below.  Documentation video and still images will be available shortly. Commandment #1: ENJOY!

I love my hair.

Exactly.

MADE | MAID

It's a Friday night and just as I'm getting my blogging mojo back, I come across HELL UP IN HARLEM on my beloved HULU.  Blaxplotation has always been an exercise in the absurd for me.  And while I'm not sure this effect was/is entirely intentional, there is something wonderful about the tomato paste blood, stunning hookers, and speechafying monologues that permeate the genre that I simply enjoy it at face value.  But the real treat is when the jive turkey blaxplotation gods serve up an image so sweet, so delightfully puzzling, and stupendously apt that you are grateful for the pause button and screen capture.  No need for me to expound on the plot- it really doesn't  matter.  Just take a look at the images below. And know that chitterlings, ham hocks, collards, black eyed peas, and cornbread were served after the carnage.  

Tangled

Admittedly, this will be off the chain- pure blonde Disney magic.
NOVEMBER 24th (get it in your mind.)

...and people wonder about about MY blonde obsession?!?

Disney Units (the saga continues...)

For me, a healthy compulsion (is there such a thing?) is an important part of artistic investigation.  Now, with my sights set squarely on Disney, I've found a number of LINKS that highlight the company through cultural critique...

http://www.newint.org/features/1998/12/05/dolls/


http://lass.calumet.purdue.edu/cca/gmj/OldSiteBackup/SubmittedDocuments/archivedpapers/fall2002/Artz.htm


http://www.animationarchive.org/2009/04/theory-our-dreams-of-future.html


http://www.animationarchive.org/pics/lifeinspace01.mov


http://www.dukemagazine.duke.edu/alumni/dm1/inmouse.txt.html


http://wesscholar.wesleyan.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1147&context=etd_hon_theses


http://www.americamagazine.org/blog/entry.cfm?entry_id=3028


http://www.european-mediaculture.org/fileadmin/bibliothek/english/giroux_animatingyouth/giroux_animatingyouth.pdf


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-544229/Bambi-Disney-characters-unsung-heroes-green-lobby-says-Cambridge-academic.html

Cartoon Catechism?

George Carlin The Ten Commandments Broken Down

R.I.P. 
Mr. Carlin

kenya eats a cracker (rough cut- documentation video)

kenya eats a cracker. from Kenya Robinson on Vimeo.

(re)sounding

BLONDE/ BLOND

Portrait of Young Woman with Unicorn (Lady with unicorn) (1506) by Raffaello Sanzio depicts a young woman with blonde hair.


Counted among my current obsessions, is the search for the natural Blonde (Female)/Blond (Male).  My friend and colleague Elizabeth Axtman calls them "Unicorns", and with the rampant bleaching going on, finding a 'real' one does seem like a quest of fantasy.  In either case, I must admit that something about those buttery tones are fascinating...  

Platinum blond and towhead - Nearly white; Mostly found in children and albinos.  Rare for adults to have them but not impossible, 5 out of 10 thousand platinums will contine to grow that color.

Sandy blond - Similar to the color of sand, or orangeish blond.

Ash blond - usually quite light, with some grey tones.

Dirty blond or dishwater blond - Dark blonde mixed with brunette.

Golden blond or honey blond - A golden color which is sometimes known as the mid. blond.

Bottle blond or bleach blond - artificially dyed blond hair, does not grow realisticly.

Strawberry blond - reddish blond

Pool blond - with green undertones, from habitual exposure to chlorinated pool water

Hazy blond or zebra blond - streaked blond and brunette

Brownish blond - darkest shade of blond with sometimes looking light brown and at other times dark blond

Sunny blond - Very bright, ranging from almost yellow to light yellow.

New Performances by DJ Lightbolt + Kenya (Robinson) @ Third Streaming

"Booty Tablet"  | Digital Collage by Kenya (Robinson), 2010

Saturday, October 16, 2010 Doors open at 7:30 pm $10 suggested donation Third Streaming is very pleased to announce two new performances,  The Global Sound of the Street by DJ Lightbolt, and  The Ten Commandments by Kenya (Robinson) in collaboration  with DJ Lightbolt. In The Global Sound of the Street, DJ Lightbolt will stream a  sonic journey that explores various takes on global Hip Hop,  visiting townships, banlieues, yards, and favelas. The artist  investigates how diverse street cultures outside the US have  adopted the stance, sounds, and structures of this genre,  while infusing it with their own musical traditions  and local concerns. The Ten Commandments is an improvisational performance  where Kenya (Robinson) will respond to a set of instructions  selected by DJ Lightbolt. For her performance, inspired by  call and response, the artist emphasizes the Bible-Belt- Pentecostal elements of her upbringing and hence the impact  of numerous musical forms on her artistic practice. This event is organized in conjunction with the exhibition   Bite: Street Inspired Art and Fashion currently on view at  Third Streaming. (Save the date for Saturday, November 13th.  Derrick Adams will premiere a new piece titled  Feed Them With A Long Spoon.)

Third Streaming, LLC

10 greene street, 2nd floor new york, ny 10013

t. 646-370-3877

 info@thirdstreaming.com

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