Acting in Evolution

This is new kind of share (and update for some of you) about a most timely and beautiful opportunity I had this summer.  I'm always going on about 'the journey' and usually a very internal and personal one at that - with the occassional dash of work/professional news.  But as these two aspects of our lives are intrinsically tied - I must share this recent and particularly meaningful connection. 


I have been excavating a whole heap of stuff over the past couple of years, and one aspect of my past has been left unexplored:  acting.  It's kinda ironic, but not entirely uncommon, to find myself on a professional journey that has little to do with my course of study in college: Theater Arts.  I have certainly created real connections between this and photography, in so far as how I develop my work, and how I attempt to go about the business of creating it.  The principles of collaboration that I seek always to work by, come directly from the culture of the theater world.  But acting - well, this I have not done for some years now. As I often would put it when it came up:  I haven't spoken text on stage/on camera for....  

As I've been on my other artistic explorations, I've missed acting, not sharply mind you, but rather, I've been aware of its absence as a form of expression.

My friend Danae Grandison, another soul-searcher/explorer and accomplished graphic designer, decided to switch gears and explore the artform of film making.  Her first film, Unconditional Love, is a work straight from the highway of personal explorations, directly from the heart, a beautiful distillation of what it means to come out on the other end of a growth passage emotionally in tact, and in fact, to find yourself utterly in love with life and all the vicissitudes therein; to arrive at acceptance, wonderment, and open curiosity to what comes next.  We can only be in such a place when we are willing to release the past, and thus the expectations it invariably breeds for the future.  


I auditioned at precisely the right time for the part in this 2 minute short - when I could understand the meaning of such a personal evolution.  It was also therefore, the right project to bring me back to this art form.  Oh the connectivity!  


Danae's work premiered at SVA (School of Visual Arts) at the end of her film course this past August, and she received the Audience Award for her work.  I was so chuffed too of course - haha! 


Here's our Labour of Love - which was shot in the New York City heat wave of 115ºF!  Not easy, but totally cathartic.  Thank you for this journey Danae!








 
Unconditional Love from Danae Grandison on Vimeo.
Time to release the bags you collect along the way...

Featuring Berette Macaulay
Written and Directed by Danae Grandison
Edited by David Lee

Credit Where It's Due

I got an email today that I had to share here:




    Why is it that a Black Man can create a tiny piece called a filament (electric light - Lewis Latimer) that allows people to see in the dark?   

But can't be seen fit to lead a country to the true light.

Why is it  that a Black Man can create an instrument (clock - Benjamin Banneker) that  all people use to tell time? 

But people don't think it is time for him to run a country.


Why is it that a Black Man can design a place for the high authorities to meet in and a place for the president to live in  (The Capital and the White House Phillip Reid (a slave) and Pierre L'Enfant)? 
      
But not good enough to lead these meetings or live in himself.

Why is it that a Black Man was brilliant enough to do the first open heart surgery (Dr. Dan iel Hale Williams) and show the world how to get and preserve plasma (Dr. Charles Drew)? 

But not good enough to put a program in place where everyone can afford this surgery.

Why is it that a Black Man was creative enough to design an instrument (traffic light - Garrett Morgan) to bring multiple people (traffic) to a halt? 

But not seen creative enough to design a plan to bring all this unnecessary and worthless fighting between countries, to an end.

Why is it that a Black Man could create the soles (shoes - Jan Matzeliger) that people walk on every day? 
But not seen good enough to fill the shoes of a bad president.

Why is it that a Black Man was smart enough and brave enough to teach himself (Fredrick Douglas and Thomas Fuller - both  slaves) and others how to read, write and/or calculate math? 

But not seen smart enough and bold enough to calculate a platform to be President to a country that sure needs another first by us.

So you see my Brothers and Sisters, what I am saying is, let us not forgot our past which led us to our present and can definitely be the backbone to our future.  We were good enough, smart enough, creative enough, and bold enough then, so let us all give Obama the chance to show that we are still these things and more.  We all are as strong as our weakest link, so do not be that weak link that denies our people that chance to show we still can OVERCOME AND BE THE FIRST!   
THE PRESIDENT OF THESE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA !       

LET US ALL CONTINUE PRAYING THAT THIS PRESIDENT WILL ADHERE TO AND BE LED BY FAITH.   PASS THIS ON!       =


 

Nacho Duato's "Multiplicity. Forms of Silence and Emptiness"

I don't know if I would go so far as to say Nacho Duato is my favourite choreographer...ever...but, he's so very close to being so.

His movement and interpretation of music is so specific yet loose, so perfect yet such a celebration of emotional erratic flaws of the soul. The shapes from the relationships he creates with dancers is a rare beauty to behold; it's heart-stopping; it's heartbreaking.