ICA Opening

This Thursday (4/23) two new shows are opening here at ICA:

"Pathways To Unknown Worlds: Sun Ra, El Saturn & Chicago's Afro-Futurist Underground, 1954-1968"

Jazz pioneer, bandleader, mystic, philosopher, and consummate Afro-Futurist, Sun Ra (b. 1914 Birmingham, Alabama, d. 1993) and his personal mythology have grown increasingly relevant to a broad range of artists and communities. This exhibition presents paintings, drawings, prints, manuscripts, ephemera, and video produced by and about Ra and his associates—much of it previously unseen. Pathways to Unknown Worlds examines how Ra and his dynamic, continually-evolving ensemble, the Philadelphia-based Arkestra, crafted both their otherworldly image and fiercely independent approach to self-production.

"Tavares Strachan: Orthostatic Tolerance"

 

The surf surrounding Tavares Strachan's (b. 1979, lives New York) hometown of Nassau, Bahamas is the site of an experimental rocket launch. Made of glass from island sand, and powered by sugarcane, the rockets mark a primary phase of the artist'sOrthostatic Tolerance project: to explore the heights of space and the depths of the ocean. Video, drawings, photography, and sculpture document the launch and allow a glimpse into the future. Through the rubric of scientific exploration, Strachan engages both the resources and community of his home country, and investigates environmental, cultural, historical, and postcolonial issues. 

I don't have images yet for the shows yet, but from what I've seen in unpacking and installation, the work is captivating. The opening reception is open to the public Thursday at 6:00; DJ Hiding Place will be performing. 

UPDATE: images!

Space is the place.