Martha Redbone and Ajamu Kojo
Black Street:
All of Which I Saw and Part of Which I Was
Curated by Carl Hancock Rux
September 29, 2017
Part of JACK's year-long series, Reparations365
Through song, spontaneous art, projection, and essay, Black Street explores the historical eradication and systematic destruction of an African American economy, education, and progressive labour force.
Performance by blues and soul singer Martha Redbone and Fred Cash (on bass) + live sketch by artist Ajamu Kojo + essays by and conversation with curator Carl Hancock Rux
Martha Redbone is a maverick artist who has never been chained by borders. Her award-winning music of Native and African American roots knee-deep in Appalachian folk and Piedmont blues favored by the matriarchy that raised her on a rich sojourn from Harlan County, Kentucky to streets of Brooklyn. Mentored by the late Walter “Junie” Morrison of Ohio Players/Parliament Funkadelic, Redbone has earned a solid reputation as a sought-after collaborator. Her current album, The Garden Of Love – The Songs of William Blake, traces the sonic path of her roots. Currently in development is Bone Hill, commissioned by Joe’s Pub/Public Theater, inspired by her own family lineage in Appalachia, connections to one’s homeland bringing to light an important piece of American history that has remained untold. Alongside her career as a recording artist and songwriter Redbone has maintained a steady involvement with causes she believes in for fundraising and leadership. She is a proud member of WHYHunger.org’s Artist Against Hunger and Poverty program. Ms. Redbone is also a contracted teacher specializing in Southeastern Tribal Traditional Music for the State of Louisiana’s Department of Indian Education for the United Houma Nation’s Cultural Enrichment Summer Camp program teaching elementary school children the music from her own Southeastern (Choctaw/Cherokee) culture as well as working with the tribe’s own Houma-French language. For more info, visit SROartists.com/martharedbone
Ajamu Kojo is a native of Little Rock, Arkansas. Kojo attended Howard University where he majored in Film and Television Production and minored in Theatre Arts. In 2002 Kojo exhibited for the first time at GUMBO – a group show with curators Patrick- Earl Barnes and Lawrence Joyner. In 2004, he exhibited with Carol Jones at the Atelier International Art Group. In 2014 Kojo presented his series of portraits entitled “The Otherlies,” at The Governors Island Art Fair, curated by Nicole Laemmle and Jack Robinson. He splits his time between developing independent film projects, working as a scenic artist with USA Local 829 and concentrating on his fine art works. In addition to working on such projects as “Law&Order,” “Boardwalk Empire” and “Vinyl,” he is continuously developing works which take on a critical view of social, political and cultural issues through story, slices of life and moments of voyeurism. Kojo lives and works in Brooklyn, New York.
Carl Hancock Rux (Co-Curator, Reparations365) is an award-winning poet, performer, playwright and novelist. He is the author of the novel, ASPHALT, the OBIE Award-winning play, TALK, and the Village Voice Literary prize-winning collection of poetry, PAGAN OPERETTA. Mr. Rux is the recipient of the Herb Alpert Award in the Arts, the New York Foundation for the Arts Prize, and the Bessie Schomburg Award, NEA/TCG Playwright in Residence fellowship and the NEA Leadership Initiatives Meet the Composer Grant, among other awards.
Reparations365: From Memory To Movement is JACK's year-long series of performances, workshops and discussions around the topic of distributive justice for Black Americans. Launched in February 2017, the series consists of at least 20 public offerings featuring a convergence of scholars, artists and activists. Through the series, participants will discover multiple ways to engage with the topic, all with an intention of offering tangible take-ways for participants and a concrete movement forward. The performances feature a host of artists in dance, theater and music exploring the topic of repairing racial injustice. The series also includes several community conversations, panel discussions and interactive workshops curated with the participation of our neighbors and members of the artistic and activist community in New York.
Reparations365 is made possible by a Humanities New York Action Grant, by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature, and from many individual donors.
Photo credit for Martha Redbone: Fabrice Trombert