"Africa in New York" is a festival of Africa-related programs at some 70 organizations throughout the metropolitan area. It is designed to run concurrently with Africa: The Art of a Continent, the first major art exhibition to present Africa as a single entity, unbroken by the Sahara. On view at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum from June 7 to September 28, 1996, the exhibition pays tribute to the artistic traditions of a continent that has so enriched our own culture and aesthetic development."Africa in New York" includes the visual arts, film, music, dance, symposia, and lectures, bringing to the public the many traditional and contemporary representations of Africa and the African diaspora. The programs also investigate the syncretic qualiti es of the African diaspora as illuminated through the arts of the Caribbean, African American, and Latin American communities.
The festival reveals the wealth of diverse sites of African culture that thrive in the New York area. By allowing for exchange and collaboration among experts in the field, the project has produced an exciting synergy of resources, which will have lasting impact.
To: Africa: The Art of A Continent LISTINGS
Aaron Davis Hall at City College
135th St. and Convent Ave.
(212) 650-7100African Burial Ground & Five Points Archaeological Projects
6 World Trade Center, Rm. 239
(212) 432-5707African Connection TV
Channel 69
(212) 288-9216Afrikan Kultural Arts Network
at MTW Studios in Manhattan
440 Lafayette St. (at Astor Pl.) and other locations in the tristate area
(212) 439-1026Afropop Worldwide
WNYC-FM 93.9
Wed., midnight
(718) 398-2733American Museum of Natural History
Central Park W. (at W. 79th St.)
Mon.-Thurs., Sun., 10:00 a.m.- 5:45 p.m.; Fri.-Sat., 10:00 a.m.- 8:45 p.m.
$7 adults ($5 Sat., Sun.), $4 children
(212) 769-5100A.M.F.M.
43 Ridgewood Ave., Cypress Hills, Queens
(718) 277-6594Apollo Theater Foundation
253 W. 125th St.
(212) 222-0992BAM Outside: Music at MetroTech
MetroTech Commons
Flatbush and Myrtle avenues, Brooklyn
(718) 636-4100Bard Center for Curatorial Studies at Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture
at New York Public Library
515 Malcolm X Blvd.
(212) 491-2200; Bard: (914) 758-2424Bronx Council on the Arts
WritersCorps
1738 Hone Ave., Bronx;
at the Point CDC
940 Garrison Ave., Bronx;
at Bronx Community CollegeGould Student Center, 181st St. and University, Bronx
(718) 931-9500The Bronx Museum of the Arts
1040 Grand Concourse (at 165th St.), Bronx
Wed., 3:00-9:00 p.m.; Thurs.-
Sun., 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.
$3 adults, $2 children
(718) 681-6000The Bronx Zoo/Wildlife Conservation Park
Bronx River Parkway and Fordham Rd., Bronx; 185th St. and Southern Blvd., Bronx
Mon.-Fri., 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.; Sat., Sun., holidays, 10:00 a.m.-
5:30 p.m.
$6.75 adults, $3 children (2-12) and seniors (65+). Children under 2 free. Wed., free general admission
(718) 367-1010Brooklyn Academy of Music
30 Lafayette Ave., Brooklyn
(718) 636-4100The Brooklyn Children's Museum
145 Brooklyn Ave., Brooklyn
Wed.-Fri., 2:00-5:00 p.m; Sat., Sun., noon-5:00 p.m.
$3 suggested donation
(718) 735-4400The Brooklyn Museum
200 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn
Wed.-Sun., 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Suggested contribution, $4 adults, $2 students, $1.50 seniors. Members and children under 12 free
(718) 638-5000Caribbean Cultural Center
408 W. 58th St.
(212) 307-7420Cavin-Morris
560 Broadway (at Prince St.), #405B
Tues.-Fri., 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.; Sat., 11:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.; and by appointment
(212) 226-3768Central Park Conservatory:
The Charles A. Dana Discovery Center
Off E. 110th St. and 5th Ave.
Tues.-Sun., 11:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Free admission
(212) 860-1370Central Park SummerStage
Rumsey Playfield (mid-park), off
E. 72nd St. and 5th Ave.
Free admission
(212) 360-2777The Children's Art Carnival
Riverbank State Park
W. 145th St. at Hudson River; 62 Hamilton Terr. (south of 145th St.)
(212) 234-4093Children's Museum of Manhattan
Tisch Building
212 W. 83rd St.
Mon., Wed.-Thurs., 1:30-
5:30 p.m.; Fri.-Sun., 10:00 a.m.-
5:00 p.m.
$5 general admission, $2.50 seniors. Children under 2 free
(212) 721-1223Columbia University, School of Public Health
Columbia Presbyterian Eastside
16 E. 6th St., 4th fl. Conference Center
(212) 305-1793Contemporary African Art Gallery
330 W. 108th St.
By appointment
(212) 662-8799Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, Smithsonian Institution
2 E. 91st St. (at 5th Ave.)
(212) 860-6868Craft Caravan
63 Greene St. (between Spring and Broome streets)
Mon.-Fri., 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.; Sat.-Sun., 11:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.
(212) 431-6690The Discovery Channel
Channel 18 (Manhattan) or check your local cable station
(800) 349-2200Fareta: School of Dance and Drum
622 Broadway (between Bleecker and Houston streets)
Open every day
$10 per dance class, $12 per drum class
(212) 677-6708Foundation for African-American Women and the Crystal Quilt
at Empire State College
225 Varick St. (between Houston and Clarkson streets), 2nd fl.
(212) 799-0322A Gathering of Tribes
285 E. 3rd St. (between avenues B and C), 2nd fl.
(212) 674-3778Harlem School of the Arts
645 St. Nicholas Ave. (near 141st St.)
(212) 926-4100Ifetayou Cultural Arts Facility
929 Flatbush Ave. (between Church and Snyder avenues), Brooklyn
(718) 856-9882International African Arts Festival
Boys and Girls High School Athletic Field
1700 Fulton St. (between Schenectady and Utica streets)
$7 general admission
(718) 638-6700Jamaica Arts Center
161-04 Jamaica Ave., Jamaica, Queens
(718) 658-7400The Joyce Theater
175 8th Ave. (at 19th St.)
(212) 242-0800 (box office)Kenkeleba House
214 E. 2nd St. (between avenues B and C)
(212) 674-3939The Kitchen
512 W. 19th St. (between 10th and 11th avenues)
(212) 255-5793Langston Hughes Community Library and Culture Center
102-09 Northern Blvd., Corona, Queens
(718) 651-1100Lehman College Art Gallery
250 Bedford Park Blvd. W., Bronx
Tues.-Sat., 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
Free admission
(718) 960-8731Malcolm Shabazz Harlem Mart
W. 116th St. and Malcolm X Blvd.
Daily, 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
(212) 987-8131Manhattan Theater Club
131 W. 55th St. (between 6th and 7th avenues)
Tues.-Sat., 8:00 p.m.; Sat., Sun., 2:30 p.m.; Sun., 7:00 p.m.
(212) 581-1212; (212) 645-5590 (group sales)The Metropolitan Museum of Art
1000 5th Ave. (at 82nd St.)
Tues.-Thurs., Sun., 9:30 a.m.-
5:15 p.m.; Fri.-Sat., 9:30 a.m.-
8:45 p.m.
(212) 879-5500Mind Builders Creative Arts Center
3415 Olinville Ave., Bronx
(718) 652-6256El Museo del Barrio
1230 5th Ave (at 104th St.)
Wed.-Sun., 11:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
(212) 831-7272The Museum for African Art
593 Broadway (between Houston and Prince streets)
Tues.-Fri., 10:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.; Sat., noon-8:00 p.m.; Sun., noon-6:00 p.m.
$4 adults, $2 children
(212) 966-1313
Museum of American Folk Art
2 Lincoln Square (at Columbus Ave., between 65th and
66th streets)
Tues.-Sun., 11:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Free admission
(212) 595-9533Museum of the City of New York
1220 5th Ave. (at 103rd St.)
(212) 534-1672National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution
950 Independence Ave., S.W., Washington, D.C.
(202) 357-4600 (weekdays);
(202) 357-2700 (weekends)New School for Social Research
66 W. 12th St.
(212) 229-5690The New York Botanical Garden
200th St. and Southern Blvd., Bronx
Tues.-Sat., 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. Open holidays
$3 adults; $1 seniors, students, and children 6-16. Children under 6 free. Wed., Sat., 10:00 a.m.-noon, free general admission
(718) 817-8700New York City Board of Education
at Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture
(718) 935-3984The Newark Museum
Main Building
49 Washington St., Newark, N.J.
Wed.-Sun., noon-5:00 p.m.
Free admission, donation suggested
(201) 596-6550OAN (Oceanie Afrique Noire)
15 W. 39th St., 2nd fl.
Mon.-Fri., 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.; and by appointment
(212) 840-8844Pace Primitive Art
32 East 57th St., 10th fl.
Mon.-Thurs., 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.; Fri., 9:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m.; Sat., 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.
(212) 421-3688Queens Museum of Art
New York City Building
Flushing Meadows, Corona Park, Queens
Suggested donation, $3 adults, $1.50 seniors and children. Members and children under 5 free
(718) 592-9700Richard Meyer Gallery
16 E. 17th St.
Tues.-Sat., noon-6:00 p.m.
(212) 620-0640Sandy Ground Historical Society
1538 Woodrow Rd., Staten Island
(718) 317-5796Sara Penn/Knobkerry
211 W. Broadway (at Franklin St.)
Tues.-Sat., noon-7:00 p.m.;
Sun., 1:00-6:00 p.m.
(212) 925-1865Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture
New York Public Library
515 Malcolm X Blvd.
Mon.-Wed., noon-6:00 p.m.; Thurs.-Sat., 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.
Free admission, donation suggested
(212) 491-2200651, An Arts Center
at BAM Majestic Theater
651 Fulton St., Brooklyn
(718) 636-4181; (212) 984-5370
(to confirm reservations)Skoto Gallery
25 Prince St. (between Elizabeth and Mott streets)
Tues.-Fri., 4:30-8:00 p.m.; Sat.-Sun., noon-8:00 p.m.
(212) 226-8519Skylight Gallery of the Center for Art and Culture of Bedford Stuyvesant
Restoration Plaza
1368 Fulton St. (between Brooklyn and New York avenues), 3rd fl., Brooklyn
Tues.-Fri., 11:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m.
Suggested donation, $2
(718) 636-6900S.O.B.'s (Sounds of Brazil)
204 Varick St. (at Houston St.)
(212) 243-4940Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
1071 5th Ave. (at 88th St.)
Sun.-Wed., 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.; Fri., Sat., 10:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m.
(212) 423-3500The South African-American Organization
333 E. 38th St., 9th fl.
(212) 557-9580Staten Island Children's Museum
1000 Richmond Terr.,
Staten Island
Tues.-Sun., noon-5:00 p.m.
$4 adults, children over 2
(718) 273-2060The Studio Museum in Harlem
144 W. 125th St. (between Lenox and 7th avenues)
Wed.-Fri., 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.; Sat., Sun., 1:00-6:00 p.m.
$5 adults, $3 children and seniors, $1 children under 12
(212) 864-4500United Nations Development Program
at The Peter B. Lewis Theater of The Sackler Center for Arts Education, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
(212) 906-5315William Wright Gallery
116 W. Houston St.
Tues.-Sat., 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
(212) 674-6379
XALAM-African Music and Film
275 Washington Ave., Brooklyn
(718) 398-8757; (212) 678-2445The programs featured in this brochure are listed chronologically and by type of event. Since dates and times may change, please call ahead. Addresses of organizations are in Manhattan unless otherwise noted.
Exhibitions
Through June 2
Skoto Gallery
At the Foreground of Paths
African American, African, Caribbean, and Brazilian art is featured in an exhibition that was organized with G. R. N'namdi Gallery, Birmingham, Michigan.Through June 23
Central Park Conservatory:
The Charles A. Dana Discovery Center
Help Design Frederick Douglass Circle
The Central Park Conservatory and Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, Smithsonian Institution organized this exhibition of drawings and models by community residents for the reconfiguration of Frederick Douglass Circle. Reproductions of Douglass's writ ings from the Gilder Lehrman Collection and the Pierpont Morgan Library are also on view.
Through June 29William Wright Gallery
Insights: Four Artists from South Africa
A group exhibition of works by Kay Hassan, Trevor Makhoba, Karel Nel, and Sue Williamson. Earth and Fire: An Exhibition of Fine Hand-Coiled African Pottery is also on view at the gallery.
Through June 30The Newark Museum
Ceramic Gestures: New Vessels by Magdelene Odundo
Ceramic artist Magdelene Odundo, who was born in Kenya and lives in England, exhibits 16 works that integrate African, British, and Native American ceramic traditions.
Through July 12Pace Primitive
African Masterpieces from Private Collections
Through July 28National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution
Seydou Keita, Photographer: Portraits from Bamako, Mali
Seydou Keita, who made his first photographs in 1945, taught himself how to compose and print images. This exhibition presents 25 of the artist's evocative portraits.
Through Aug.Richard Meyer Gallery
On view are 250 objects from the Dogon and Bamana cultures of Mali.
Through Aug. 16Caribbean Cultural Center
Struggle and Serenity: The Visionary Art of Elizabeth Catlett
Elizabeth Catlett's career spanned six decades and was influenced by traditional African art, the Harlem Renaissance, pre-Columbian art of Mexico, and Mexican murals of the 1930s. A panel discussion will be held in conjunction with the exhibition; call (2 12) 307-7420 for information.
Through Aug. 18National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution
Crowning Achievements: African Arts of Dressing the Head
Contemporary African hats, headdresses, and hairstyles reveal how the dynamic art of personal adornment can transform one's identity and even life. The exhibition was organized by the Fowler Museum of Cultural History, University of California, Los Angele s.
Through Sept. 8Museum of American Folk Art
An American Treasury: Quilts from the Museum of American Folk Art
This country's cultural diversity is reflected in our quiltmaking traditions; for example, the African American quilts in this exhibition fuse African and local cultures. Curators Elizabeth Warren and Sharon Eisenstat also present examples of whole-cloth, chintz, signature and album, and appliqué quilts.
Through Sept. 8The Museum for African Art
Memory: Luba Art and the Making of History
Luba art and culture flourished in Central Africa from the 17th to 19th centuries. This presentation of over 100 objects-memory boards, thrones, staffs, ceremonial weapons, and divination instruments-explores how art can affect memory and history.
Through Sept. 29Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
In/sight: African Photographers, 1940 to the Present
Thirty ethnically and geographically diverse African photographers employ, critique, and exploit notions of photographic truth concerning African representation through portraiture, photojournalism, and installation art.
Through Oct. 30Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture
The Schomburg Legacy: Documenting the Global Black Experience for the 21st CenturyCommemorating the Centennial of the New York Public Library and the 70th anniversary of Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, diverse creative expressions of people of African descent are celebrated through a range of African sculpture, textiles , jewelry, and utilitarian items.
June 2-Sept. 14
Skylight Gallery of the Center for Art and Culture of Bedford Stuyvesant
Under One Sun
The art of Guyanese artists Bernadette I. Persaud and Dudley Charles demonstrates cultural diversity.
June 4-29Sara Penn/Knobkerry
The elaborately decorated costumes worn in performances by the Egungun people of Yoruba were thought to bear the spirits of ancestors. Gona, a related exhibition at the gallery, displays carved-redwood figures used in divination rituals.
Spirits and Ancestors
June 5-July 28Museum of American Folk Art
On view at the Baltimore Museum of Art
Signs and Symbols: African Images in African-American Quilts from the Rural SouthGuest curator Maude Southwell Wahlman's selection of rural southern quilts shows how contemporary African American quilts synthesize traditional African forms and images from daily life.
June 7-Aug. 27Skoto Gallery
El Anatsui and Sol LeWitt:
Drawings and Sculpture
Ghanaian sculptor El Anatsui uses the power saw and blowtorch to express the realities of African life in wall panels and installations. His visual calligraphy-derived from African symbols, ideograms, and pictographs-suggests Africa's past and present. Th e exhibition also features sculptures, drawings, and other works by Conceptual artist Sol LeWitt.
June 7-Sept. 29
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
Africa: The Art of a Continent
Artistic traditions of the entire African continent are represented by more than 500 works of art-from sculpture and mural painting to ceremonial pieces, ceramics, jewelry, and textiles. The earliest object is more than 1.6 million years old; the most rec ent works were created by artists of this century. The exhibition was organized by the Royal Academy of Arts, London, in association with the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum.June 16-June 30
The Studio Museum in Harlem
Artworks in Education: Through a Child's Eye
The Studio Museum in Harlem and the Fund for New York City Public Education present artworks by children from the Studio Museum and local public schools. Free admission.
FilmThrough June 2
The Brooklyn Museum
This year's festival offers 17 films by leading African filmmakers, including Bassek Ba Kobhio, Drissa Touré, and Issa Traoré. Directors and other speakers discuss the films at many of the screenings. Tickets are $6; $4 for members, students , seniors, and children.
Third Annual African Film FestivalJune 1
2:00 p.m.
Totor
(1994, Daniel Kamwa, Cameroon)
June 2
2:00 p.m.
I Am the Future
(1994, Godwin Mawuru, Zimbabwe)June 11-Aug. 27
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Documentary-Film Series
Films include Tutankhamen's Egypt, Parts 1-13; Repercussions: Traditional Music from the Gambia; African Carving: A Dogon Kanaga Mask; Spite: An African Prophet Healer; and Togo Na and Cheko: Change and Continuity in the Art of Mali. Call (212) 570-3788 f or times.June 18-Sept. 11
Tues., Wed., 3:00, 6:30 p.m.The Peter B. Lewis Theater of The Sackler Center for Arts Education, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
African Film Festival
African films supplement two Guggenheim exhibitions, Africa: The Art of a Continent and In/sight: African Photographers, 1940 to the Present. Postcolonial African cinema is the subject of a panel discussion.June 19-July 31
Mon., 10:30 p.m.Newark Public Library
Newark Black Film Festival
The Newark Museum presents the 22nd season of a film festival featuring the history and culture of black people in America and elsewhere. Free admission.
TheaterThrough June 30
Tues.-Sat., 8:00 p.m.;
Sat., Sun., 2:30 p.m.;
Sun., 7:00 p.m.Manhattan Theater Club
Valley Song
Athol Fugard wrote and produced this acclaimed play reflecting his optimistic view of postapartheid South Africa. Tickets for all performances are $45.Music and Dance
Through June
Sandy Ground Historical Society
Shirley Ingram Musical Heritage
This series features jazz, opera, soul, and gospel music.Through Aug. 3
The Joyce Theater
Many Visions, Many Voices: African American Dance Artists at the Joyce
Performances by Balè Teatro Castro Alves, Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company, Alonzo King's LINES, and Bebe Miller Company.June 1
6:30-8:00 p.m.
The Museum for African Art
African Sound and Culture
Senegalese griot or "storyteller" Vieux Diop performs with his band using the kora, a West African harp, and other traditional instruments.June 1
8:00, 11:00 p.m.
651, An Arts Center
Les Go de Koteba,Tabou Combo, and Papa Jube
At 8:00 p.m., the women of Les Go de Koteba perform music from Côte d'Ivoire; Haiti's Tabou Combo kicks off at 11:00 p.m. with calypso, merengue, salsa, and funk rhythms; then New Jersey's Papa Jube fuses hip-hop, rhythm and blues, and traditional Ha itian rhythms. Tickets range from $10 to $20.June 4-9
8:00 p.m.
The Joyce Theater
Alonzo King's LINES
The Joyce presents an evening of contemporary ballet.June 6
8:30 p.m.
Aaron Davis Hall at City College, Theater B
Les Go de Koteba
Matte, Sangho, and Niama, from Côte d'Ivoire, perform songs and dances accompanied by music. Tickets are $12.June 6-Aug. 15
noon, 1:00 p.m.
BAM Outside: Music at MetroTech
The Brooklyn Academy of Music and MetroTech Center present free outdoor concerts by Jerry Gonzalez and the Fort Apache Band, Loup Garou Zydeco, Buckwheat Zydeco, and others. Call (718) 636-4100 for more information.June 6-Sept. 26
El Museo del Barrio
Música at El Museo
On Thursday evenings, El Museo del Barrio celebrates the musical legacy of Africa as it survives today in the Caribbean and New York. Listen and dance to mambo, salsa, merengue, bomba, and plena. Call (212) 831-7272 for information.June 8
Sandy Ground Historical Society
Gospel for the Harlem Renaissance
Tickets for a performance by Ujamaa Black Theater are $10; $5 for children, students, and seniors.June 8
6:30-8:00 p.m.
The Museum for African Art
Dance and Music of
Daily Life
Paul Kengmo & Nzempiah perform traditional music and stories from Cameroon.June 8
7:30 p.m.June 9
3:00 p.m.
Aaron Davis Hall at City College, Marian Anderson Theater
Ballethnic Dance Company
Atlanta's Ballethnic Dance Company offers an eclectic blend of classical ballet, African dance, and modern and jazz rhythms. Tickets are $18.
June 8, 9
8:00 p.m.
651, An Arts Center
Compagnie Ebène Performs Yenega
Compagnie Ebène, a contemporary African dance group, offers a passionate interpretation of a parable about a princess. It is choreographed by Irene Tassembedo, from Burkina Faso. Mandou Kone sings with the Koko Ensemble. Tickets are from $18 to $28.June 11-23
Tues.-Sat., 8:00 p.m.;
Sun., 2:00, 7:30 p.m.
The Joyce Theater
Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company
June 13
noon, 1:00 p.m.
BAM Outside: Music at MetroTech
Jerry Gonzalez and the Fort Apache Band
June 14, 15
8:00 p.m.
651 at BAM Majestic Theater
Compagnie Azanie Performs A la vue d'un
seul oeil
French African Compagnie Azanie provides a contemporary perspective on the African diaspora with a mélange of modern and traditional dance forms-from African movements to break dancing-in a story about West Indian and Brazilian slaves. Tickets are from $18 to $28.
June 15
6:30-8:00 p.m.
The Museum forAfrican Art
The Past in the Present
African percussion and songs by the Women of Calabash.
June 15-Aug. 7
Central Park SummerStage
World Music Sundays
The City Parks Foundation with the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation present this popular series of free performing arts and musical events. World Music Sundays feature African bands, including Bhangra Bittu, Manu Dibango, Papa Wemba, and j azz diva Cassandra Wilson.
June 22
6:30-8:00 p.m.
The Museum forAfrican Art
Listen Up
Cheryl Byron & Something Positive examine the African griot tradition through music, dance, and audience participation.
June 20
El Museo del Barrio
Música at El Museo
June 29
Sandy Ground Historical Society
Gospel for the Harlem Renaissance
June 29
6:30-8:00 p.m.
The Museum for African Art
Path of Ancestors
Spirit Ensemble, a group of African and African American musicians, explores the artistic legacy of African peoples using traditional instruments, such as djembe, kora, mbira, and rattles.Lectures and Symposia
June 5
8:00 p.m.
The Kitchen
Race in the Americas-North/South
Performance artists Robbie McCauley and Thea Martinez present an evening of readings and discussion on the subject of race. Admission is $10.
June 13
4:00-6:00 p.m.
Bronx Council on the Arts WritersCorps, at Bronx Community College
Arts and Traditions of Africa and the Diaspora
Dr. Geraldyne Diallo moderates a panel discussion with multimedia demonstrations. Free admission.
June 15
3:00 p.m.
The Museum for African Art
Luba Divination Baskets: Personal Insights
Lubangi Muniania draws from his experiences as a teenager to discuss the use of Luba divination baskets as a tool of initiation and a mnemonic device among the Luba and Songye peoples. Free with museum admission.
June 18
6:30 p.m.
Cathedral of St. John the Divine
Public Art and Memorialization
Public-art experts, artists, historians, and community members discuss the memorialization of Frederick Douglass. The event is organized by Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
June 28
5:00-8:00 p.m.
United Nations Development Program, at The Peter B. Lewis Theater of The Sackler Center for Arts Education, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
Africa: Its Culture and Development
UNDP hosts an evening of African films, discussion, and performance. For reservations, call (212) 906-5315. The program is cosponsored by the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ), African American Institute, African-Amicale, African Film Festi val, and the Embassy of Morocco to the United States.
June 29
3:00 p.m.
Skylight Gallery of the Center for Art and Culture of Bedford Stuyvesant
Artists Talk: Bernadette I. Persaud and Dudley Charles
Books and PoetryJune 22
1:00 p.m.
Museum of American Folk Art
Book Signing
Artist Faith Ringgold, who uses formal qualities of quiltmaking in her work, signs copies of her latest book for children, Bonjour, Lonnie, published by Hyperion.
June 23
3:00-5:00 p.m.
A Gathering of Tribes
Poetry Reading
A reading by poets whose words reflect African influences. Poets include Paul Beatty, Darius James, Traci Morris, Ishmael Reed, and Edwin Torres.
Family ProgramsJune-Sept.
Sat., Sun.
Afrikan Kultural Arts Network
The Gullah Connection: Scenes of the Sea Islands
Marquetta L. Goodwine and David Pleasant lead lectures, workshops, and performances exploring the Gullah and Geechee cultures of Georgia and South Carolina. Admission for each event varies from free to $10.
June-Oct.
Weekends, Wed. afternoons, Mon. holidays, 1:00-4:00 p.m.
The New York Botanical Garden
Family Garden Adventures at the Ruth Rae Howell Family Garden
Visit this authentic Nigerian garden, meet Garden Diplomats, and swap garden folklore, planting tips, and recipes.
June 1
1:00-4:00 p.m.
Museum of American Folk Art
Demonstrations of Continuing Traditions
Women of Color Quilters' Network and other quilting guilds are featured at this event.
June 1
2:00, 3:00 p.m.
The Museum for African Art
The Rainbow Is Nothing but a Sign of Peace
Performer and storyteller Ngoy Kitenge presents an interactive performance for the entire family. Free with museum admission.
June 16
A.M.F.M.
Central Park
Bridging the Gap
The first annual pan-African multicultural family picnic provides regional foods from Africa, music, and other forms of entertainment. For information, call (718) 277-6594.
June 23
2:00 p.m.
The Brooklyn Children's Museum
La Troupe Makandalk Manje Marasa
Families are invited to participate in Manje Marasa, or Feast of the Marasa, a Caribbean tradition that honors children with food, song, dance, and drums.
June 29
2:00 p.m.
The Brooklyn Children's Museum
Ballad of the Black Cowboy
David Pleasant's Riddimathon and choreographer Andrea Woods present an action-packed theatrical performance for the whole family on the Gullah and Geechee cultures.
Workshops and ClassesThrough June 22
Sandy Ground Historical Society
Family Art Workshop
Using symbols and materials from African culture, students make jewelry, paint on canvas, and study African American art. Registration fee is $10 for adults, $5 for children.Through July
Ifetayou Cultural Arts Facility
Art and Dance Classes
Art classes for children in drawing and painting, clay sculpture, or crafts are $100, plus a $25 registration fee. Adult art classes in drawing and painting are $100, plus a $25 registration fee. Dance classes are held on Tues., 7:00-8:30 p.m.; Sat., 3:00 -4:30 p.m. and 5:00-
6:30 p.m. Each class is $10.
Beginning June 3On-line
New School for Social Research
Origins of African American Religious and Social Thought
John Saillant teaches a course
(no. 0304) that focuses on how African American resistance to slavery led to abolition, the emergence of independent black churches, and the leadership of David Walker and Frederick Douglass. The course is $330, plus a $15 registration fee.
Beginning June 4
Tues., Thurs., 5:50-7:35 p.m.
New School for Social Research
Venture into West African Art
Jenny L. McNutt provides insight into the creation and function of art in West Africa. The course (no. 0719) explores village masking ceremonies, "glo glos" ghettos, and other urban phenomena. The course is $330, plus a $15 registration fee.
Beginning June 4
Tues., Thurs., 5:50-7:35 p.m.
New School for Social Research
Black Athena: Ancient History and Modern Historiography
Jacques D. Berlinerbau examines Martin Bernal's controversial book Black Athena: The Afroasiatic Roots of Classical Civilization in a course (no. 0221) that evaluates the contribution of African and Middle Eastern cultures to the development of Greek civi lization and historiography. The course is $330, plus a $15 registration fee.
June 14
4:00-6:00 p.m.
New York City Board of Education, at Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture
This free workshop teaches educators of grades 4-12 to effectively use African-American Heritage: A Resource Guide for Teachers. Participants receive a copy of the book. Call Evelyn Kalibala for information at (718) 935-3984.June 19
6:00-7:00 p.m.
New School for Social Research
Collecting African Art
Individuals present slides and offer personal perspectives on collecting African art. This course (no. 0121) was prompted by the exhibition Africa: The Art of a Continent at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. Panelists include Marc Ginzberg, collector and lender to the Guggenheim exhibition; Dr. Werner Muensterberger, collector of African art, psychoanalyst, and author of Collecting: An Unruly Passion; and Eric Robertson, art dealer and African art expert. Admission is $5.
For ChildrenThrough Oct.
Weekends, Mon. holidays,
1:00-4:00 p.m.
The New York Botanical Garden
Children's Corner
Children create crafts inspired by African designs, plant seeds to bring home, and learn about Earth.June 8, 9
11:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.
The Brooklyn Museum
ArtyFacts
A gallery visit and art workshop for children ages 4-7 and the adults accompanying them. Explore "Everyday Objects" from the museum's African collection--from carved doors and house-posts to ladders and headrests. Children create objects to take home. Fre e with museum admission.
June 17-Aug. 17
Children's Museum of Manhattan
Celebrate Africa
Children's Museum of Manhattan offers daily workshops for children on African themes. Children play African instruments, such as kalimba and djembe, and participate in a circle of tubano and bendir African drums. Children also learn the ancient African ga me of mancala and construct hats, quilts, and collages.June 19-July 31
Wed., 1:00 p.m.
The Newark Museum,
Billy Johnson Auditorium
Children's Film FestivalJune 22
1:00, 3:00 p.m.
Children's Museum of Manhattan
Feets of Rhythm Perform
Nadia Dieudonne and her troupe of young dancers perform traditional and contemporary African dances. Following the performances, at 1:30 and 3:30 p.m., children and adults are invited to participate in an African dance and movement workshop.
School ProgramsThrough June
Tues.-Fri., 9:30, 11:00 a.m.
The Newark Museum
Trans-Saharan Trade: Goods, Ideas, and Designs
This program explores exotic sites on trade routes that crossed the Sahara Desert for more than a thousand years, examines the influence of the Islamic religion, and tracks down products and artistic practices shared by regions north and south of the Saha ra. Free admission to Newark schools.Special Events
June 6-8
651, An Arts Center,
at St. Moritz Hotel; Tishman Hall, New York University
Inroads/Africa, An International Conference on the Performing Arts of Africa
Artists, scholars, and arts professionals from Africa and the U.S. come together to discuss the performing arts of Africa. The conference offers panel discussions, performances, and artist presentations. Highlights include "Encounter with a Continent," a panel discussion led by Professor J. H. Kwabena Nketia, Director of the International Center of African Music and Dance, University of Ghana; and "Continuity/
Discontinuity," a conversation among distinguished scholars and artists, such as Molefi Asante, Amiri Baraka, Thulani Davis, Leonard Goines, Jawale Willa, and Jo Zollar. Inroads/Africa is partially sponsored by 651, An Arts Center, Arts International/IIE, Meet the Composer, and the Department of Africana Studies at New York University. Conference fees are $350 for organizations; $250 for individuals; and $100 for students and seniors. Admission to specific sessions and single days is available. To registe r, call Miriam Gonzalez Acosta of Arts International at (212) 984-5370.June 29
Sandy Ground Historical Society
Annual Spring Festival
A festival of food and entertainment celebrating African culture and history. For vendor information, call (718) 317-5796.Exhibitions
July 17-Sept. 15
The Studio Museum in Harlem
Ceremony of Spirit:
Nature and Memory in Contemporary Latino Art
Contemporary Latino artists use nature to evoke a history of migration, exile, and reclamation in an exhibition curated by Amalia Mesa Baina of the Mexican Art Museum, San Francisco.July 19-Sept. 28
The Bronx Museum
Petrona Morrison and Veronica Ryan: Sculptural Works
Caribbean artists reflect the spirit of Africa in totemic assemblages and containerlike structures.Music and Dance
July 1
8:30 p.m. (gates open 1:30 p.m.)
Central Park SummerStage
Jamaican Spoken WordJuly 11
noon, 1:00 p.m.
BAM Outside: Music at MetroTech
Speedo and the CadillacsJuly 11
El Museo del Barrio
Música at El MuseoJuly 14
3:00 p.m. (gates open 1:30 p.m.)
Central Park SummerStage
South African Music ConcertJuly 18
noon, 1:00 p.m.
BAM Outside: Music at MetroTech
Loup Garou ZydecoJuly 21
3:00 p.m. (gates open 1:30 p.m.)
Central Park SummerStage
Jamaican/Haitian Music ConcertJuly 22-27
The Joyce Theater
PhiladancoJuly 25
noon, 1:00 p.m.
BAM Outside: Music at MetroTech
Martha Reeves and the Vandellas (with the Uptown Horns)
July 25
El Museo del Barrio
Música at El MuseoJuly 28
3:00 p.m. (gates open 1:30 p.m.)
Central Park SummerStage
Music of Brazil and AfricaJuly 29-Aug. 3
The Joyce Theater
Balè Teatro Castro Alves
These Brazilian dancers combine classical ballet, the movement and music of ancient Africa, and their own colorful Bahian culture.
Lectures and SymposiaJuly 11, 18, 25
6:00 p.m.
Bronx Council on the Arts
WritersCorps at the Point CDC
Exploring African History through the Arts
Steven Sapp and Wayne Providence explore how African art forms-from storytelling to songs-are passed down through history. Admission is $5.Family Programs
July 6
2:00-3:00 p.m.
The Museum for African Art
Luba Dance Workshop
Elumba Kabongo demonstrates the connection between the human heartbeat and the African drumbeat. Free with museum admission.
July 19
6:30 p.m.
The Brooklyn Children's Museum
Feel the Spirit! Ebony Ecumenical Choir
The young members of the Ebony Ecumenical Choir entertain and enlighten audiences with African rhythms and gospel music.For Children
July 6-Aug. 31
Staten Island Children's Museum
African Art Workshops
Thursday workshops are from 2:00-4:00 p.m.; Saturday workshops are at 1:00, 2:00, and 3:00 p.m. The $2 fee pays for materials.
July 8-Aug. 16
Mon.-Fri.
Ifetayou Cultural Arts Facility
Summer Culture Camp
Ifetayou provides programs and services designed to empower people of African descent. The organization celebrates cultural diversity and actively promotes stable communities through programs in health and wellness, cultural arts, and sports and recreatio n. The Summer Culture Camp is for children and youths ages 3-17. Call for more information.July 9-Aug. 2
Tues.-Fri., 10:00 a.m.-noon
The Newark Museum
Junior Museum Summer Studio Workshop
A workshop for young people ages 3-16 exploring African art and related topics. Call (201) 596-6606 for information.July 11, 13
Staten Island Children's Museum
African Gold
Make wearable treasure inspired by goldsmiths of Ghana, Mali, and Senegal.July 13
Children's Museum of Manhattan
Spirit Ensemble
Spirit Ensemble performs, invites audience participation, and provides historical insight into African instruments. The mbira, or thumb piano, workshop is at
11:00 a.m.; the rattle program is at 2:00 p.m. Performances are at
1:00 and 3:00 p.m. Admission is $5.July 14
2:00 p.m.
Staten Island Children's Museum
Stories from Africa
Storyteller Ben Jacobs leads children to Africa, home of Anansi the Spider and Aesop.July 15-Aug. 26
Mon.-Thurs., 10:00-11:00 a.m.; 11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m.;
1:15-3:15 p.m.The Children's Art Carnival
Riverbank State Park
Children Celebrate Africa
African themes inform workshops for children ages 4-7 and 8-13 on painting, printmaking, toy-making, and banner-making. Reservations are required one week in advance for groups. The program is $5 for individual students with parents, and $60 per group.
July 18, 20
Staten Island Children's Museum
Magic Talisman
Children create charmed objects with shells, nails, string, and other materials.July 20-28
11:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
The Bronx Zoo
African Encounter
Visitors embark on a journey through an African landscape filled with lions, giraffes, okapi, zebras, and cheetahs. The adventure includes performances by African dancers and drummers, face-painting, and conversations with wildlife keepers. Free with zoo admission.
July 22-Aug. 23
Mon.-Thurs., 1:00-3:00 p.m.
The Children's Art Carnival
Hamilton Terrace
Celebrate Africa through a Child's Eye: An Exhibition
Reservations are required for this exhibition-event presenting children's art inspired by Egyptian and West African imagery. Groups are limited to 30 children. Parents are encouraged to attend. Contribution of $2 per session.July 25, 27
Staten Island Children's Museum
African Painted Architecture
Children decorate an entire room with traditional African patterns.
Special EventsJuly 3-7
10:00 a.m.-midnight
International African Arts Festival
Kawaida!
In celebration of kawaida (Kiswahili for "tradition and reason"), this year's festival provides a wide range of entertainment by both internationally recognized and emerging artists. Children's activities involve storytellers, mimes, puppets, basketball p layers, dancers, drummers, magicians, and face-painters. Admission is $7, with discounts for children and seniors.
International African Arts Festival: Evening PerformancesJuly 3
10:00 p.m.
Burning SpearJuly 4
9:00 p.m.
Boukman EksperyansJuly 5
10:00 p.m.
Hugh MasekelaJuly 6
9:00 p.m.
George ColemanJuly 7
9:00 p.m.
David RudderExhibitions
Aug. 7-Sept. 10
Skoto Gallery
African Art
Aug. 17-Oct. 27
The Newark Museum
Feeling the Spirit: Searching the World for the People of Africa
An exhibition of 97 black-and-white photographs by Chester Higgins, staff photographer for the New York Times since 1975, who has traveled to over 30 countries to create a collective portrait of people of Africa and of African descent through their celebr ations, spiritual ceremonies, and daily life.Music and Dance
Aug. 2
Apollo Theater Foundation
Forces of Nature Dance Theater Company Performs Ancestral Earths
The fusion of African and Native American cultures is explored in this trilogy by Abdel R. Salaam. For information, call (212) 222-0992.
Aug. 8
El Museo del Barrio
Música at El MuseoAug. 15
noon, 1:00 p.m.
BAM Outside: Music at MetroTech
Buckwheat ZydecoAug. 22
El Museo del Barrio
Música at El Museo
Lectures and SymposiaAug. 1, 8, 15, 22
6:00 p.m.
Bronx Council on the Arts
WritersCorps at the Point CDC
Exploring African History through the Arts
Family ProgramsAug. 2
6:30 p.m.
The Brooklyn Children's Museum
Forces of Nature Dances
Families feel nature's balance and harmony in these traditional and contemporary dances of Africa.Aug. 9
6:30 p.m.
The Brooklyn Children's Museum
Medicine Man
Medicine man Yousef Waliyaya performs and encourages young drummers to connect with the forces of well-being.Aug. 17
2:00-3:00 p.m.
The Museum for African Art
Thumb-Piano Making
Hassan Bakaar and Kevin Nathaniel teach the making of Central and South African musical instruments. Free with museum admission.Aug. 23
6:30 p.m.
The Brooklyn Children's Museum
Healing Voices
African, African American, Caribbean, Hindu, and Native American rhythms permeate this performance for families.
For ChildrenAug. 1, 3
Staten Island Children's Museum
Heads of African Kings and Queens
Children model and decorate clay heads.Aug. 8, 10
Staten Island Children's Museum
African Textile Painting
Print African patterns on T-shirts and textiles.
Aug. 15, 17
Staten Island Children's Museum
Giant African Plank Masks
Children create black and white masks from cardboard and paint.Aug. 17
1:00, 3:00 p.m.
Children's Museum of Manhattan
Performance by the Asante Company
Skukaba mask dance, griot, and drum playing are featured in these performances. Workshops in African instrument-making are held at 12:30 and 3:30 p.m.Aug. 22, 24
Staten Island Children's Museum
Face Painting and Body Art
Children paint African patterns on their faces and bodies.Aug. 29, 30
Staten Island Children's Museum
African Animal DecorationSpecial Events
Aug. 15-18
Harlem WeekMuseum of the City of New York and El Museo del Barrio celebrate East Harlem history and culture.
Aug. 15
6:00 p.m.
El Museo del Barrio
Free Outdoor ConcertAug. 16
2:00 pm
Inside East Harlem
Visit El Sitio Feliz community garden, a local artist's studio, and other notable sites on this free tour.Aug. 17
11:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.
Celebrate East Harlem
A day filled with activities for the entire family, from mural-making and chalk drawing to stickball.Aug. 18
1:00 p.m.
East Harlem Tour
A two-hour tour led by historian Seth Kamil exploring East Harlem, with stops along the way at La Marqueta, Vito Marcantonio's childhood home, and Schomburg Plaza. The tour is $9; $7 for members, students, and seniors.
ExhibitionsSept. 15-Aug. 25
The Studio Museum in Harlem
The Listening Sky, An Inaugural Exhibition of the Studio Museum in Harlem Sculpture Garden
The Listening Sky inaugurates the nation's first museum sculpture garden dedicated to works by artists of African descent. The exhibition features sculpture by 12 artists, including Elizabeth Catlett, Barbara Chase-Riboud, Melvin Edwards, Richard Hunt, an d John Outterbridge, and was curated by Jorge Venenciano, Associate Curator of Exhibitions, Studio Museum in Harlem.Sept. 18, 1996-Jan. 2, 1997
National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution
Ceramic Gestures: New Vessels by Magdelene Odundo
Magdelene Odundo brings a contemporary sensibility to the interpretation of traditional African container forms. The University Art Museum, University of California, Santa Barbara, organized this exhibition of her recent works.Sept. 26-Dec.
Richard Meyer Gallery
Recent Acquisitions from Côte d'IvoireSept. 26, 1996-Jan. 12, 1997
El Museo del Barrio
El Portafolios en la Gráfica Puertorriqueña (The Portfolio in Puerto Rican Graphics)
The innovative development of the print portfolio in Puerto Rico during the 1950s transformed the graphic arts there by allowing artists to create coherent narratives through series of prints. Teresa Tío, of El Museo de las Américas, San Jua n, curated this exhibition of 500 print portfolios, many of which visually celebrate the African presence in Puerto Rico.Theater
Sept. 16,17
8:00 p.m.
The Peter B. Lewis Theater of The Sackler Center for Arts Education, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
Wole Soyinka's The Beatification of Area Boy
Nobel Prize-winning Nigerian playwright Wole Soyinka will attend a presentation and discussion of selected excerpts from his play, which describes a sad and happy day in busy downtown Lagos. Tickets are $20; $15 for members, seniors, and students.
Music and Dance
Sept. 12, 26
El Museo del Barrio
Música at El MuseoLectures and Symposia
Sept. 7, 8
10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
The Peter B. Lewis Theater
of The Sackler Center for Arts Education, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum;The Museum for African Art
Across the Sahara: Africa North and South
Scholars from many fields explore links between peoples and civilizations north and south of the Sahara. This special two-day symposium was organized by the Museum for African Art and the Studio Museum in Harlem. Free with museum admission. For informatio n, call (212) 423-3587.Sept. 11
12:30 p.m
Lehman College Art Gallery
Masterpieces of Western and Central African Art at the Guggenheim
Dr. George A. Corbin, Professor of Art History at Lehman College and CUNY Graduate Center and author of Native Arts of North America, Africa, and the South Pacific: An Introduction analyzes the art of Western and Central Africa. Free admission.Sept. 11
7:00-8:30 p.m.
The Bronx Museum of the Arts
Gallery Talk
Mora Byrd, guest curator of Petrona Morrison and Veronica Ryan: Sculptural Works, and artist Veronica Ryan lead a discussion and interactive tour of the exhibition. Free admission.Sept. 12
7:00 p.m.
Bard Center for Curatorial Studies, at Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture
Installation Issues in African Art: The Manipulation of Space or the Manipulation of History?
Curators, exhibition designers, and scholars debate the complex question of how to present African art in a modern Western museum environment. Kwame Anthony Appiah and Dorothy Desir-Davis moderate the discussion. Call (212) 491-2265 for ticket information .Sept. 18
6:00 p.m.
Columbia University, School of Public Health
Women's Health in Africa: What Does the West Have to Offer?
Faculty members of the Columbia School of Public Health discuss women's health in Africa. Panelists include Lynn Freedman, Deborah Maine, Allan Rosenfield, and Nahid Toubia. Admission is $10. For reservations, call (212) 305-179 3.Sept. 19
6:00 p.m.
The South African-American Organization
Reconstruction, Development, Black Empowerment in Democratic South Africa
How does the new South Africa affect small business entrepreneurs, competition, privatization, education, and investment opportunities? The panel will include experts and scholars from the South African Development Program, the African-American Institute, the South African-American Organization, and other institutions. South African refreshments are served. Admission is $10, $5 for members.Sept. 20
7:00 p.m.
Sept. 21
10:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Location to be announced
The Peter B. Lewis Critical Issues Forum:
The Identity of Africa?
For the inaugural Peter B. Lewis Critical Issues Forum, Cornel West, Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Kwame Anthony Appiah, and other scholars probe the cultural and political forces reshaping Africa. The fee for both sessions is $15 for adults; $10 for students a nd seniors; and free for members. The program is presented in collaboration with Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. For information and reservations, call (212) 423-3587.Sept. 29
2:00 p.m.
Queens Museum of Art
Contemporary African Artists: Living Between Cultures
Robert Craddock, Curator at Jamaica Arts Center, moderates a discussion among African artists currently living in New York City on cultural influences in the creative process. Suggested donation, $3 for adults; $1.50 for children and seniors. Children und er 5 and members admitted free. For information, call (718) 592-9700. Sponsored by the Jamaica Arts Center, Langston Hughes Community Library and Culture Center, and Queens Museum of Art.
Workshops and ClassesBeginning Sept. 14
New School for Social Research
African and African American Independent Film Production
Kabu Okai Davies coordinates this in-depth examination of opportunities in the film industry for African Americans and Africans. The course includes a seminar on the influence that Africa and African filmmakers have had on films by African Americans.For Children
Sept. 7
2:00-3:00 p.m.
The Museum for African Art
African Songs and Games
Children learn traditional African songs and games. Free with museum admission.
ExhibitionsOct. 4, 1996-Jan. 5, 1997
The Museum for African Art
Art of the Baga: A Drama of Cultural Re-Invention
The magnificent art of the Baga of Guinea, West Africa, is comprehensively considered for the first time in an exhibition of 100 objects, including drums, masks, headdresses, and small personal items, that reflect a people's struggle to preserve its cultu ral traditions.Oct. 10, 1996-Feb. 2, 1997
Caribbean Cultural Center
Transforming the Crown: African, Asian and Caribbean Artists in Britain, 1966-1996
British artists of African and Asian descent transform the culture they live in and reflect social and political events in their art.Oct. 30, 1996-Feb. 23, 1997
National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution
Memory: Luba Art and the Making of History
TheaterOct. 9-12
8:00 p.m.
October 13
3:00 p.m.
Brooklyn Academy of Music
The Beatification of Area Boy
Cast members from the premiere of Wole Soyinka's play in England will participate in this full-length production.
Lectures and SymposiaOct. 5
2:30-5:30 p.m.
Foundation for African-American Women and the Crystal Quilt
Speaking through Our Hands: The Art of Black Master Craftswomen
Three educators and interpreters of black culture-Peggie Hartwell, narrative quiltmaker and demonstrator; Ed Johnetta Miller, weaver and designer of wearable art; and Sahyini Morningstar, folklorist and puppetmaker-discuss their work and lives as artists and craftswomen.Oct. 10
6:30 p.m.
Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, Smithsonian Institution
African Design
Designers Sharnee Algotsson and Denys Davis discuss African and Western design and sign copies of their book The Spirit of African Design. Admission is $15; $10 for members; and $5 for students.Oct. 17
Caribbean Cultural Center
Panel Discussion
Artists and critics discuss the exhibition Transforming the Crown: African, Asian and Caribbean Artists in Britain, 1966-1996.
African Burial Ground and Five Points Archaeological Projects
The African Burial Ground Project analyzes and reconstructs skeletal remains of ancestral Africans discovered in lower Manhattan. Burial-ground tours, slide presentations, lab tours, symposia, and workshops are offered.African Connection TV
Channel 69
On Saturdays at 8:00 p.m., Abu Kane hosts this program on the music and cultures of Africa.Afropop Worldwide
WNYC-FM 93.9
Producer Sean Barlow explores music from around the world.American Museum of Natural History
Akeley Hall of African Mammals
Carl Akeley, who collected, studied, and catalogued the disappearing plants and animals of Africa, created these twenty-eight celebrated dioramas.
Hall of African Peoples
This display of very distinct environments-from desert to tropical rain forest to fertile river valleys-reflects the cultural diversity of geographical areas.
The Brooklyn Museum
The Arts of Africa
From one of the strongest collections of African art in the country come hundreds of works from sub-Saharan African cultures.Cavin-Morris
Specializing in art by self-taught artists, tribal art, and pre-Columbian art, Cavin-Morris represents artists from Ethiopia, Mali, and the southern U.S.Contemporary African Art Gallery
This gallery features various arts of Africa, including contemporary Padouk furniture.Craft Caravan
Wrapping Africa: Traditional Aspects of the Kuba, Yoruba, and Kente Cloths
Hand-woven African tribal textiles-as well as artifacts, furniture, jewelry, and sculptures-are celebrated in three exhibitions.
The Discovery Channel
The Discovery Channel regularly features programs on Africa, including Ancient Warriors: The Zulus (June 3 and 9); Pyramids and the Cities of the Pharaohs (June 10 and 15); and Wild Discovery: Crater Lions of Ngorongoro (July 9). Call your local cable sta tion for information.
Fareta: School of Dance and DrumDance and Drum Techniques of Africa and the African Diaspora
Many kinds of dance-including African, sabar, capoeira, hip-hop, Afro-Haitian, and Afro-Cuban-and drum techniques are taught by professional performing artists and drummers from the Caribbean, Latin America, and West Africa. Dance classes cost $10, drum c lasses cost $12. Call (212) 677-6708 for a schedule.
Meet the Artist
On Sundays, from 2:00-3:00 p.m., dancers and musicians perform and then discuss the personal concerns and cultural traditions that influence them. Sessions cost $7 for adults; $4 for children and seniors.
Malcolm Shabazz Harlem Mart
Every day of the year, from
9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m., this outdoor market sells African arts, clothing, crafts, food, and jewelry. Fifteen countries are represented, including Côte d'Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Mali, Nigeria, and Senegal. Special appearances and performan ces are scheduled during summer weekends. Tour groups get discount rates on merchandise and meals at local African restaurants. For reservations, call Alassane Diop at (212) 987-8131.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gallery for African Art, The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing
Benenson Gallery
The Met's extensive collection of art from the African continent spans diverse cultures from ancient times to the present. This summer, the newly renovated Benenson Gallery displays approximately 400 works from nearly all regions of sub-Saharan Africa. Es pecially noteworthy is the Benin collection of 70 cast-brass and worked-ivory sculptures and adornments dating from the 16th to 20th centuries.
Mind Builders Creative Arts Center
In-Center Arts Instruction
Mind Builders Creative Arts Center emphasizes Afrocentric contributions to world culture through community services and educational programs, such as Positive Youth Troupe, a theatrical group for young people that performs original plays, and Community Fo lkways Project, an intergenerational folk-arts program. The center also offers dance and music classes. For more information, call (718) 652-6256.
The Museum for African Art
Satonge Saturdays
Called satonge, Zairean for "event" or "happening," this five-part series on African music, stories, and visual arts, is held from 6:30-
8:00 p.m. Free with museum admission.
Museum of American Folk Art
A Cloth Sings to Me: The Story of Women of Color Network
Producer Esperanza Martinez presents two videotapes on works by artist Faith Ringgold.
National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution
Images of Power and Identity
The major geographical and cultural regions of sub-Saharan Africa are represented in a permanent exhibition of 121 works.
The Art of the Personal Object
The aesthetic value of utilitarian objects is evident in African headrests, snuff containers, pipes, drinking hornfs, and baskets.National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution
Purpose and Perfection: Pottery as a Woman's Art in Central Africa
Central African pottery created by women provides compelling proof of female ancestry in Africa.
The Ancient West African City of Benin, A.D. 1300- 1897
Artisans from the royal court of Benin created these works long before British colonial rule. Cast-metal heads, architectural plaques, and other objects depict a culture that, although modified over time, continues today.
The Ancient Nubian City of Kerma, 2500-1500 B.C.
Forty works from the Boston Museum of Fine Arts focus on Kerma, the oldest non-Egyptian i city in Africa excavated to date. Discoveries from this ancient Kush capital include ceramics, jewelry, and carved-ivory animals.New School for Social Research
Summer courses are being offered in conjunction with the exhibition Africa: The Art of a Continent at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. Call (212) 229-5690 for information.The Newark Museum
Africa: The Arts of Power
A permanent exhibition exploring the relationship between art and power in West Africa. Thirty-minute tours begin at 1:00 p.m. from Wed.-Fri., and at 3:30 p.m. on Sat. and Sun.African Design: Heirs to the Trans-Saharan Trade
An exhibition connecting the histories of northern and sub-Saharan Africa through the arts.Africa: Yesterday and Today
Students learn about West African culture through costumes, musical instruments, games, and a slide presentation. Free for Newark Schools.OAN (Oceanie Afrique Noire)
OAN specializes in publications on the arts, culture, and ethnography of Africa, the Americas, Oceania, and Southeast Asia. It offers a wide selection of recent, out-of-print, and rare books.
Sandy Ground Historical Society
Lecture Series
Prominent African Americans give lectures throughout the year. Call for information.S.O.B.'s (Sounds of Brazil)
Every night at S.O.B.'s, musical programs focus on Africa and the African diaspora. Mondays feature dance instruction-from mambo and merengue to Latin jazz; Tuesdays revive funk vibes of the 1960s; Wednesdays celebrate reggae; Fridays offer contemporary j azz, funk, and soul performances; and an African dance party begins at midnight on Saturdays. Call (212) 243-4940 for information.
XALAM-African Music and FilmThis service agency provides information on the cultural treasures of Africa, particularly its music and films. Books, CDs, and videos are available through mail order.