Philadelphia, PA (January 4, 2016) – Graffito Works, a unique platform for dancers and performing artists to create site-specific work, launches its third season at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA), 118-128 North Broad Street, Philadelphia, on Wednesday, January 18, 2017 from 6:00 – 8:30 p.m. with movement inspired by the exhibition Melt/Carve/Forge: Embodied Sculptures by Cassils.
Literally translated as “little scribbles” of movement, Graffito Works offers a non-traditional approach to creating dance – spontaneous, improvisational and collaborative, with a focus on the juxtaposition of bodies moving in space and their inter-relationship with sounds, objects and place. Graffito Works offers audiences an opportunity to experience a transient moment of improvisational dance, which is specific to the place and context in which the movement is created.
The performance is part of the PAFA After Dark series. Every Wednesday PAFA stays open late and hosts a variety of dynamic programming. This spring will feature everything from hands-on art making and panel discussions to lectures and poetry readings. One Wednesday a month PAFA After Dark hosts a themed evening where guests can enjoy live performances, a cash bar, art making and exhibition tours! For a complete list of upcoming events, visit https://www.pafa.org/pafaafterdark
Cassils’ first solo museum exhibition in the United States addresses timely concerns of the often-forgotten violence used daily against transgender bodies. Thinking of their body as raw sculptural material, Cassils shapes their physique through strict physical training regimes in order to perform transgender as a continual process of becoming. Melt/Carve/Forge features the artist’s ground breaking work in photography, video, sculpture, and performance in conversation with PAFA’s 19th century building and historic American art collection.
According to Steven Weisz, Graffito Works’ founder, “Creating improvisational dance reflecting the work of a performance artist, Cassils, is particularly challenging. Given the current political climate, now more than ever, examining gender non-conformity and the painful process of molding oneself physically into the person they perceive themselves to be, takes on even greater significance. Through movement we hope to continue to challenge notions of gender identity and further a much-needed dialog.”
Also See..
- History of the Cabaret Spectacular at Philly's La Peg / FringeArts
- Bartram’s Mile - Schuylkill Banks Recreational Trail
- Chef Kristol Bryant: Sonesta Hotel and Art Bar
- The Rodin Museum To Temporarily Close in January 2017
- Museum of the American Revolution - Historic Philadelphia
