30th Annual African Festival of the Arts in Chicago
From left: Festival founder Patrick Saingbey-Woodtor, photographer Sonja Hughes, quilter Susan Trice, photographer Kaye Cooksey and collector Diarra Diaby. (Angel Idowu / WTTW News)
"Africa is here and it's a good thing," says Patrick Saingbey-Woodtor, founder of Chicago'south African Festival of the Arts, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this weekend in Washington Park.
The festival was initially created to bring attention to Saingbey-Woodtor's Window to Africa shop and Hyde Park's Harper Courtroom. Information technology has since grown into an annual weekend celebration that draws crowds from across the country with alive music, fine art, nutrient and more than.
"It's grown to the point that it'southward become not just a local, regional, or national event, just international. Nosotros have people coming from South America, Africa and many other places," Saingbey-Woodtor said. "There are vendors that come up here from Africa and stay here for the summer simply to sell their artifacts at the festival."
Diarra Diaby stands next to collected pieces. From left: a ceremonial Yoruba crown, "Female parent and Son" statue, Due south African cooking pot and "Queen Mother" statue. (Angel Idowu / WTTW News)
1 of those vendors is Diarra Diaby, who has been collecting African and African American artifacts for the final 27 years.
"I travel around the United States, every country looking for pieces representative of our culture. Not just African, only African American art all over the globe. Nosotros have to know our history in gild to get a connection. That'south why I collect," said Diaby.
At the festival this weekend, Diaby will display pieces from his collection, including a "Queen Mother" statue from Yoruba, a South African cooking pot and a ceremonial Yoruba crown. The residuum of his collected artifacts can be found at his Chicago studio.
Presented by Saingbey-Woodtor's Africa International House USA, the festival features the same theme each year: the "Spirit of Africa."
"Many of the people who attend similar festivals around the country say this is the most African-axial event that they know of," Saingbey-Woodtor said.
An image from the "Spirit of Africa" exhibition at the Reva and David Logan Eye for the Arts. (Courtesy of Africa International House)
The festival features an African market place where vendors showcase a variety of wares, including handmade fabrics, earrings, hats and collectible artifacts. Two stages feature live music and DJs throughout the weekend. There are also fashion shows, trip the light fantastic toe troupes, interactive spaces for children to explore and a food courtroom offering foods from Africa and the Caribbean, plus Cajun and soul food and more.
In the lead-up to the festival were celebrations aiming to raise its contour beyond the city, including an African dance festival at Navy Pier in July and a quilt created by the Needles and Thread Quilters Guild. The detailed work of fine art features an array of African masks with bright swirls of green, yellow, red and blue. The quilt volition be on display this weekend in the festival's quilting pavilion.
Susan Trice of the Needles and Thread Quilters Gild. (Angel Idowu / WTTW News)
Earlier this month, the festival held its annual "Spirit of Africa" gala at the Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts in Hyde Park. As a community partner, the Logan Center houses the "Spirit of Africa" exhibit in Cafe Logan, featuring pictures going back to the festival's first year. Some were taken by Chicago photographers who have been capturing the effect for as long as they can retrieve.
"It's personal to the South Side of Chicago, considering this is the manner nosotros close downwards the summer," said Chicago photographer Kaye Cooksey.
"It's a time of togetherness," says photographer Sonja Hughes. "It's such a vibrant place, particularly for families."
An image from the "Spirit of Africa" exhibition at the Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts. (Courtesy of Africa International House)
The African Festival of the Arts is open up 1-10 p.m. Friday; and 10 a.m.-ten p.thousand. Sabbatum, Sunday and Monday. Festival admission begins at $xv.
Follow Affections Idowu on Twitter:@angelidowu3
Angel Idowu is the JCS Fund of the DuPage Foundation Arts Correspondent.
Related stories:
eta Creative Arts Foundation names new CEO: Kai EL'Zabar
DJ Booth at 95th Red Line Station Offers More Than Free Music
For 20 Years, Music Center a 'Buoy of Hope' on Chicago's West Side
12 Things to Do This Labor Twenty-four hours Weekend: Aug. 29-Sept. 2
2019 Chicago Summer Festival Guide
dickensoffirest53.blogspot.com
Source: https://news.wttw.com/2019/08/30/african-festival-arts-celebrates-30th-anniversary-labor-day-weekend
0 Response to "30th Annual African Festival of the Arts in Chicago"
Post a Comment