Art
Review: Mitski at Fox Theater
From the moment she walked on stage, there was the distinct atmosphere of watching a play. Mitski looks out into the audience, but she does not speak to them. There is no banter between songs. Only a brief, completely dark pause. Her face displays different emotions for each song — at times longing — other times fierce. Mitski dances with choreography that’s both expressive and abstract. During “Goodbye, My Danish Sweetheart” she plays with a paper airplane, then throws it into the crowd.

Indie-pop musician Mitski played a sold-out show at Oakland’s Fox Theater on March 4. with misunderstood brilliance.
By Sarah Clemens
The Japanese-American musician has been writing self-examining indie-pop for ten years. Her songs are often short and poignant, rarely lasting over three minutes. While Mitski’s early work meshed distortion with drumbeats, her latest offerings are synth-heavy meditations. Recently she’s exploded in popularity, becoming extremely popular on social media platforms like TikTok. She’s now earned the kind of audience that yells, “I love you!” between songs and waits outside in the cold for hours just to see her. These interjections seemed crude, however, juxtaposed with the kind of show Mitski puts on.
From the moment she walked on stage, there was the distinct atmosphere of watching a play. Mitski looks out into the audience, but she does not speak to them. There is no banter between songs. Only a brief, completely dark pause. Her face displays different emotions for each song — at times longing — other times fierce. Mitski dances with choreography that’s both expressive and abstract. During “Goodbye, My Danish Sweetheart” she plays with a paper airplane, then throws it into the crowd. Occasionally, she rolls around on the stage, or mimes knocking on a door. During “Working for the Knife,” she uses the microphone as a prop pretending to slit her own throat.
Mitski has been known as many things; but not a performer. After her TikTok success, Mitski was aligned with the new genre called “sad girl” sound. It’s a vague amorphous collection of female musicians that make downbeat music. “Sad girl” includes Phoebe Bridgers, Clairo, Lana Del Rey, Lorde, and even Taylor Swift. Interpreting Mitski as sad music isn’t entirely false, but it is overly simplistic. To think of Mitski as a perpetually crying, hopelessly devoted blank canvas is to strip her music of artistic value. This interpretation positions Mitski not as an artist, but as a conduit. When we cast aside Mitski’s performance abilities, this is not only a disservice to her, but to ourselves.
Case in point; Mitski’s voice. There is no one who sings quite like Mitski. Her voice swells with every word, creating the kind of transference actors spend years perfecting. During “I Will,” when she warbled “All I want is / Always you / It’s always you,” there was a collective crescendo. It felt as if everyone wanted so deeply, the word “always” was not enough. This is the spellbinding quality at the heart of Mitski’s success; resonance. Fans may be deemed silly for responding so deeply to songs written by someone they don’t know, but that is just a testament to Mitski’s gifts.
At the night’s end, the spell breaks. Mitski speaks for the first time, saying, “Thank you. I love you. Goodnight, stay safe.” Then she runs backstage. The audience erupts into cheers.
Art
Oakland Celebrates Hiero Day 2023, Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop
Thousands of music fans showed up at Oscar Grant Plaza Monday, Sept. 4 to celebrate the 11th annual Hiero Day block party and commemorate the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, featuring the Souls of Mischief, Oakland native Kev Choice, Mister F.A.B. and a special guest appearance by Common.

By Post Staff
Thousands of music fans showed up at Oscar Grant Plaza Monday, Sept. 4 to celebrate the 11th annual Hiero Day block party and commemorate the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, featuring the Souls of Mischief, Oakland native Kev Choice, Mister F.A.B. and a special guest appearance by Common.
Hosted by the City of Oakland and Mayor Sheng Thao, the free event showcased over 30 live performances on three stages, including legendary, underground and undiscovered performers of hip-hop, R&B and other genres.
Souls of Mischief is part of the rap collective Hieroglyphics, which founded Hiero Day and this year celebrated its 30th anniversary.
“HIERO DAY (is) a driving force in the music festival culture in Oakland,” according to event organizers. “The event is widely regarded as a day to celebrate independent hip-hop music and serves as a Labor Day destination being one of the largest hip-hop music gatherings in the Bay Area.”
The event was held at Jack London Square last year, but this year, it moved to the plaza in front of Oakland City Hall, reflecting its new connection with the Mayor’s Office and the City of Oakland.
“I’m so grateful to be here in Oakland,” said Common said after receiving a “heavyweight champion” belt and proclamation from Mayor Thao. “Y’all inspired us … The music, the culture — Hieroglyphics influenced me.”
Said Mayor Thao: “Oakland is the heart of the Bay Area’s music, art and culture scene, and I am so grateful for all the work our Hiero Day organizers did to celebrate it.”
The City of Oakland this year is hosting three events to commemorate the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, including the collaboration with event organizers of Hiero Day. A special event was held on Sept. 10 to honor “50 years of women rooted in hip-hop,” including Pam the Funkstress, the Conscious Daughters, Traci Bartlow, and Mystic and Black.
Art
Thornton Dial: A Visionary Artist Ahead of His Time
Thornton Dial, a pioneering American artist, left an indelible mark on the art world with his expressive and monumental works. Born on Sept. 10, 1928, in Emelle, Alabama, Dial’s artistic journey began in the late 1980s when he gained prominence for his assemblages of found materials, executed on a grand scale.

By Tamara Shiloh
Thornton Dial, a pioneering American artist, left an indelible mark on the art world with his expressive and monumental works. Born on Sept. 10, 1928, in Emelle, Alabama, Dial’s artistic journey began in the late 1980s when he gained prominence for his assemblages of found materials, executed on a grand scale. His works encompass a wide range of subjects, from human rights to natural disasters and current events, reflecting a deep engagement with history and social issues.
Growing up in poverty on a former cotton plantation, Dial was raised by his teenage mother, Mattie Bell. It was his time spent with his second cousin, Buddy Jake Dial, a farmer and sculptor, that ignited his passion for art. Dial’s early experiences of witnessing the art created from everyday objects in people’s yards during his move to Bessemer, Alabama, fascinated him and instilled in him a deep appreciation for craft and creativity.
For many years, Dial worked as a metalworker at the Pullman Standard Plant in Bessemer, Alabama, until its closure in 1981. It was after this that he dedicated himself to his art, creating works for his own pleasure and self-expression.
He encountered Lonnie Holley, an artist who introduced Dial to Atlanta collector and art historian William Arnett. Arnett played a pivotal role in bringing Dial’s work to national prominence, along with other African American vernacular artists, through his efforts as an art historian and the founder of the Souls Grown Deep Foundation.
Dial’s work gained recognition in major cultural institutions and exhibitions, including the 2000 Whitney Biennial. His art resonated with viewers, addressing American sociopolitical issues such as war, racism, bigotry, and homelessness.
Through his assemblages, Dial incorporated a wide array of found materials, creating layered and textured compositions. His use of objects like bones, rope, and scrap metal added depth and symbolism to his works, reflecting the history and struggles of the rural South.
The tiger motif became a prominent symbol in Dial’s art, representing survival and the struggle for civil rights in the United States. Over time, Dial’s work began to be acknowledged as “first-rate, powerful Art” by critics such as Karen Wilkin of The Wall Street Journal. Dial’s unique artistic vision and his ability to merge materials into captivating and meaningful compositions led to his recognition as a contemporary artist.
Dial’s work can be found in notable collections worldwide, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where ten of his works were acquired in 2014. He passed away in 2016, but his legacy lives on, inspiring artists and viewers alike to explore the transformative power of art.
Thornton Dial’s contributions to the art world, his commitment to expressing social issues, and his ability to create captivating compositions from found materials cement his position as a visionary artist ahead of his time.
Source: https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/dial-thornton-1928-2016/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thornton_Dial
Image:
By copyright Jerry Siegel – Original publication: Garden & GunImmediate source: http://gardenandgun.com/article/thornton-dial, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=49514861
Art
Museum of the African Diaspora (MoAD) Receives IMLS Grant to Expand its MoAD in the Classroom Program
The Museum of the African Diaspora (MoAD) in San Francisco has recently been awarded one of 34 Museum Grants for African American History and Culture from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and was one of only two organizations to receive the full $500,000 award amount this year.

By Nina Sazevich
The Museum of the African Diaspora (MoAD) in San Francisco has recently been awarded one of 34 Museum Grants for African American History and Culture from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and was one of only two organizations to receive the full $500,000 award amount this year.
The two-year grant will support the expansion of the Museum’s acclaimed MoAD in the Classroom (MIC) educational outreach program, an arts-based, visual literacy, and cultural studies program for underserved third and fourth-grade public school students and their teachers in the San Francisco Bay Area.
As one of the only museums in the world that exclusively celebrates the art and history of the African Diaspora, MoAD is uniquely positioned to respond to the San Francisco Unified School District’s expected 2023-2024 roll out of a newly-created and pioneering Black Studies Curriculum as well as new mandates from the California Department of Education that require classroom teachers to incorporate art into core subjects, part of an effort to use a variety of approaches to make instruction individually and culturally relevant to all students.
In the majority of school districts across the state of California, only 10% to 25% of students engage in some form of arts education, which research has shown significantly supports student academic achievement and student success toward high school graduation. Without dedicated art teachers on staff however, many educators are without the training and resources to teach the arts.
The IMLS grant allows MoAD to rapidly create and expand high quality digital content to expand the program beyond the Museum’s local geographic area while continuing to support and serve the approximately 1,500 students and teachers currently participating each year.
These digital assets, accessed through a portal on the Museum’s website, will support teachers with extensive lesson plans, instructional videos, and virtual 360-degree exhibition tours, potentially reaching thousands of additional students in California and beyond each year.
The funding also allows the Museum to pilot an expansion to support students and teachers in grades 5-10 and extend its reach through a partnership with the San Francisco Public Library.
“Art education provides a means for self-expression, cultivates cultural pride, and unleashes the creative potential within every child,” says Demetri Broxton, senior director of education at MoAD. “Yet, students of color in lower-income neighborhoods have the least access to it. MoAD in the Classroom and the grant from IMLS addresses this disparity, ensuring that the arts flourish as an integral part of education, enabling every student to thrive and help shape a brighter future for all.”
“IMLS is proud to support museums and cultural organizations doing important work to increase access to the stories of inspiring people, events, and experiences, at the center of African American history,” said IMLS Director Crosby Kemper. “Our Museum Grants for African American History and Culture demonstrate the commitment to preservation and promoting education of the rich cultural heritage across this country.”
Nina Sazevich is the media relations director for MoAD.
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