Tag Archive: Sonja Johanson

1. Sq2 [Squared] Finale

   September 2, 2017 11:30 pm Comments Off on Sq2 [Squared] Finale

   

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   [bscolumns class=”one_half”]FEATURED ARTISTS: DJ set from Booka B + Bzychln, Thadra Sheridan, Simon Chama, Nicholas Knutson, Xochi de la Luna, Rikyrah Snow, Tom Cassidy,  Sonja Johanson; with hosts “Barb” and “Allen”

   
   Keeping in line with the eclectic array of media and artists participating in our current exhibit, Sq2 [Squared], curator Cassie Garner hand-selected a series of performers for the finale who reflect the entire gamut of performance art. For this event, a variety of artists will perform within a 10′ x 10′ square, harnessing their ability to adapt within the confines of limited space.
   
   With a Vinyl DJ set from exhibit artist Booka B (aka Adam Bucher) who is a native to the Twin Cities and has been DJing and producing since the mid 90’s. In 2005 he released his mostly instrumental album Basementality, and in 2007, with MC and beat box artist Carnage, released the album Sense Of Sound. As a producer, Booka B has worked with a host of artists including Slug, Eyedea & Abilities, P.O.S., Toki Wright, Desdamona, Heiruspecs, Michael Lewis, Anomaly, and Jeremy Ylvisaker. In addition to making music and holding down a few weekly DJ residencies, Booka B teaches audio technology and painting at Creative Arts High School in St Paul.

   Around 9pm Nicholas Knutson (also exhibiting in Sq2) will kick off the performances by bringing to life a character infamous in his performance art videos; followed by Sonja Johanson’s “Spoons” movement piece based on Christine Miserandino’s Spoon Theory. Revel in stunningly innovative freestyle from dancer bzychln, modern dance interpretive choreography from Patrick’s Cabaret fave, Arturo Miles, and soulful expressive dance from Rikyrah Snow. Enjoy stand-up poetry from spoken word legend and Access to Art series host, Tom Cassidy, and hilarious storytelling from writer, performer and columnist Thadra Sheridan. The evening will close with live stand-up comedy featuring loop pedals and reverb from Latinx comedian Xochi de la Luna and non traditional Slovakian music by Simon Chama.

   Gamut crew members Kujo Johnson and Bobby Kahn will take the stage to host as their alter egos “Barb” and “Allen.” Not to be missed! Come early to snag standing space and browse the 10″x10″ artworks that make up Sq2!

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   EXHIBIT FINALE
   Friday, September 8th 7-11pm $10
   
   DJ set from Booka B
   + Variety of performances that will take place in a 10′ x 10′ square

   

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2. Stork and Raven // #FolkloreRemix Performances Presented by Ghostbridge Theatre

   July 16, 2016 6:59 pm Comments Off on Stork and Raven // #FolkloreRemix Performances Presented by Ghostbridge Theatre

   

   #FolkloreRemix-Inspired Performances Thursday, July 28th, 2016
   Doors at 8pm, Performances at 8:30pm / $10 admission
   Music pre & post-performance by James Patrick

   Step inside the magical world of The Unwinged Flock, as this refugee tribe of birds presents a fresh mix of performances styles, from opera and improvised music to modern dance and performance art. Riffing on the numerous folklore stories told about winged creatures, these actors and musicians will cross cultures to weave together a new story of bird vs. man.

   Hailing from the “Great Nest” where all the legendary folklore birds once resided – the stork who brings the baby; the very first cardinal, who flew through the red of the rainbow; the crow, who was manipulated by the sly fox for his wedge of cheese – these and all the famous birds resided in the Great Nest until they were shot down by humans from the sky. No longer able to fly, The Unwinged Flock are now on journey to find a new home to tell their stories.

   Inspired by Gamut’s on-going exhibit featuring cross-cultural original artwork by Rodrigo Oñate, Luis Fitch and Repo, Ghostbridge Theatre’s enchanting storytelling will challenge viewers to reexamine perspective and invites modern-day interpretation into folklore. James Patrick will open and close the evening with a world beat DJ set.

   PERFORMERS: Tera Kilbride, Nico Swenson, Sonja Johanson, Jeff Nichols, Karen Massey, Vanessa Christian, Sheila Regan, Emily Dantuma (cello), Aaron Neumann (flute and banjo), with costumes by Michael Hearn.

3. Revolution Now: Exhibit Finale

   March 13, 2015 3:59 pm Comments Off on Revolution Now: Exhibit Finale

   
   

   Join us for an evening of performances curated by April Sellers that explore feminism, equality and freedom at the exhibit finale of “Revolution Now: Portraits of Contemporary Female Revolutionaries.”
   

   FEATURING: Magnolia Yang-Sao-Yia, Missa Kes, Molly-Margaret Johnson, Sydney Burch, Jeff Nichols, Halie Ann Bahr, Sonja Johanson, Billy Mullaney, Noah Crandell, McKinnley Aitchison, Evan Murnane

   Gamut Gallery extended an open call to the Twin Cities’ dance, theater and performing arts communities to submit 5-10 min works inspired by Revolution Now that explore feminism, women’s issues, equality and freedom. From the pool of submissions, curator April Sellers balanced range of voice with potency of performance, and notes: “In making selections I gave strong consideration to the visual art – the print making work that is in the gallery – and chose works that I felt could directly relate to the exhibit either in form, style, or color.” The resulting collection of works by Molly-Margaret Johnson, Sydney Burch, Jeff Nichols, Halie Ann Bahr, Missa Kes, and Magnolia Yang-Sao-Yia will be staggered throughout the evening.

   **Admission is FREE, but the hat will be passed with all money raise going to the performers.

   The Revolution Now exhibition, curated by Ash Marlene Hane and Angela Sprunger, acknowledges women who are creating change, locally or globally, known to many or known to a few. Their revolutions may be large and loud or slow and quiet, but their fight is now. Fourteen artists, including Hane & Sprunger, created new limited edition fine art prints for this show. Working in a variety of print media – including monoprint, relief and silkscreen – the collection introduces viewers to women from all over the world and in doing so encourages new dialogue and understanding.

   April Sellers is a curator, choreographer, performer and educator who has nurtured underrepresented voices in performance. Rooted in a feminist perspective, Sellers’s curatorial work has a platform for choreographers and artists who exist outside the mainstream, particularly interested in issues of gender. Her first venture into curating began as a protest, when she presented OUT in the Cold: a 32nd Annual Choreographers Evening in response to the Walker Arts Center’s cancelling of Choreographers Evening. That sense of the subversive was followed up in 2006 with In The Buff –A Naked Choreographers Evening at The Bryant Lake Bowl, a performance that included 10 local choreographers all using nudity in their work to address the anti-nudity bias of local presenters and curators. She’s gone on to work as a curator at Links Hall in Chicago, where she created a three-year grassroots touring network focusing on queer performance and she curated an evening of work for Intermedia Arts’ Catalyst Series, featuring her own work as well as other women choreographers. This summer, she continues the tradition of her mentor, the late John Munger, curating and producing The Rabbit Show, an annual preview of dance performances in the Minnesota Fringe Festival.