The Tennessean

June 1, 2015

OZ Arts Nashville continues to innovate, intrigue with third season

With a season that traverses a wide range of disciplines, OZ Arts Nashville continues to intrigue, refining its reputation as a destination for “world-class, innovative contemporary art experiences.”

“We’re thrilled to offer such a variety of artists and experiences,” says OZ Arts Nashville Artistic Director Lauren Snelling. “Whatever your interests may be, this season promises to exceed expectations.”

Boasting an impressive lineup of locally and internationally renowned artists, OZ’s third season will offer everything from theater and dance to music and the visual arts.

“One of the things I love about this season is the opportunity to showcase multi-genre collaboration,” Snelling says. “From SITI Company’s work with the Bang on a Can All-Stars to Kid Koala’s highly original multimedia adaptation of ‘Nufonia Must Fall,’ these are really rare performances.

“We’re committed to finding new ways to engage audiences, inspiring and challenging them to think about art in a new way,” she adds. “At first glance, many of these works seem very focused and specific, but they’re actually part of a much larger cultural conversation. To give Nashville the opportunity to be part of that conversation is amazing — that’s really at the heart of what we do.”

Continuing the conversation

Snelling points to choreographer Kyle Abraham as the perfect case in point. Known for creating groundbreaking works that “delve into identity in relation to a personal history,” Abraham and his company Abraham.In.Motion will present “When the Wolves Came In” at OZ in October.

“I had the opportunity to visit South Africa in 2012, and was listening to a lot of music from the early ’60s at that time,” says Abraham, who received a MacArthur Fellowship (or “genius grant”) in 2013. “It was such a powerful experience, and it got me thinking about the anniversary of these important events — along with these artists and all they had faced during the Civil Rights era.

“The result is really three works that take a totally different look at the same source material,” he explains. “The first — ‘When the Wolves Came In’ — is set to Nico Muhly’s ‘A Good Understanding’ and is quite abstract. ‘Hallowed’ is set to some gospel hymns that were sung during the Civil Rights era and is more specific in movement. Then there’s ‘The Gettin,’ which is really a collaboration with Robert Glasper, basically re-interpreting Max Roach’s (‘We Insist: Max Roach’s Freedom Now Suite).”

Abraham says he has been struck by audience reaction, particularly in light of recent violence in places such as Ferguson and Baltimore.

“It’s always interesting to think that these performances means different things to different people. Everyone brings his own perspective, which is amazing. But the important thing to me is to continue the conversation — that’s what art is all about.”

OZ Arts Nashville’s 2015-16 season

Season tickets for OZ Arts Nashville’s 2015-16 Season start at $320 and will go one sale June 4, available through ozartsnashville.org or by calling 615-350-7200. All shows take place at OZ Arts Nashville, 6172 Cockrill Bend Circle.

•“Embodiment: Poetry Through the Five Senses,” July 16. OZ kicks off its popular TNT (Thursday Night Things) series with literary and conceptual artist Stephanie Pruitt, as she collaborates with visual artists, a new music ensemble and even a chef to create a multi-sensory exploration of poetry.

•Family Day, Aug. 15. This annual festival of indoor and outdoor arts activities includes more than 20 local artists, along with award-winning composer and performer Rinde Eckert and “Sound Maze,” an interactive experience of sound and mechanics, featuring 15 newly invented musical instruments and sound sculptures.

• Modern School of Film: Masters Series, Sept. 10-12. MSF Founder Robert Milazzo created this unusual series as a way to provide insight and access to the modern cinema. The program includes three nights of films and discussions with celebrity guest artists.

•Kyle Abraham: “When the Wolves Came In,” Oct. 8-9. Choreographer Kyle Abraham and his company Abraham.In.Motion presents a suite of new works, inspired by historical milestones in civil rights. Inspired by jazz legend Max Roach’s iconic protest album “We Insist: Max Roach’s Freedom Now Suite,” the program features scenery by visual artist Glenn Ligon and original compositions by Grammy-award winning jazz innovator Robert Glasper.

•SITI Company, Bang on a Can and Trio Medieval: “Steel Hammer,” Nov. 20-21.Directed by SITI co-founder Anne Bogart, “Steel Hammer” explores the rich legend of John Henry. Bang on a Can All Stars and Trio Medieval perform music composed by 2015 Music Pulitzer Prize-winner Julia Wolfe within SITI company’s percussive step-dance sequences.

•Bryce McCloud: “Together Heroic,” Dec. 6-11. Bryce McCloud and his Isle of Printing print shop will transform OZ into a workshop for the creation of large-scale tapestries using huge fabricated rubber stamps. The interactive installation will feature guest artists of multiple disciplines throughout the week.

•Kaki King: “The Neck Is a Bridge to the Body,” Jan. 22-23. Master guitarist and composer Kaki King presents a fascinating multimedia performance, in which projection mapping transforms her sound into digital imagery.

•Taylor Mac: “A 24-hour Decade History of Popular Music (1810, 1820, 1830),” Feb. 19-20. Renowned performance artist Taylor Mac will perform three segments from his highly anticipated durational theater project, which provides an irreverent look at popular music from the past 240 years.

•Kid Koala: “Nufonia Must Fall,” March 4-5. Montreal-based scratch DJ and music producer Kid Koala presents a live multimedia adaptation of his graphic novel “Nufonia Must Fall.” Directed by Oscar-nominated K.K. Barrett, the story unfolds via real-time filming/editing of a cast of hand-held puppets, accompanied by The Afiara Quartet and Kid Koala performing his own music.

•New Dialect: “New Works,” April 1-2. This Nashville-based dance collective will present works from company founder Banning Bouldin, featuring internationally renowned guest choreographer Peter Chu, with original music by acclaimed Swedish composer Mikael Karlsson and live performances by viola virtuoso Lev “Ljova” Zhurbin.

•Speak Easy, May 4-7. OZ Arts is excited to introduce a new series of programs featuring local and national innovators in spoken word and poetry. Guests include American monologist and raconteur Mike Daisey, Chet Weise of Third Man Books, and the acclaimed storytellers of The Moth.

•IN-Site Visual Arts Festival, June 21-25. This unique event will incorporate a huge variety of interactive pieces created for both interior and exterior spaces, from Tel-Aviv-based street artist Know Hope’s projected word art to Tony Youngblood’s modular art pods.