AfroSpice: Project Baobab

CRS (Center for Remembering & Sharing) presents AfroSpice: Project Baobab, an exploration of Africa’s influence on artists from outside the continent, on November 13, 2010 at CRS. Curated by Japan-born performance artist Juri Nishio, the evening will feature live music by Kaleidhaphonic, dance by Juri Nishio and others, fashion by Wada Africa, art work by Yumiko Mastui, and light West African refreshments. Tickets are $20 and are available at www.crsny.org and at the door. The live band will perform in support of the dance performances as well as play their own set. Audience members will have the opportunity to participate in a short discussion about the work presented and to join in the fun by getting up on the dance floor at the end of the evening. The iconic Baobab tree grows in many parts of Africa and live up to 1000 years. They provide fruit, shelter, recreation, and healing spirit to many creatures. AfroSpice is the moniker used by artist Juri Nishio to encompass her performance works and visual and fashion designs. AfroSpice is a wild+graceful mélange of African, Cuban, Japanese, and western contemporary flavors, conveying the message of the spirit. About Curator/Choreographer Juri Nishio Juri Nishio is a performance artist living in Brooklyn, NY. She was born and raised in Tokyo, Japan and graduated from Nihon University of Art with a degree in drama. Her dance journey began in 2000 when Juri visited Senegal to participate in workshop with the family of the renown drummer Doudou N'Diaye Rose. She came to NY 2003 to investigate contemporary African Dance forms and in 2006 completed the International Student Independent Study program at The Ailey School. Her work includes choreographed dances with Germain Acgoney, Nora Chipaumire, Camille A Brown, the Urban Bush Women Apprenticeship program, M'WORD! (N'Bewe Escobar), INSPIRIT, a dance company (Christal N Brown), and Maimouna Keita School of African Dance (Marie Basse Wiles). She has presented her solo works at Laguardia Comm. College, Daibosatsu Zendo Kongo-ji, Charles Moore Dance Theater, Spring Field college, Trinity College, CRS, The Ailey School, Bowery Poetry Club and Hunter College. About Wada Africa Wada Africa is a fashion house started by designer Chiaki Wada. Her African Journey started when she met beautiful and powerful African fabrics by fate in New York. The fabrics get a soul by arid wind and blaze of the sun. WADA-AFRICA transforms African fabrics into contemporary styles which inspire culture vibration and energize our lives in PEACE & LOVE. About Kaleidhaphonic Kaleidhaphonic is a dynamic musical quartet that is breaking new ground in the fusion of world, trance, ancient and modern musical genres. In Kaleidhaphonic, African, Indian and Western instruments combine, weaving a colorful and mesmerizing soundscape of deep grooves, dancing rhythms, and simply beautiful sounds. About Yumiko Matsui Yumiko Matsui is a New York-based paper artist who trained as a painter with master Hajime Yoshioka in her hometown of Osaka, Japan. Since 2006 she has been specializing in making fantastic dioramas made out of paper. The catalyst for this change was seeing dollhouses created by her aunt with her husband when she retuned home to Japan on vacation. Her miniature worlds are patterned after Japan and New York, but also on imaginary places. She folds and glues pieces of colored paper to create 3D sculpture with a special focus on small details. Her works have been exhibited at “Festival” Yumeiro Museum in Osaka and at numerous galleries, clubs, and events in Japan and NY. She will be debuting a new 3D sculpture of an African Babobab tree.