Jefferson Pinder Presents Dark Matter(S) At The David C. Driskell Center

An exploration identity politics through break dancing.

The artist explores identity politics through break dancing in his upcoming performance.

 

 

 

Jefferson Pinder, a Chicago-based multimedia artist, will present a performance piece titled “Dark Matter” at the David C. Driskell Center at 6 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 11. The piece is the product of Pinder’s dynamic collaboration with the Washington D.C.-based b-boy dance crew “Lionz of Zion.”  Through break dancing choreographies, Pinder explores how the forces of rebellion and suppression interact in a racialized society.

Following the performance, there will be a live discussion with the artist and the dancers.

Jefferson Pinder is an interdisciplinary artist and  associate professor at the School of the Art Institute in Chicago. Pinder creates interactive experiences, experimental videos and objects that delve into the meaning of black identity in a society divided by racial and cultural lines. By integrating break dancing and other elements of popular culture, Pinder provides social commentary in an accessible manner, while challenging viewers to think critically about race and social upheaval. Other visual works by Pinder include a short adaptation of Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man, in which the artist portrays himself as the novel’s powerful, yet estranged protagonist.

Pinder also creates installation pieces that he describes as “collaged representations” of African-American history. His piece, Moriaen’s Shadow, is made from organ pipes from an old Baptist church in rural Pennsylvania and is accompanied by a futurist audio soundscape. By adding elements from different time periods, Pinder alludes to various African-American movements and cultural symbols, such as gospel music and space themes often seen in Afrofuturism.

For more information about the artist, please visit www.jeffersonpinder.com

BACKGROUND

This event is organized and supported by the College of Arts and Humanities, David C. Driskell Center and The Phillips Collection in Washington D.C.

MEDIA

Media coverage of the public events is welcome, however, space is limited. RVSP by Sept. 2015

Please register with Nicky Everette, director of marketing and communications for the College of Arts and Humanities, at meve@umd.edu or 301-405-6714 with media interview requests and/or to RSVP.Provide name, position, media affiliation, media credentials (I.D. required at event)Due to limited seating, please arrive early.

       For more information, visit www.driskellcenter.umd.edu/index.php