The Bainbridge Island Museum of Art will host Momentum — a month-long program of unique content and insightful contemporary guest voices from the worlds of music, spoken word, poetry and film — in March, with numerous events on tap, most of them free to attend.
Kicking off on Tuesday, March 20, and running through Wednesday, April 25, Momentum events will all be held in BIMA’s intimate 100-seat Buxton Auditorium, thus reservations are recommended.
Tickets are available at the calender section of www.biartmuseum.org.
From spoken word to hip hop, classical compositions to foreign film, Momentum will cover a wide range of perspectives, origins and disciplines, woven together with a focus on new voices, unexpected topics and fresh takes in arts, culture and humanities.
“The inspiration was to celebrate spring with a bouquet of programs that wake up the senses,” said Sheila Hughes, executive director of BIMA. “We wanted to complement the beauty and complexity of our Spring exhibitions with an eclectic mix of cultural offerings and worked with more than a dozen nonprofits to put this together.”
The events, by medium, include:
FILM
PBS’s “Craft in America Marathon,” 12-6 p.m. March 24 and 25
Free
No reservation required
America’s vibrant craft scene is brought to life in six one-hour episodes, each with a special Northwest arts focus.
12 p.m. “Memory,” featuring Pat Courtney Gold.
1 p.m. “Community,” featuring Pilchuck Glass School.
2 p.m. “Landscape,” featuring Timberline Lodge.
3 p.m. “Family,” featuring Paul, Marina and Dante Marioni.
4 p.m. “Celebration,” featuring Yoshiko Yamamoto and Arts and Crafts Press.
5 p.m. “Nature,” featuring Catherine Alice Michaelis and Preston Singletary.
Port Townsend Film Festival presents “Best of the Fest”
$10 members, $12 non-members, $42 member series pass, $50 non-member series pass
Director Janette Force curates and introduces a delightful series of cinematic works, “Best of the Fest” selections culled from the past few years at Port Townsend Film Festival. Guests can come early and enjoy a special Bistro film dinner menu, as well as wine, beer and non-alcoholic beverages before and during the films.
“Eden” – 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 20
A chef discovers that the old adage “the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach” works for women as well in this romantic comedy from Germany.
Rotterdam Film Festival, Audience Choice Award, 2006.
“Lad: A Yorkshire Story,” 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 27
From the heart of a boy comes the story of a man. When Tom Proctor’s dad dies his world falls apart, but life turns around through an unlikely new friend in this enchanting coming-of-age story set in the stunning Yorkshire Dales.
Port Townsend Film Festival, Audience Choice Award, 2013.
“These Amazing Shadows” – 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 3
A fascinating film that explores the history and importance of the National Film Registry, a roll call of American cinema treasures that reflects the diversity of film, and indeed the American experience itself.
Port Townsend Film Festival, Special Jury Prize, 2011.
“What If It Works?” – 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 10
Meet Adrian, an irrepressibly chirpy tech nerd with OCD. Meet Grace, a beautiful street artist with Multiple Personality Disorder. It’s a love story that seems impossible. But what if it works?
Guest Appearance by Director Romi Trower.
“Becoming Bulletproof” – 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 17
Every year, actors with and without disabilities meet at Zeno Mountain Farm to write, produce and star in original short films. A whirlwind filmmaking process of mastering lines, pushing through take after take, and grappling with high expectations, the film chronicles the genesis of a riveting movie and a personally and socially transformative experience.
Port Townsend Film Festival, Audience Choice Award, 2015.
“The Practice of the Wild: A Conversation with Gary Snyder and Jim Harrison,” 7 p.m. Saturday, April 14
Free
Reservation encouraged
An astounding documentary on Jim Harrison, an American writer known for his poetry, fiction, reviews, essays about the outdoors and writings about food. Described as “a force of nature,” his work has been compared to that of William Faulkner and Ernest Hemingway. Poet and critic Richard Tillinghast declared in The New York Times that, “Mr. Harrison has few equals as a writer on outdoor life, the traditional heritage and proving ground of the American male.”
The film follows Snyder and Harrison as the two old friends wander along trails of the central California coast in a remote area untouched for centuries. They debate the pros and cons of everything from Google to Zen koans. Archival materials and commentaries from Snyder’s literary contemporaries, friends, and intimates punctuate the discussions.
MUSIC
“Jherek Bischoff: By Land and By Sea,” 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 31
$19 members / $24 non-members
“With his wide-ranging life experience and his musical know-how, Bischoff turns out singular chamber-pop creations.” – The New Yorker
Renowned musician, composer and Bainbridge Island native Jherek Bischoff presents contemporary chamber works in a special evening of songs inspired by the sea with commentary on how living aboard a sailboat in Eagle Harbor shaped his career in music. Called a “pop polymath” by The New York Times, Jherek’s recent collaborators include playwright Robert Wilson and music icon David Byrne. Joining Bischoff are Heather Bentley and Alina To on Violin, Alex Guy on Viola, and Maria Scherer Wilson on Cello.
“Bainbridge Bands Honors Recital,” 7 p.m. Thursday, April 19
$25, benefits Bainbridge High School Bands.
Get tickets at: www.bainbridgebands.org/recital
Come see some of the finest student musicians in the state, right here on the island. Founded in 2015, the Bainbridge Bands Honors Recital is the top showcase for student musicians on the island each year. This special fundraiser event takes place one week prior to the WMEA/WIAA State Solo & Ensemble Music Contest, and will feature several BHS student and faculty musicians in true peak form.
“NW Focus LIVE – A Classical KING FM Live Broadcast,” 8 p.m. Friday, April 20
Free
Reservation encouraged
“NW Focus LIVE,” hosted by Sean MacLean on Friday evenings from 8 to 9 p.m., is Classical KING FM’s flagship show featuring the finest musicians in the Northwest performing a wide array of classical styles and instrumentations interlaced with captivating conversations on repertoire, music history and upcoming concerts.
POETRY, LECTURES & READINGS
“An Evening with Poets Anis Mojgani, Nikkita Oliver, Karen Finneyfrock and Ebo Barton,” 7 p.m. Thursday, March 22
$10 BIMA and Bloedel Reserve members / $15 non-members
“He’s probably the best poetry slammer alive” says The Willamette Week of Anis Mojgani.
Two-time National Poetry Slam Champion, winner of the International World Cup Poetry Slam, and multiple-time TEDx Speaker, Mojgani has been awarded residencies from the Vermont Studio Center, AIR Serenbe, the Oregon Literary Arts Writers-In-The-Schools program and now the Creative Residency at Bloedel Reserve. His work has appeared on HBO, NPR, and in the pages of such journals as Rattle, Forklift Ohio, Paper Darts, Thrush, and Bat City Review. Other outstanding Seattle poetry talents including Nikkita Oliver, Karen Finneyfrock and Ebo Barton will join Mojgani.
“The State of Craft in America: A Discussion with Craft in America Executive Director Carol Sauvion and BIMA’s Greg Robinson and Kristin Tollefson,” 10:30 a.m. Saturday, March 24, with reception to follow
Free
Reservation encouraged.
Three luminaries in the craft world discuss the state of craft in America. Special guest Carol Sauvion is an American crafts scholar and patron, and the producer of the PBS series “Craft in America.” After opening the Freehand Gallery in Los Angeles and launching “Craft in America,” she opened the Craft in America Study Center in 2009. BIMA’s Chief Curator Greg Robinson served on the Board of the American Craft Council and was Executive Director of Pratt Fine Arts Center. BIMA’s Education Director Kristin Tollefson is a respected career artist in sculpture, public art, environmental installation, and jewelry, as well as a curator and arts educator.
“Mayumi Tsutakawa: The Pine and the Cherry: Japanese Americans in Washington,” 7 p.m. Thursday, March 30
Free
Reservation encouraged
Seattle’s Japantown was a thriving commercial hub – filled with cafes, grocery stores, native-language services and music venues. Eastern Washington was just as prosperous, as Japanese farmers cultivated fruit and grain for the Northwest region. Then came Executive Order 9066, and overnight thousands of Japanese Americans were ripped from their farms and businesses and sent to concentration camps in windswept deserts without any due process.
Mayumi Tsutakawa, daughter of renowned sculptor George Tsutakawa, tells the story of her 100-year history against the backdrop of this American travesty of justice and equality on the anniversary date of the first forced removal of Japanese Americans, which happened here on Bainbridge Island.
“Jane Richlovsky: When Artists Get Together They Talk About Real Estate,” 7 p.m. Friday, April 6
Free
Reservation encouraged
Portrayals of artists as moody, solitary, eccentric and impoverished are a familiar stereotype that traces its roots to the 1500s. Even in the 19th century, the image of bohemian artists serially evicted from drafty Parisian garrets persists. Artist Jane Richlovsky shares her own story of artist displacement, upending the myth, using it as a catalyst for a discussion about how artists and their communities might write a new story together.
“On Common Ground,” 7 p.m. Saturday, April 7
Suggested donation of $10 supporting BIMA & Wild Society
Reservation encouraged
Join Kitsap County-based wilderness education nonprofit Wild Society for an exploration of human relationships with land through short documentary films and guest speakers. Featured narratives range from contemporary experiences of sovereign nation traditions to a corporation that embraces deep reuse of materials. Reflect on the beauty, complexity, and challenges of what it means to live on the earth in a good way. Films on the docket: Unbroken Ground by Patagonia, A Common Right: Mongolia by Global Call to Action, Oursness by Global Oneness Project, Economy and Environment from Planet RE:think by the European Environment Agency.
“Dr. Daude Abe: Emerald Street: Race, Class, Culture, and the History of Hip Hop in the Northwest,” 7 p.m. Friday, April 13
Free
Reservation encouraged
From 1988’s “Posse on Broadway” by Sir Mix-a-lot to the success of Seattle’s Macklemore, Northwest hip-hop has been an essential part of the national music scene. Author and professor Dr. Daudi Abe explains how the Northwest’s rich contributions from Grammy-winning rappers, world champion break dance crews, tastemaker hip-hop magazines, renowned designers, and grassroots organizations has influenced and created a living document of our region’s style as well as social and political movements.
“Poetry Corners LIVE!” at 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 25
Free
Reservation encouraged
In celebration of poetry month, Arts & Humanities Bainbridge animates the island in April with scores of original poems placed along everyday routes. This community-wide celebration culminates with a rousing evening of readings at Poetry Corners LIVE!
Photo courtesy of the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art Artist Jane Richlovsky.
