Fellows Friday News: Vera Nakonechny named a National Heritage Fellow, Alex Da Corte at White Cube, and More

AWARDS AND RESIDENCIES

Vera Nakonechny (2008) has been named a National Heritage Fellow by the National Endowment for the Arts. The fellowship recognizes lifetime achievements for continued artistic excellence and support for their contributions to our nation's traditional arts heritage. See Vera's profile >
See all the NEA's National Heritage Fellows >
Read the National Heritage Fellows Press Release >

Jorge Cousineau (2011) and Mary Lattimore (2014) have both been named Sanctuary Artists by Bowerbird. Cousineau will work independently while Lattimore will work in collaboration with James Plotkin to create new work in the 8,000-foot sanctuary space of The Rotunda in Philadelphia. Read more >

EXHIBITIONS AND PERFORMANCES

The Galleries at Moore, in partnership with the Penn Museum, celebrate Sun Ra's 100th arrival on earth with "This Planet is Doomed: A Sun Ra Celebration," an evening of poetry, futuristic sounds, archival films and an Afro-Futurist dance party. Pew Fellows CAConrad (2011), Charles Cohen (2011), and Anthony Campuzano (2009) will perform. The Galleries at Moore, Philadelphia, PA, July 10, 7–10 p.m. Read more >

Alex Da Corte's (2012) installation project, White Rain, is on exhibit at White Cube. Da Corte's work begins with the "fantasy is present and available in all forms of imagery" to transform everyday objects into "the weird, erotic and aspirational symbols they have the potential to be." White Cube, London, England, on view until July 7. Read more >

Guitarist Chris Forsyth (2011) will perform with his band, Solar Motel, at Spruce Street Harbor Park, a pop-up floating park in the Delaware River. Spruce Street Harbor Park, July 24, 2014.

Composer James Primosch's (1996) new piece, Mass for the Day of St. Thomas Didymus, will premiere as part of The Crossing's sixth annual Month of Moderns Festival. One of three works to be performed, Primosch's piece juxtaposes the Latin Mass with a cycle of poems by Denise Levertov, inspired by the Mass texts. Mass for the Day of St. Thomas Didymus, performed by The Crossing. Crane Arts, Philadelphia, June 28 at 7 p.m. Read more and get tickets >

The Architectural League of New York's exhibition, Overlay, showcases the 2014 League Prize winners, which includes the work of Jenny Sabin (2010). Arnold and Sheila Aronson Galleries, Sheila C. Johnson Design Center, New York, NY, on view through August 1, 2014. Read more >

Jamaaladeen Tacuma (2011) will perform at the 31st edition of Jazz em Agosto's program in Lisbon, Portugal. Jazz em Agosto, Lisbon, Portugal, August 6, 2014. Read more >

PUBLICATIONS AND RECORDINGS

Culture Crash, a blog of ArtsJournal, spotlights two performances of longtime jazz pianist and downtown experimentalist Uri Caine (2003) in the Ojai Music Festival. In one performance, Caine re-imagined the classical music of Gustav Mahler and in the other, the jazz of George Gershwin. Read the review >

Rifftides, also published by ArtsJournal, reviews and recommends Orrin Evans' (2010) Captain Black Big Band's new album, Mother's Touch. Read the review >

PRESS

The Guardian praises Marshall Allen's (2012) celebratory performance in honor of Sun Ra's 100th birthday as "breathtaking." Read the review >

The Wire features an audio track, "Bracken Blues," from Marshall Allen (2012) and Kash Killion's Two Stars in the Universe album. Listen to the track >

Uri Caine (2003) receives praise from multiple news outlets for his ensemble's reworking of the compositions of Gustav Mahler. The Wall Street Journal states that their work "enhances one's appreciation of Mahler's genre-busting imagination."
Read the Wall Street Journal review >
Read the Santa Barbara Independent review >

Blues man Greg Osby (2012) contributes to National Public Radio's feature, "Great Solos in Blue Note Records History," reflecting on "I Didn't Know About You" from Banned in New York. Read the article >

King Britt (2007) and Kate Watson-Wallace (2007) celebrates Sun Ra's 100th birthday with a special event: "The Beautiful Noise: A Special Tribute to Sun Ra."
Listen to the NPR interview with King Britt >
Read the City Paper feature >

Visual artist Alex Da Corte (2012) is in the news for two international installations currently on view: White Rain at White Cube Gallery in London, England and A Night in Hell in Carl Kostyál, Stockholm.
Read the review in The Glass Magazine >
Read the review in Art Daily >
Read the review in Mousse Magazine >