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BARABALL – Opening Reception
Eureka!
January 6
FREE
Eureka! & The Brick present
BARABALL – Opening Reception
A festival of Art and Performance | Curated by Sam Liebert and Joey Merlo Assistant curated by Gentle Mothh
January 6 – 3-6pm – @ Brick Aux Gallery – 628 Metropolitan Ave – Free Admission
Theda Bara & Her Many Forms
Featuring An excerpt from On Set with Theda Bara performed by David Greenspan followed by a discussion between Greenspan and Wayne Koestenbaum, moderated by playwright Joey Merlo.
Show exhibits January 6 – February 3, 2024
BARABALL is a month-long festival of art and performance that is in conversation with the campy, surreal and queer world of Joey Merlo‘s play On Set with Theda Bara—back at The Brick this February! Produced by Transport Group and The Lucille Lortel Foundation, directed by Jack Serio and starring six-time Obi award winner David Greenspan.
The Festival sprouted from a collaboration between Joey Merlo and Sam Liebert – founder and director of Eureka! (an artist residency based in Kingston, NY). BARABALL will showcase work by Wayne Koestenbaum, Narcissister, Mercenary, Antonia Crane, Keioui Keijaun Thomas, Luka Carter, Ben Eichert, DOLLNXTDOOR, Jazmine Hayes, Avram Finkelstein, Josephine Network, VASH, Haitham Haddad, DonChristian Jones, phlegm, and Gentle Mothh.
Follow them: @joejoemerlo, @wayne.koestenbaum, @therealnarcissister, @dollnxtdoor, @antoniacrane, @keioui, @lunch_m0n3y, @ben_e_photography, @fatasskellypryce, @jazminelovine, @transportgrp, @lorteltheatre @avramf, @donchristianjones, @gentlemothh, @vash_art , @josephinenetwork, @1080press, @howlallday, @studio.mnjnk, @eurekapressny, @mynameisphlegm, @brickaux
Curator’s Note
The story centers around the lore of Silent FIlm star, Theda Bara, the iconic “femme fatale” of the 1920s. Rising to fame on the era’s wave of orientalism, the movie studios fabricated the Ohio-born star’s persona as an Egyptian woman and practitioner of the occult, all of which delighted a Western gaze. Bara later felt confined by this persona and struggled to break out of the role of the “vamp.”
Through visual art and performance, BARABALL extends Merlo’s surreal fantasy, inviting us to explore our connection with queer expression and sexuality, question how societal values of acceptability are enforced, and contemplate individual agency in the ongoing process of identity creation. We have invited artists whose work expands our imaginations within these realms of thought and who have also been connected to Eureka!—an artist residency based in Kingston, NY.
– Curated by Sam Liebert, Joey Merlo, Gentle Mothh
Upcoming Events
January 21 – Readings + Performances with Tivali Thomas and Mercenary – Details TBA
Closing Party February 3 – 6-10pm featuring a live performance from Gentle Mothh and Josephine Network.
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Mask Policy: The Brick strongly encourages but does not require masks for audience members. We are in ongoing conversation with our artists and audiences as we continue to adapt our covid policies and it is subject to change at any time. Thank you.