‘Arts’ Archives
Interview With Musician Andrew Naranjo
Backyard concert for friends and family with the yet-to-be-named band / all photos by Francisco Naranjo Andrew during a live performance at a local church Andrew with a djembe drum in Peavey Park By MARY ELLEN KALUZA I first heard drumming emanating from Andrew’s house last year. I’ve been able to track his progress through the walls and am greatly impressed. It is clear he loves drumming! Over the four years his family has lived across the street, I’ve come to know Andrew as a very cool and interesting person. I really appreciate the breadth of his interests. How old are you? What grade are you in? I’m 11 and going into 6th grade. Describe your art or interests. Drumming and soccer. What inspired you to take up drumming? When did you start? I saw people doing it on music videos and at church. It looked cool, so I’m trying it out. I started a year ago. I love it. When I play drums it makes me feel happy, and you can do whatever you want. And [...]
We Are Still Here at All My Relations
As part of the inaugural collaboration between Hennepin Theatre Trust and All My Relations Arts, We Are Still Here features the culmination of works completed by the artists during their eighteen month cohort. The artworks include digital designs previously featured on billboards in downtown Minneapolis, along Hennepin Avenue, and throughout the Twin Cities. These works served to uplift Native voices and highlight truth-telling by changing the narrative of Native people in Minnesota. The art highlights contemporary Native culture while dispelling stereotypes through education, humor, and bold, thought-provoking designs. By interweaving contemporary and traditional storytelling, and the allyship of Indigenous communities here in the Twin Cities, We Are Still Here connects the Native history of the land and continued connections to our past through the powerful visuals and current narratives of contemporary Native artists. We Are Still Here Featuring Ray Janis, Sheldon Starr and [...]
The Impact Theory of Mass Extinction at HOTB
About Impact Theory From June 16th to June 26th, Heart of the Beast will produce our first major puppet and mask performance since 2018, The Impact Theory of Mass Extinction, by Junauda Petrus-Nasah. Impact Theory tells the story of two black, queer, teens who discover dinosaur bones in their South Minneapolis neighborhood! Our teens get sucked through a prehistoric portal, where they explore extinction theories ranging from the scientifically accepted to the outright absurd. On their Jurassic journey, our protagonists draw comparisons to their own lives, reflecting on themes of ancestry, queerness, and non-binary identity. Impact Theory’s playwright, Junauda Petrus-Nasah, is an acclaimed poet, playwright, screenwriter, and multi-dimensional performance artist. West-Indian descended and African-sourced, she grew up in Minneapolis’s own Phillips and Powderhorn neighborhoods. This production will be born from the skills of local artists: shadow, table top, and [...]
