the UNEARTHING
Main peformances: February 1st-12th @ 8pm at the IX
In January, The UNEARTHING is coming to Charlottesville. What is The UNEARTHING? It is a cross-genre performance, art installation, and workshop series produced and directed by Zap McConnell, member of the Zen Monkey Project and former director of A Charlottesville Wunderkammer, a site-specific performance/ arts carnival that played to sold-out audiences in 2006. The UNEARTHING is presenting free community events and workshops throughout January and the culminating performance takes place Wed –Sun, February 1st-12th, at 8 pm at the IX (next to Play On Theater). Check out the video on their kickstarter page, where the UNEARTHING raised $14,000!
Working to interweave her social critique with creative action, community dialogue, and inspirational performance, Zap McConnell dreamed up The UNEARTHING. This ambitious project is an international exchange, installation, dance theater performance, art sale, fundraiser, and workshop series. Yep… it’s far from simple. After more than 10 years of collaborating and creating original work with the Zen Monkey Project, a local experimental dance theater company, and after spending multiple years as artist in residence at Universidad de los Americas in Puebla, Mexico, Zap is merging the best of both worlds in the Unearthing.
Dancers and musicians are traveling from Mexico and various parts of the US to help create a total experience, where the audience migrates through a world of sculptural installations. In classic Zap style, she is utilizing local unused warehouse space at the IX- building lights, installations, costumes and props from discarded material and found objects. The space will also feature installations from 20 different sculptors. The UNEARTHNG handles the themes of political and cultural borders, ecological realities, and the energy sources driving our madness and our future hope. There will be bicycle power, seed planting, and a post show salon, catered by Harvest Moon, where the audience can peruse the works of art, interact with performers and reflect on the content of the show. All of the art created for this event will be for sale, and half of the proceeds will go to Heartwood and I Love Mountains. Also, leading up to the performance event, members of the UNEARTHING will be hosting free community workshops and supporting programming at local schools.
Be sure to check out the various workshops offered through The UNEARTHING, starting Sunday, January 8th!
The UNEARTHING draws together various parts of our community, intersecting thought, action, and imagination. Come be a part of these events and see a new thing being born within or midst.
