Visual Artist Cedric Umoja
On Thursday, August 3rd, The Jasper Project will present the first east coast preview of the new play Black Super Hero Magic Mama by Inda Craig-Galvan, accompanied by an art exhibit curated by visual artist Cedric Umoja comprised exclusively of art by Black artists from Columbia, SC, and followed by a panel presentation, moderated by poet Joy Priest, addressing the state of inclusivity in the Columbia arts community.
Among the artists exhibiting and participating in the panel are Dogon Krigga, Henry H. Henderson, Sarah Macklin, Thomas Washington, Asia Ca, and Corey Davis. Poets Monifa Lemon and Jennifer Bartell and play director Stan Brown will also participate in the panel which will immediately follow the presentation of the play in its entirety.
The event starts with a reception for the artists at 6:30, with the play at 7:30 and the panel following the play. Tickets are $15 inclusive, (non-preview tickets will be $25), and are available at www.jasperproject.org. Everything takes place at Trustus Theatre.
Over the next few days we’ll be highlighting the work of some of these exciting artists whose work you’ll get to see on Thursday night. Today we’re featuring Cedric Umoja who curated the exhibit and invited panelists.
Cedric Umoja was born in San Francisco, California, but is based out of Columbia, South Carolina. He has been influenced by the likes of Dondi White, Sam Keith, Max Beckmann, Amedeo Modigliani, Rammellezee, Ernie Barnes, Sun Ra and Hans Hoffman. The elements of Graffuturism, Neo- Expressionism, Afro- Surrealism, Comic sequential art, Japanese manga and Afrofuturism have played a role in his artistic development and can also be found in his work.
Cedric Umoja developed his style under the instruction of Tony Cacalano, a Yale MFA and veteran Fine artist, whose own teachers included Jack Tworkov, one of the founders of the now Famed New York school.
