On the occasion of ‘Destiny Is a Rose: The Eileen Harris Norton Collection,’ join us for a double feature of two rarely screened documentaries centered on women in the performing and visual arts: ‘Conjure Women’ (1995), directed by Demetria Royals, and ‘Sphinxes Without Secrets’ (1991), directed by Maria Beatty.
In ‘Conjure Women,’ filmmaker Demetria Royals profiles four African American women artists: playwright and performance artist Robbie McCauley, dancer and choreographer Anita Gonzalez, Grammy Award-winning jazz vocalist Cassandra Wilson, and renowned artist Carrie Mae Weems. The film explores the artistry and philosophy that defines each of their creative practices.
‘Sphinxes Without Secrets’ documents several outstanding women working in performance art, whose feminist avant-garde work developed throughout the 1970s and 1980s. Performers, curators, and critics unravel the mysteries of performance art while reflecting on the obstacles women face in the art world. The film features talking-head segments and performance footage by artists including Diamanda Galás, Robbie McCauley, Holly Hughes, Rachel Rosenthal, Carolee Schneemann, Adrian Piper, Suzanne Lacy, and many more.
These films were selected by Camm Harrison, founder of Black Revivalist, a screening series project which showcases an array of underrated and overlooked gems within Black cinema, in collaboration with Ingrid Schaffner, Curatorial Senior Director at Hauser & Wirth.
Conjure Women (85 mins)
Brief Intermission (15 mins)
Sphinxes Without Secrets (58 mins)
Arrive early to join the Fresh Takes tour of ‘Destiny Is a Rose,’ led by Art Division’s next-generation creatives from 1 – 1.45 pm.
The program is free; however, reservations are recommended.
