NON:op's immersive platform for virtual performance and participation
volume 4:1
Please Join Us
as we investigate alternative futures
through music, art, poetry, performance, and observation
SHARE. INTERACT. COLLABORATE.
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Welcome to the February 2023 issue of NON:onLINE!
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A Broken Contract
Kameron Locke
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Four
score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth, upon this
continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty…,” Abraham Lincoln
famously began his brief speech to a crowd in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania,
on November 19, 1863. Was it all wishful thinking, or were his stirring
words meant to conjure the rebirth of a nation that was created through
violence, theft, and enslavement? Although Lincoln’s opinion on the
freedom and equality of Black Americans had evolved by 1863, his
proposition, “that all men are created equal,” remains an illusion.
Today, as politicians revive Lincoln’s legacy in an attempt to inflate
their own self-image, and our leaders, states, and individuals strive to
safeguard and enshrine a neo-Confederacy of the twenty-first century,
it is clear that his words have fallen on deaf ears. In all earnest, has
America grasped what equality for all, this allusive ideal, truly
means? Lincoln voiced a hopeful promise, yet, as Salvatore Martirano’s L’sGA suggests, this verbal contract, though inspirational, are empty words left unfulfilled.
... all men are created equal.
 In
the public sphere, a white, male American president voluntarily
expressed the need for a unified and reborn nation, a nation where the
enslavement of Black bodies was no more, and “freedom” was assured for
its’ citizens. Lincoln acknowledged that this country must move beyond
its gross institutionalized traditions to gain “a new birth of freedom,”
to finally achieve the equality proclaimed in the preludial Declaration
of Independence. Lincoln’s evolution continued up to his assassination,
as subsequent writing alludes to his increased support of Black
Americans’ freedom and reparations. “Freedom” was eventually restored to
the enslaved Africans who were born into slavery on the soil of this
young nation, yet, has the rebirth of the United States come, now seven
score and twelve years after Lincoln’s address?A
century later, Salvatore Martirano responded to Lincoln’s most often
quoted speech, pointedly depicting his opinion based on the state of
affairs at the time. He composed and birthed his 1968 L’sGA, a
visual-audio critique of Lincoln’s oration, during a period of great
strife for this nation, when it was glaringly evident to him that this
rebirth was arrested at a prepubescent state. The United States found
itself, once again, deadlocked in battles of freedom, equality, and
sacrificed lives—on all fronts—abroad with the Vietnam War and at home
with the African American Civil Rights Movement. I considered some of
the battles that my birth country is currently facing, such as
institutionalized and systemic racism, sexual and gender identity,
wealth disparity, prison reform, as I approached creating my own take on
Martirano’s L’sGA. Additionally, I questioned what the
Gettysburg Address means now, its relevance, and its urgency related to
our current political, racial, and societal affairs.
we are still in an ongoing war for
the freedom of Black Americans
I
struggle to find a balance between Lincoln’s 1863 Gettysburg Address
and our ever-present reality. Black Lives Matter, a movement that began
in 2013, is needed to protest that “Black lives matter”—it is a simple
message, but even still, many struggle to agree with and accept this. I
question, how much of “me” was included in his speech? Lincoln recited
his words at a time when the United States was at war with its very
existence, at a time when the humanity of Africans and their
American-born descendants was finally being considered by white America.
In 2020, we meet again, at the same junction. Lincoln’s speech
recognized a fact he believed the United States was prepared to engage
with, but he was unwilling to confront the past that generated the need
for this rebirth. He advanced in his views on race, but he could not
imagine the vocabulary and the emotions of Black Americans who faced
unthinkable suffering at the hands of white America. To answer a
question I posed earlier, America has yet to realize what equality for
all means. After nearly two centuries, we are still in an ongoing war
for the freedom of Black Americans to be, to do, and to live.
Kameron Locke (he/him) is L’sGA’s first
commissioned artist. At the time he had just finished a degree in vocal
performance at Chicago’s Roosevelt University and emigrated to Berlin. A
classical singer and research-based artist, Locke expresses what he
defines as the “facets of Blackness” through music, performance, and
study. Currently, he is living and performing in Spain. |
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[ SAVE THE DATE ] L'sGA : Lincoln's Gettysburg Address
Illinois Tour Dates
On
November 19, 1863, President Lincoln spoke at the dedication of the
Soldiers’ National Cemetery and described the United States as a nation
“conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are
created equal.” As we continue to witness disproportionate brutality
against Black Americans, NON:op Open Opera Works presents L’sGA :
Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, a concert tour of three commissioned works
by Black artists that re-interpret and re-present the Gettysburg
Address and Sal Martirano’s 1967 anti-war classic, L’sGA.
   
Chicago Hip Hop artist and poet Kao Ra Zen, 3Arts awardee and
multidisciplinary artist A.J. McClenon, and Urbana poet laureate Ja
Nelle Davenport-Pleasure explore themes of liberty, oppression,
patriotism, racism, and revolution. Chicago Emmy winner, actor, and
playwright, Willie “Prince Roc” Round, will be featured in a new
production of Martirano’s L’sGA.Concerts
take place in Bloomington at the McLean County Museum of History (March
4), Urbana at the Independent Media Center (March 5), and Chicago at
Elastic Arts (March 12). The performances will be preceded by a reading
of the Gettysburg Address and poet and L’sGA collaborator M.C.
Holloway’s Dance Wreck. The Bloomington and Urbana programs will include
a panel presentation with scholars, activists, and artists. The Urbana
program will include a presentation by the Writers of Oya from their
writing workshop conducted by Ja Nelle and Kao.
L’sGA : Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency.
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NON:op
is growing, and like many organizations coming out of the pandemic, we
are growing with projects, installations, and performances. It's quite
an exciting time for us! Are you savvy about one or more aspects of
running a non-profit? Join our board of directors. Do you have a passion
for planning engaging events and projects? Join our programming
committee. For more information, contact Christophe at non [at] nonopera
[dot] org. And to find out more about NON:op Open Opera Works and our
initiatives visit our WEBSITE.
• • •
Governing and Programming Board Positions
Do
you believe in the work we are doing? If so, please contact non [at]
nonopera [dot] org to find out how you can support NON:op as a Board
member. NON:op is seeking creative, passionate, and inspired individuals
to join our board of directors in one of the following roles:
Programming Committee
The programming committee meets monthly with the artistic director and
is responsible for supporting current programming and devising and
producing future programming and events.
Governing Committee
The governing committee is responsible for finances, governance, and
legal matters in support of the organization and its programming. The
governing committee meets once per quarter and is joined by members of
the programming committee.
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[ EXPERIENCES ] Hear Below 2023
This year, HEAR BELOW takes place during the month of April. Led by teaching artists, HEAR BELOW is an invitation to discover what listening means to YOU
in these unusual sonic spaces. Teaching artists create a guided
soundwalk with in-person guided soundwalks and online tools and
materials to explore and create your own route. Join us in April or
year-round as we invite you to share your pedway experiences with us and
contribute to the Hear Below Soundwalk Community Archive.
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[ UPDATE ] SAY THEIR NAMES
 SAY THEIR NAMES
is an online living memorial and interactive map/database honoring the
humanity and stories of Black lives lost to police violence.In
2022 NON:op developed a new database and map, worked with a team of
interns from the Metropolitan Chicago Data-science Corp to write code to
gather and prepare data to import into the new database and map, and
continued our research back to 2013. In August and September we
presented STN at the New Mission Temple Church of God in Christ in North
Lawndale, Jubilee Church’s Love on the Block Block Party in South
Austin, the MDW Fair at MANA Contemporary in Pilsen, and the Be the
Healing Conference at the Kent College of Law.
In
2023 we welcome NEIU intern Lexus Wright-Ball “Lexie” to the SAY THEIR
NAMES team. In addition to research, her role includes communications
and engagement strategy. This spring we will deploy the new STN map and
database, training the research team to do their work via a research
portal, and a feedback survey in addition to our information form. The
new map will be directly accessible from the NON:op website. We also
plan to continue doing community engagement projects throughout
Chicago’s most affected neighborhoods.
If
you would like to contribute to the database, or if you would like to
assist lead researcher, Ronald Browne, with this important research
please contact stn [at] nonopera [dot] org
To find out more about SAY THEIR NAMES or to submit information to the database visit the STN webpage.
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Thank You to Our FundersMacArthur Fund for Culture, Equity, and the Arts at the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation
Thank
you to our newest funder, The Drihaus Foundation. NON:op Open Opera
Workds is honored to receive their generous support of our programs and
mission.
Robert H. and Terri L. Cohn Family Foundation
For the fourth year, NON:op Open Opera Works has received significant support from the Robert H. and Terri L. Cohn Family Foundation.
We thank them for their generous donation during these difficult times.
Because of funders like the Cohn Family Foundation, NON:op can continue
to produce engaging, participatory, online experiences that expand the
meaning of arts and humanities and provide opportunities for all persons
to participate in the arts.
Illinois Arts Council Agency
Thank you to the Illinois Arts Council Agency for their Artstour support of our L'sGA : Lincoln's Gettysburg Address
project. Arts Tour funding pays three artists/teams to create and
present new work in response to the Gettysburg Address and Sal
Martirano's L'sGA. Concerts will take place in Bloomington at the McLean
County Museum of History (March 4), Urbana at the Independent Media
Center (March 5) and Chicago at Elastic Arts (March 12).
NON:op received an Action Grant from Illinois Humanities to support our SAY THEIR NAMES Project. This funding allows us to continue this important research and support the development of a new database and map.
A big thank you to the Hyde Park and Kenwood Interfaith Council for their support of our SAY THEIR NAMES Project. Our partnership with HPKIC will support community outreach.
• • •
 Board, Volunteer, Intern, and Other OpportunitiesNON:op is
seeking board members, volunteers, interns, participants, assistants,
artists, and all who have creative ideas and who would like to work with
NON:op to implement a shared vision. Please contact Christophe at non [at] nonopera [dot] org if you would like to find out more and join us as we create an alternative future.
• • •
SUPPORT NON:op by purchasing NONop merch!
Click here to order and support NON:op and its artists. |
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Thank you for taking care of each other by staying indoors and practicing social distancing.
We hope you and yours are well and staying safe as we work to create an alternative future.
SHARE. INTERACT. COLLABORATE.
Christophe, Saba, Theo, Jeanette, Ron, and all of NON:op's creatives, staff, volunteers, and interns
NON:op is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Please consider supporting NON:op's program initiatives, creatives, and mission with a donation today.
All donations are tax deductible according to federal guidelines. Thank you.
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