Join us at Bridge Storage and ArtSpace to celebrate our July art exhibition mounted by artist Lauren Ari, and toast the beginnings of a Richmond Lit Center at Bridge with an evening of music, art, and poetry to delight the eyes, ears, and senses.

In the Bridge Gallery, Lauren Ari has mounted a show entitled “Thank You for Looking”. In smaller spaces, you can view art from mixed-media artist Fortune Sitole and photographer Kent Jolly.

Enjoy performance art with “Madame Soandso’s Operatic Misfortunes”. You will be confused and delighted.

Local harmonica ensemble Tin Sandwich will begin the event with lively sets of old-time favorites, Balkan melodies, film noir and pop tunes—in the style of the Harmonicats and the Harmonica Rascals.

The Poets Laureate will read crowd-pleasing poems, both original and from other poets, and they are each inviting another local poet to join them on stage. The evening promises a lively mixture of voices, styles, and subjects.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

5:00 pm – 7:00 pm: Art Reception for Lauren Ari Exhibition with music from Tin Sandwich and Operatic Misfortune

7:00 pm – 8:00 pm: Poetry performance with musical accompaniment featuring Rob Lipton, Daniel Ari, and Ciera-Jevae Gordon and guests

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

POETS

Ciera-Jevae Gordon has worked at the African American Resource and Cultural Center at UC Santa Cruz for 4 years coordinating study jams and the Black graduation. She has taught poetry at the Santa Cruz County Jail, and has been on four national poetry slam teams. She is a poet laureate of Richmond, (2017-2019).

Rob Lipton has been a long time east bay resident and a Richmond resident for 6 years. He is both a poet and a spatial epidemiologist studying violence in the most dangerous cities in the USA. He has received grants from Berkeley Community Arts and Alameda Community Arts Program. He is a poet laureate of Richmond, and also plays the harmonica! (2017-2019) robertlipton.blogspot.com

Daniel Ari writes, publishes, performs, teaches, and creates poetry events. His most recent book, One Way to Ask, combines his poems with illustrations by 67 artists including Roz Chast, R. Crumb, Henrik Drescher, Bill Griffith, Wayne White and his wife, Lauren Ari. He is a poet laureate of Richmond, (2017-2019)

MUSIC

East Bay harmonica ensemble Tin Sandwich perform old-time favorites, Balkan melodies, film noir and pop tunes in the style of the Harmonicats and the Harmonica Rascals. www.facebook.com/TinSandwichBand/

ART

Lauren Ari (“Thank You for Looking” Exhibition in the Main Gallery)
Lauren Ari is a Richmond-based multi-media artist and educator. The poet Alison Luterman says, “Lauren Ari’s art roars out of the deepest part of her psyche and arrives with great tenderness into the world. It is fiercely honest, playful, erotic and provocative. She speaks directly what is still unfettered in all of us, our wild, free, animal selves.“ www.laurenari.com

Fortune Sitole (Exhibition in Blue Conference Room)
South African Artist Fortune Sitole resides in Oakland, California. He fashions his artwork as an homage to his ancestors, family, and community, a reminder of the day-to-day life in black South African townships. www.fortunesgallery.com

Kent Jolly (Exhibition in Office Gallery)
Kent Jolly is an artist and sound designer living in Berkeley California. His photos reflect a fascination with symmetry and its ability to suggest new lifeforms as well as abstract the subject. www.abramsclaghorn.com/kent-jolly/

PERFORMANCE ART

Madame Soandso has been performing her operatic misfortunes for enthusiastic and mystified guests at quality events such as Figment Oakland for many years.

We look forward to seeing you there!