VISITING WITH FINE ARTIST WANGECHI MUTU, AND HER FRIENDS AT HER HOME/STUDIO IN BROOKLYN NY

The perfect hostess, mother-to-be Wangechi Mutu greeting and enjoying her guest.

I partial view of Wangechi's studio, (behind the wizards curtain), it is such a visually stimulating work-space.

This is Wangechi's new book,... I wish I would have had time to read a few pages, I only had time to quickly flip through the book,... just looking at the dynamic images.... I was trying to be a good guest and mingle and talk to folks,... even though, what I wanted to do was curl-up in a corner and slowly read the book, listen to the music and munch on the variety of munches that was distributed around the room in beautiful bowls.

Images from Wangechi's book.... One word, SPECTACULAR. I got to get this book!!!!


Sept 30th 2008, 4:22am, Wangechi Mutu text messaged me, inviting me to a get together at her home/studio in Brooklyn,, so... Really really late that evening,... after Poet Ishmeal Reed's conversation at the New School in Manhattan,... around about 10:00pm, I arrived at her beautiful home/studio, as you could figure out most of the guest had left by the time I arrived.., but, I was able to visit with Wangechi, her boyfriend and a few of our friends that I had not see for many years,.. and I was able to meet new folks.

I noticed that I had not seen Wangechi for a while, because this was the first time that I found out that she was 7 months pregnant, she looked beautiful and as always she was the perfect hostess. I got a chance to flip through her new book titled WANGECHI MUTU A SHADY PROMISE, I got to get this book and read it, there is a lot of rich psycological documentation here.

I really enjoyed my evening.

Thanks Wangechi, I needed that!!!

ISHMAEL REED IN CONVERSATION WITH AL YOUNG; MODERATED BY LA TASHA DIGGS, AT NEW SCHOOL IN NEW YORK CITY

The Poet/Writer/Educator Ishmael Reed, Poet, Artist, moderator, LaTasha Diggs, Poet/Writer/Educator Al Young

Oct. 1, 2008 Went to hear the Poets Ishmael Reed and Al Young read some of their writings. Later the poets had a lively dialogue about the their live's as poets and the developement of their writings.

The evening was moderated by my friend The Poet, Performance Artist, Singer Extraordinaire, LaTasha Diggs. The evening was sponsored by The New School Writing Program and Cave Canem Foundation, The New York Community Trust, Lila Wallace theater fund, and public funds from the New York City Department of cultural Affairs.

I had been on a mad-hunt, looking for Ishmael Reed's Poem NEO-HOODOO MANIFESTO. I asked him where I could get a copy of it, He told me that it was in his book NEW AND COLLECTED POEMS 1964-2007, I purchased the book and he signed it form me. I really love the writing in this book, and I really appreciate having NEO-HOODOO MANIFESTO finally in my hands.

NEO-HOODOO MANIFESTO starts out like... "Neo HooDoo is a "Lost American Church" updated. Neo-HooDoo is the music of James Brown without the lyrics"....

Yet, another one of those culturally charged New York Evenings...

Need I say more?