Author Jarrett Neal in Chicago Feb. 27
Jarrett Neal, author of What Color Is Your Hoodie: Essays in Black Gay Identity, will discuss and sign his book Saturday, Feb. 27, 2 p.m., at Revolution Books, 1103 N. Ashland Ave.
In 13 essays, Neal reports on the status of Black gay men in the new millennium, examining issues such as classism, racism within the gay community, representations of Black male body within gay pornography ,and patriarchal threats to the survival of both Black men and gay men.
What Color is Your Hoodie? employs the author's own quest for visibilitythrough bodybuilding, creative writing, and teaching among other pursuitsas the genesis for a dialogue that aims to symbolize the entire Black gay community's struggle for recognition and survival.
Neal's fiction, poetry and essays have appeared in Chelsea Station, The Gay and Lesbian Review, Requited Journal, The Good Men Project and other publications, including the Lambda Literary Award-nominated anthologies For Colored Boys Who Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Still Not Enough and Black Gay Genius: Answering Joseph Beam's Call.
Mapplethorpe book out in March
Robert Mapplethorpe: The Photographs ( J. Paul Getty Museum, March 2016 ) offers an examination of the artist's oeuvre and influence.
Drawing from the extraordinary collection jointly acquired in 2011 by the J. Paul Getty Museum and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art from The Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation, as well as the Mapplethorpe Archive housed at the Getty Research Institute, the authors were given the unique opportunity to explore new resources and present fresh perspectives.
Robert Mapplethorpe: The Photographs presents some of Mapplethorpe's most familiar portraits, including intimate self-portraits and those of his long-time benefactor and lover Samuel J. Wagstaff Jr., poet-musician Patti Smith and other members of New York's cultural elite, including artists David Hockney, Andy Warhol, and Louise Bourgeois, actress Isabella Rossellini and singer-songwriter Deborah Harry.
A companion publication, entitled Robert Mapplethorpe: The Archive, by Frances Terpak and Michelle Brunnick, will also be published in March, coinciding with the exhibition, Robert Mapplethorpe: The Perfect Medium.
Gallery hosting sexual-assault exhibit
The Awakenings Foundationthe home of the only known collection of rape-survivor artworkhas announced its first curated exhibit, "Graphic Relief," which will feature international comic book, graphic novel and zine media artists who deal with the topic of street harassment.
Artists are welcome to submit, regardless of survivor identity, as long as works speak to the topic.
The Awakenings Foundation exists to help survivors of sexual assault heal through the creative arts. This exhibit will open up our mission to a wider community of artists and patrons by tackling the epidemic of street harassment and catcalling, which has been thrust into a spotlight in recent digital and social media.
Email Laura Kinter at laura@awakeningsfoundation.net .
Joffrey presenting 'Bold Moves'
For its annual winter engagement, The Joffrey Ballet presents "Bold Moves," a program of three contemporary ballets that runs at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University, 50 E. Congress Pkwy., through Feb. 21.
The program includes a world premiere by British choreographer Ashley Page, along with the return of two popular works from the Joffrey repertoire: Yuri Possokhov's RAkU and Jiri Kylian's Forgotten Land plus live orchestral accompaniment from the Chicago Philharmonic, led by Joffrey Music Director Scott Speck.
Single tickets, priced $32-$155, are available for purchase at The Joffrey Ballet's official box office at Joffrey Tower, 10 E. Randolph St.; the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University Box Office; all Ticketmaster Ticket Centers; at 800-982-2787; or at Ticketmaster.com .
View Windy City Times full calendar of upcoming events: www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/chicago/events/upcoming.php .