Doc Fest Honors Black History at The Parrish
Update: Feb. 3, 2022:
This event has been rescheduled to March 4 due to inclement weather on Feb. 4.
Original Story Follows:
The Hamptons Doc Fest is highlighting two short films on Friday, Feb. 4 that celebrate the talent of two African American artists, but tell their stories from very different perspectives: one focusing on contemporary African American portrait artist Kehinde Wiley and the second on the works of art that sprang up in response to the tragic death of Breonna Taylor, focusing on one artist, Amy Sherald.
The screenings, which will be held at 6 p.m. both live at the Parrish Art Museum (279 Montauk Highway in Water Mill) and via livestreaming, and will be followed by a live Zoom conversation with the filmmakers.
The first film, “Kehind Wiley: An Economy of Grace,” is a 38-minute PBS production directed by Jeff Dupre.
Known for his vibrant reinterpretations of classical portraits featuring African-American men, New York-based painter Kehinde Wiley has turned the practice of portraiture on its head, and in the process has taken the art world by storm.
In the film, Wiley turns his talents to African American women as part of his exploration of image and status of African Americans throughout history.
As Wiley explained: “I am painting women in order to come to terms with the depictions of gender within the context of art history. One has to broaden the conversation.”
The film won the Jury Prize at SXSW, the Audience Award at Provincetown Film Festival, was nominated for an Emmy and shortlisted for an Academy Award.
The second film is “Bree Wayy: Promise, Witness, Remembrance,” a 28-minute MTV Documentary Films production directed by Dawn Porter.
After the tragic spring 2020 death of Kentuky resident Breonna Taylor, artists all over the country found solace by creating works of art to pay tribute to the life and light of the 26-year-old EMT and budding nurse, who was killed by local police in a botched raid.
These tributes include one by renowned painter Amy Sherald, whose portrait of Breonna is the centerpiece of the Speed Art Museum’s exhibition, “Promise, Witness, Remembrance,” shown in Breonna’s hometown of Louisville, Kentucky.
The film pays homage to art and creativity as a way to protest injustice and create a space to heal, led by the indomitable spirit and love of Breonna’s mother, Tamika Palmer.
Tickets are $5 for members and $15 for non-members and are available online at parrishart.org. Proof of vaccination and masks are required at all times in the museum.
