PERMANENT:
“EW,SN”
an experiential art movement
About Permanent: “EW,SN”
Permanent: “EW,SN” is a unique collaboration between ADAMA, Komansé Dance Theater, and Orchestra Noir, in partnership with Atlanta’s High Museum of Art.
In dialogue with signature art objects, ADAMA, Komansé Dance Theater, and Orchestra Noir create and present one-of-a-kind experiences that take the works by Black artists beyond museum walls and into Atlanta’s historically Black neighborhoods.
The High Museum of Art premiered the first original Permanent film that showcased the beautiful collision of artistry between the visual and performing arts. The film underscores how the inspiration behind Radcliffe Bailey’s EW,SN lends itself to process and passion, bringing Permanent: “EW,SN” to life beyond the High Museum’s walls.
Digital Release:
OCT
25
View Permanent: “EW,SN”
Credit: Purchase with funds from Alfred Austell Thornton in memory of Leila Austell Thornton and Albert Edward Thornton, Sr., and Sarah Miller Venable and William Hoyt Venable and the Radcliffe Bailey Guild.
Image Copyright: © Radcliffe Bailey. Courtesy of the artist and Jack Shainman Gallery, New York.
The Inspiration
Radcliffe Bailey
American, born 1968
EW, SN, 2011
Acrylic, glitter, and velvet on canvas
120 1/8 × 96 1/8 × 4 1/4 inches
Radcliffe Bailey’s work combines a deep historical consciousness with the histories of his own family and community. EW, SN reveals Bailey’s signature layering of evocative and culturally resonant images — here, railroad tracks suggest the Underground Railroad while simultaneously referring to Bailey’s father, who was a railroad engineer.
Komansé Dance
Theater
Komansé Dance Theater’s mission is to use art to challenge, create, and cultivate. The company utilizes the medium of Black cultural expression to unpack current issues surrounding social activism. Artistic Director Raianna Brown seeks to create work that speaks to people’s experiences and the universal human connection. Komansé Dance Theater is uncompromising storytelling for the culture.
Orchestra Noir
Through orchestral performance, Orchestra Noir aims to celebrate the cultural achievements of African American music pioneers across all genres of music, including classical, hip-hop and R&B. Orchestra Noir has witnessed a meteoric rise, becoming one of the most talked about orchestras in the nation, as it continues to successfully bring orchestral music to diverse, younger audiences in grand and spectacular fashion.
Adama
ADAMA is an innovative contemporary art museum and cultural institution highlighting the global Black experience. Its programmatic mission is to present and advance the exploration and conversations around twenty-first-century contemporary art and culture of the African diaspora through exhibitions, programs, and artist residencies.
High Museum
Located in the heart of Atlanta, the High Museum of Art connects with audiences from across the Southeast and around the world through its distinguished collection, dynamic schedule of special exhibitions, and engaging community-focused programs. Featuring a collection of more than 18,000 works of art, the High is dedicated to reflecting the diversity of its communities and offering a variety of exhibitions and educational programs that engage visitors with the world of art, the lives of artists, and the creative process.