#PortraitSeries #ArtistIntro #KaledaDavis #Playwright #Essayist #Actor #PropMistress #ThoughtPartner #Dreamer
In the heart of our artist incubator, Portrait of an Artist in a Safe Space, we invite you to join us each week on an exploration like no other. Together, we will shine a spotlight on a single artist, offering you a glimpse into their inner world. Get ready to be inspired as we reveal a curated selection of images from their archives, along with a backstage peek at their current projects.🎭
To kick off the series, we thought it'd be super cool to get to know our amazing artists a little better. So, we asked them to peak into their archives and some of their favorite promo images from over the years. 🤩 But that's not all! We also dug into their personal treasure trove of memories and perspectives.
Image Details: First off, where and when did these images come to life, and who's the creative genius behind them? We're all ears!
Image Context: Why did these artists pick these particular images? What's the story behind these visuals? Tell us all about it!
Personal Touch: And finally, what kind of memories or emotions do these images evoke for our talented artists today? We're dying to know the backstory, the inspiration, the whole shebang.
Let's jump right in! 💫
Kaleda Davis
Kaleda is a Playwright, Essayist, Actor, Prop Mistress, Thought Partner, and Dreamer based in Harlem, New York City.
“Photo by John Huntington, Prince tribute concert at Le Poisson Rouge, NYC. Pride of singing with professionals for the first time in years. The horror at missing a note or two. The fun of making parts of the song a sing-along.” ”
“This image is a moment of pure joy, singing like no one was watching. The night before rehearsal was in a dusty, moldy basement. As I had not been actively singing, this threw what little voice I had at the time right out the window. The Glamorous Life solo was out of my comfortable range, and I did not care.”
“Self Portrait as Mami Wata. This is the image for the Bubbling Waters project. Creating this from a selfie put me back in touch with my visual artist side.”
“With many names and many forms, the diasporic water goddess is everywhere. I channel "Mother of Water" as I restore the history of her children. Did I turn myself into Yemonja or did she do it?”
“ComicCon 2019. Because it is hard to underestimate the joy of meeting your shero”
“The little nerdy child who wanted to be Lt. Uhura finally met her shero. The fans in the line ahead of me sensed my joy and told her that I was coming. I walked into the photo booth, and she grabbed my hand. "I understand you are a fan" Those are real tears in that photo. There was a crowd waiting to cheer when I left the Photo Booth.”
Photo by Coleman Domingo, NYC
“Coleman Domingo took this headshot. I was about to audition before Susan Stroman and John Kander to understudy Sharon Washington on Broadway. While I did not get the role, the session was full of friendship and hope. It remains one of my favorite images.”
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Check out 14 artists and their collaborators inside CTC's Contemporary Performance Gallery! We are currently featuring short works by artists from across the U.S. and Mexico.
