blog posts Branford Marsalis Quartet will perform at the Krannert Center this spring Nov 13, 2023 10:00 am Grammy Award-winning saxophonist Branford Marsalis will perform with his quartet at Krannert Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets for the spring season went on sale online Nov. 15. Research connects 18th, 19th century relics to our understanding of Atlantic Africa Nov 8, 2023 11:00 am 'My research shifts African and African Atlantic (art) histories from their stereotypical focus on trade goods and sacred relics... toward property and real estate: specifically, the ancestral stone houses of the Gold Coast,' says researcher Hermann von Hesse International Education Week to highlight cultural exchange and scholarship at Illinois Oct 23, 2023 8:30 am International Education Week (IEW) at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign returns Nov. 5 with several events honoring the positive impact of international education in the community. Alumna named Brave Heart Fellow for revealing Indigenous culture, influence on campus Oct 11, 2023 11:30 am Cydnee Weber designed an eco-cultural tour to help students appreciate nature and the influence of Indigenous communities. She also saw few opportunities for students to cultivate plants, so she offers ideas on raising greenery on campus. Paper: Ancient Maya reservoirs offer lessons for today’s water crises Oct 9, 2023 3:30 pm The Maya built and maintained self-cleaning reservoirs that served urban populations over millennia. U. of I. anthropology professor Lisa Lucero writes that the water-related crises they faced hold lessons for today. U of I Library’s 15-millionth volume: A 13th century manuscript on agricultural management Oct 6, 2023 11:45 am The 15-millionth volume in the collection of the University Library is a medieval copy of Walter of Henley’s 13th-century work 'Hosbondrye,' one of the most influential works on agriculture and land management in the Middle Ages. History professor Rosalyn LaPier featured in Ken Burns’ ‘The American Buffalo’ documentary Sep 25, 2023 4:30 pm History professor Rosalyn LaPier, an enrolled member of the Blackfeet Tribe of Montana and Métis, talks about the history of the bison and their connection to Indigenous people in the new Ken Burns documentary 'The American Buffalo.' Illini Union Art Gallery exhibition featuring photos of Mexican Muralism Sep 1, 2023 3:30 pm Murals created on the campus of the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México in Mexico City have been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The exhibition in the Illini Union Art Gallery runs from September 7 to September 29. The overlooked role of food in the civil rights struggle Aug 30, 2023 10:00 am Professor Bobby Smith tells the overlooked story of how food was used as both a weapon and a tool of resistance during the Civil Rights Movement in his new book 'Food Power Politics: The Food Story of the Mississippi Civil Rights Movement.' Marie Watt exhibition at Krannert Art Museum builds community through art, storytelling Aug 28, 2023 1:15 pm Marie Watt's work draws on pop culture, mythology and her Native American and European ancestry. It explores themes of storytelling, community building, environmental stewardship and social justice. How whaling shaped U.S. culture even after petroleum replaced it Aug 14, 2023 2:00 pm U of I professor Jamie Jones examines the huge energy transition from whale oil to fossil fuels and the continuing influence of the whaling industry in her book 'Rendered Obsolete: The Afterlife of U.S. Whaling in the Petroleum Age.' Unwind and learn at Illinois' first folk school Aug 4, 2023 11:30 am Midwest Living (Aug 3) For the past decade, the U of I's Allerton Park has offered arts and crafts programming at the estate, setting the stage for this fall's launch of 'The Farms: An Allerton Folk School.' Space Invaders: Professor examines the symbolic influence of a secretive, playful artist Jul 18, 2023 10:45 am '(The artist) invades urban space with these characters, finding in mosaic tiles the perfect material to replicate the aesthetics of pixels,' Julie Gaillard said. 'These effigies are a symbol for the global upheaval brought about by digital technologies.' Krannert Center for the Performing Arts announces lineup for 2023-24 season Jun 6, 2023 10:15 am Krannert Center for the Performing Arts’ 2023-24 season will begin with the 10th year of ELLNORA: The Guitar Festival, followed by women singer-songwriters, song and dance from Ghana, a Latin Grammy winner, and much more. Illinois professor examines lasting legacy of al-Andalus for Arabs, Muslims today May 30, 2023 10:45 am The influence of al-Andalus and the image of it as a tolerant multicultural society are reflected in diverse ways in politics and art today, writes professor Eric Calderwood in his new book, 'On Earth or in Poems: The Many Lives of al-Andalus.' New Latin American Ensemble diversifies musical offerings at Illinois Apr 19, 2023 11:15 am Ensemble director Guido Sánchez-Portuguez says he started the ensemble because he wanted a group that was devoted to playing underrepresented types of Latin American music - beyond the salsa or merengue that are most familiar. Full list of Ebertfest 2023 films, guests announced Mar 29, 2023 11:00 am As this year marks the 10th anniversary of Roger Ebert’s death, the program reflects his guiding principle of empathy, said Chaz Ebert. The program includes 11 films, two shorts, 20+ guests, and two musical performances: Exhibition explores black ink, watercolor paintings by Shozo Sato Mar 21, 2023 1:45 pm The black ink and watercolor paintings by Shozo Sato, including landscapes of the American West, are featured at Krannert Art Museum. Contemporary work by artists using traditional Japanese aesthetics has not been well-studied by art historians, says curator Maureen Warren. Book tackles myths about science of menstruation Mar 1, 2023 11:15 am A new book from a U of I anthropology professor takes an unflinching look at the many ways humans have struggled – and often failed – to understand one of the greatest mysteries of human biology: menstruation. Alumnus Tyrone Phillips returns to campus as director of Theatre's 'The Royale' Feb 23, 2023 8:00 am For Tyrone Phillips, telling this story about a great boxer, based on Jack Johnson in 1905, is as much about shedding light on one of America's greatest athletes as it is an act of antiracism today. Site of integrated Illinois town founded by former slave is newest national park Jan 30, 2023 1:45 pm The New Philadelphia National Historic Site in western Illinois commemorates the first U.S. town to be legally founded by African Americans. Several U of I professors were among those leading the effort seeking national park status. Mellon Foundation funds study of racial terror in US newspapers, 1863-1921 Jan 27, 2023 10:45 am A project to study newspaper reports about anti-Black violence in nineteenth- and early twentieth-century U.S. newspapers could provide context to the spread of white supremacist ideologies in social media today. Reinvented decorative arts gallery at Krannert Art Museum tells diverse stories Dec 12, 2022 11:00 am Krannert Art Museum has completed a transformation of its Moore Gallery of Decorative Arts that highlights several new acquisitions and the diverse stories of art-making they tell, including this attention-grabbing piece by Roberto Lugo. Cultural tourism that began in Depression-era created image of Old South Nov 30, 2022 9:00 am During the Great Depression, women in Natchez, MS, developed one of the first cultural tourism sites in the U.S., centered around the city’s antebellum architecture. In doing so, they created an image of the Old South as grand mansions and gracious living. Project reconnects Native American tribes with hide painting tradition Nov 16, 2022 10:45 am 'A big part of this project is to help the Miami and Peoria communities continue to revitalize their cultures in a hands-on way,' Professor Robert Morrissey said. 'It’s more than an academic study of the past.' Sinfonia da Camera to perform work by Pulitzer Prize-winning Black composer Nov 9, 2022 11:15 am Pianist Rochelle Sennet and Sinfonia da Camera will perform a work by Pulitzer-winning composer George Walker to commemorate the 100th anniversary of his birth. Sennet says Walker inspiried her to learn more about Black composers, record their music. Alum's film about his brother's life, death in Vietnam screening on campus Oct 7, 2022 9:30 am When Peter McDowell was growing up in Champaign, the life of his older brother, a Vietnam War veteran, and his untimely death in 1972 at age 24 were a mystery. See the award winning film, 'Jimmy in Saigon', and discuss it with McDowell. Art about Black experiences headlines faculty exhibition at Krannert Art Museum Sep 22, 2022 11:00 am The 'Black on Black on Black on Black' exhibition showcases the work by Black art and design faculty. The Sept. 24 opening celebration will be a daylong event with music, food, conversation and all-ages activities. Ludacris returns home to perform at State Farm Center Sep 13, 2022 1:00 pm Ludacris, a Champaign native and rapper, will perform Saturday, October 15 at 8:00pm as part of the University of Illinois Homecoming festivities. Krannert Art Museum exhibition depicts Dutch prints as the original social media Aug 17, 2022 12:15 pm Internet memes, editorial cartoons use humor and satire to put a spin on events, fuel political divides and persuade people to believe a certain version of history. Those images have their origins in the work of 17th-century Dutch printmakers. Krannert Center for the Performing Arts announces 2022-23 artists Jul 21, 2022 1:00 pm The 2022-23 season at Krannert Center for the Performing Arts will include touring artists, rescheduled performances that were canceled due to COVID-19, and work from the dance, music and theatre departments. Professor's new book explores racism in Russia over the past 150 years May 10, 2022 9:30 am White militarism has flourished in Russia under Putin’s rule, making it one of the most dangerous places in the world for racial violence, writes professor Eugene Avrutin in 'Racism in Modern Russia: From the Romanovs to Putin.' Older Latinos redefine family to include friends, neighbors, community members Apr 29, 2022 9:15 am Latinos view the support of friends, neighbors and other community members as so vital to their well-being in later life that they redefine these relationships as family, according to new research from U of I social work professor Lissette Piedra. Explore the 22nd annual Ebertfest Apr 22, 2022 10:45 am Roger Ebert’s Film Festival is held every April and is organized in conjunction with the College of Media. Professor's novel: A mysterious disappearance, whales trying to save the planet Apr 19, 2022 9:45 am The themes of Jewish identity and loss in the debut novel of Professor Brett Ashley Kaplan echo her academic research interests. 'Rare Stuff' also is a work of eco-fiction and magical realism. Theatre department premiering reimagined 'Peter Pan' centered on Indigenous identity Apr 7, 2022 11:30 am 'The Neverland,' by playwright Madeline Sayet, takes the original escapist journey told from a colonial viewpoint and makes it a work of Indigenous futurism about building a world where all people and cultures are valued. Directors del Toro, Zwigoff join 'Ebertfest' slate Mar 8, 2022 9:15 am Roger Ebert’s Film Festival announced that director Guillermo del Toro and screenwriter Kim Morgan will attend with a black-and-white version of their movie 'Nightmare Alley.' Director Terry Zwigoff will attend with cult classic 'Ghost World.' Art by the formerly incarcerated emphasizes shared humanity, art's power to connect Feb 14, 2022 8:00 am An exhibition at Krannert Art Museum, 'Reckless Law, Shameless Order: An Intimate Experience of Incarceration,' explores their shared experiences of detention and how art helped them maintain their humanity. Adaptation of classic play examines issues of politics, greed, public trust Feb 11, 2022 9:15 am Illinois theatre students adapted Henrik Ibsen’s classic, 'An Enemy of the People.' The story from 1882 has many parallels to today as it considers how the truth gets told (or not told) during a public health crisis. Exhibition of Pueblo pots reveals connections to ancestral land, community Jan 28, 2022 9:45 am 'To Know the Fire: Pueblo Women Potters and the Shaping of History' at Krannert Art Museum features earthenware vessels made by women from renowned pottery lineages in Pueblo communities in the Southwest.
