About this Event
Multidisciplinary artist Daniel J. Watts is opening the doors to his painting process. From June 2-14, Watts will take over the East Village Basement for 12 intimate and inspiring nights. Accompanied by collaborators Tony-nominated composer/orchestrator Michael Thurber (Just In Time; Goddess), Grammy-nominated musician Divinity Roxx (Divi Roxx Kids; The Beyonce Experience), Julian Rozzell, Jr (The Skin of Our Teeth), Preston W. Dugger III aka DJ DUGGZ (Motown The Musical; S.N.OB.), Ari Grooves (Tina: The Tina Turner Musical; S.N.O.B.), MÏRÄNDÄ (Harness EP) and a rotation of other musical guests throughout, Process of Saying Yes blends Watts’ signature freestyle dance painting technique with elements of musical improvisation, live looping, spoken word, and storytelling for 90 minutes of unadulterated freedom and authenticity. Each evening will culminate in a live auction of the created work.
**Process of Saying Yes is based on work that originated with Daniel J. Watts and Michael Thurber at ASU-Gammage.
SCHEDULE
6/2 - MICHAEL THURBER & TAHARQA PATTERSON
6/3 - MICHAEL THURBER & LEO COLTRANE
6/4 - MICHAEL THURBER & VEE.
6/6 - MICHAEL THURBER & LOUIS CATO
6/7 - MICHAEL THURBER & KAILA MULLADY
6/8 - JULIAN ROZZELL, JR & DANIELA BAUER
6/9 - JULIAN ROZZELL, JR & JAKE GOLDBAS
6/10 - ARI GROOVES & SUNNY JAIN
6/11 - MÏRÄNDÄ & LUCAS KADISH
6/12 - DJ DUGGZ & NICK BIELLO
6/13 - DIVINITY ROXX & DANA MARIE INGRAHAM
6/14 - DJ DUGGZ & ALPHONSO HORNE
ABOUT THE ARTIST
You could call what Daniel J. Watts is doing “abstract expressionism”, but truthfully, he’s just searching for ways to feel free. The multi-disciplinary artist found his way into painting at the tail end of the infamous “Summer 2020” at the intersection of America’s triple pandemic involving racial inequality, economics and health care. The theater wouldn’t entertain audiences for another year, not that Watts needed an audience, but he did need to transmute. With the not so subtle push from a fellow artist, Upendo Taylor, Watts engaged his love of dance and went on an exploration through color and sound. Using music as initial inspiration he traveled from Miles Davis and Coleman Hawkins to James Brown to the Broadway cast recording of Bring in Da Noise, Bring in Da Funk. He studied the Japanese art movement Gutai, fell in love with their mantra “exterminate your paint brushes” and found a kindred spirit in member Kazuo Shiraga who in the 50’s began painting with his feet. That is when Watts realized he’d been compartmentalizing himself and engaging in the visual arts would be an opportunity to merge. When he paints he channels all of his influences from the ladies on his night stand (Toni Morrison, Bassey Ipki, and belle hooks) to Saul Williams and Langston Hughes as James Baldwin whispers the secret to being a hero: balancing how much one remembers and forgets. He’s channeling Pelé and Ali and Sammy and Jean-Michel and Norman Lewis and de Kooning and Lorna Simpson and Bisa Butler and Fahamu Pecou and little conversations with José Parlá and Lee Quinoñes and Derrick Adams and Deborah Willis and that thing Larry Neal calls the “Blues God”. He’s remembering his childhood and projecting his future and staying present in the in between. Color and movement are music and words and a moment in time like a snapshot by Roy DeCarava, Arthur Jafa or Ogata connecting us all. Watts is looking to explore that space to the fullest, because there, he found, is where the freedom resides.
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
East Village Basement, 321 East 9th Street, New York, United States
USD 55.20
