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The Walker Cinema re-opens with two new films created in Minneapolis that are reflective of our times.
E.G. Bailey’s KEON portrays a day in the lives of an emerging Black photographer, Keon, and his brothers as they encounter subtle, complex, and overtly dangerous policing of their expression and bodies. Musician, activist, and urban farmer Marcus Kar gathered musicians, poets, videographers, and organizers to create Strange Things, “a beautiful and powerful interpretation” of what he was feeling during the George Floyd uprising and unrest.
E.G. Bailey, Shá Cage, Marcus Kar, and Nastaaja Johnson will discuss their work, collective concepts of futurity, and how art and film contribute to building new worlds.
Content advisory: both films contain scenes of police violence in Minneapolis.
Free tickets available at the Main Lobby desk from 6 pm.
About the Films
KEON by E.G. Bailey
Shot in black and white, the short film was produced by E.G. Bailey and Shá Cage (Freestyle Films) with a cast including Shá Cage, Namir Fearce, Xavier Goodman, Arshon, Ashe Jaafaru, Eponine Diatta, Lyric Silver, Awazi Jaafaru, Malick Ceesay, Terry Bellamy, Sam Bardwell, Sara Richardson, Amoke Kubat, Stephen Yoakam, Ron Collier, Sally Wingert and others. Music by Davu Seru (jazz), earlybirds (featuring Capaciti, Big Jess, Mac S.P.I.L.L.Z. + Truthmaze) (hip hop). 2020, US, black and white, digital, 27 min.
Strange Things by Marcus Kar
Produced with Peter Jamus and J.Maki, the music video features music by Marcus Kar (writer, producer, composer, guitar, bass, vocals) and Wayne Sayres (saxophone) with narration by Michael Chaney and aerial performance by Nastaaja Johnson of Vivid Black Paint. 2021, US, digital, 6 min.
About the Artists
E.G. Bailey (director, producer) has been named one of Filmmaker Magazine’s 25 New Faces of Independent Film, a 2018 McKnight Media Artist Fellow, and a recipient of the 2021 Bush Fellowship. He is an Ivey Award–winning artist, filmmaker, director, and producer. Bailey is cofounder of Tru Ruts Endeavors, Freestyle Films, Million Artist Movement, and MN Spoken Word Association. His film New Neighbors premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, screened at Walker Art Center in 2016, and won numerous awards, screening at over 100 festivals worldwide. His latest film, KEON, was nominated for Best Narrative Short for Blackstar Film Festival and Best of Fest for the Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival in 2021.
Shá Cage (actor, producer) is a renaissance artist/activist who writes, directs, acts, and makes film, theater, and poetry. Her work has taken her across the US to Japan, South Africa, England, Bosnia and Canada. Raised in Mississippi, she splits her time between LA and Minneapolis and has been called a change-maker and one of the leading artists of her generation. Seen last on stage as Lady Capulet in Romeo and Juliet at the Guthrie Theater, she is currently directing a feature documentary titled Underbelly that spotlights healing and activism in the aftermath of George Floyd’s death. She holds an Emmy, Iveys, TCG and McKnight Fellowships and is the recent Lloyd Richards New Futures Fellow with Cornerstone Theater based in LA. She and her partner E.G. Bailey have cofounded several organizations and initiatives, been called movers and makers, and have been using art to elevate Black and Brown narratives through Tru Ruts for over 22 years.
Marcus Kar uses art and music to help grow a healthy North Minneapolis. Born in West Africa, raised in Minneapolis MN, Kar is program director for Youth Farm. Kar works with Northside youth to provide community access to locally grown produce throughout the neighborhood. Founder of Free Range Music Cooperative, he was codirector of 2015’s CULTURE hip-hop series. His production and vocals drive the accompanying album CULTURE Hip Hop Vol. I, which features many of the Twin Cities’ best musicians, DJs, singers, and rappers.
Nastaaja Johnson is an aerialist performer and founder of Vivid Black Paint. She utilizes circus and art as a vital service to mental well-being and social-emotional development and her Circus Paint program trains aspiring performers and coaches in aerial arts, fire breathing, acrobalance, and clowning. Johnson has held leadership and coaching roles for YMCA, YWCA, Big Brothers Big Sisters, LA Fitness, and Minneapolis Public Schools. Johnson builds her circus wellness program through Vivid Black Paint, a nonprofit organization built by BIPOC creatives for BIPOC creatives, with a mission to provide supportive programming, life coaching, world travel opportunities, and a communal artistic living space for BIPOC artists to share and grow their skills and talents.
Accessibility
For more information about accessibility, or to request accommodations, call 612-375-7564 or email access@walkerart.org.
For more information about accessibility at the Walker, visit our Access page.
Welcome Back to the Walker Cinema
Our highest priority is the health and wellness of all visitors to the Walker. We’re preparing to welcome you back responsibly with a seamless and improved experience. To find out more about important COVID-19 vaccination, testing, and mask requirements related to this event, visit our COVID-19 guidelines page.
We will continue to share updates to the Walker’s response to COVID-19 as health guidelines evolve. If you have questions or require additional assistance related to the museum’s response to COVID-19, please email info@walkerart.org or call 612-375-7600.
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