BIO
Chicago native, Makeba Kedem-DuBose, has been a Multidisciplinary Career Artist for over 25 years, practicing throughout the greater Chicago land area, as well as regionally (New York, Atlanta, Maryland, Philadelphia, California, Michigan, Florida), and internationally (France, Germany, Ghana, England, and Cuba.) Her work is published, namely in Professor Daniel Parker’s African Art: The Diaspora and Beyond; Tara Bett’s book of poems, Arc and Hue, Drum Magazine (London), Janelle Dowell’s A Time: A Season in honor of Oprah Winfrey, and Woman’s Day Magazine. She studied Interior Design at Chicago’s esteemed Harrington College of Design.
Makeba is presently Creative Director and Curator at Chicago Global Health Alliance, a position she has held since 2014. She recently completed the Visual Arts Certification Program in Curatorial Practices at the Hyde Park Art Center through the University of Chicago Graham School. Her work is included in both private and public collections worldwide.
Artificial Light: 365 Days of Sun
October, 2018
Makeba Kedem-DuBose with collaborators Nataka Moore, Ennis Martin III, Renee Baker and the Chicago Modern Orchestra Project ----
Artificial Light: 365 Days of Sun is a multimedia performance piece inspired by the movie, “What Happened Miss Simone?” and the song “I Ain’t Got No, I Got Life.” by American singer-songwriter Ms. Nina Simone. The performance focuses on the citizen status of being of ‘normal’ mental health and the very prevalent non-citizen group of people suffering with depressive disorders.
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An installation of approximately 60 Sharpie marker drawings featuring sun images will be presented by Kedem-DuBose as an undulating sea of art representing the ebb and flow of mood. The undulations depict affect from depression to mania. Euthymic (normal mood) people enjoy full citizenship, but people with mania and depression are treated as 2nd or even 3rd class citizens. This undulating wave will be recapitulated sonically through a musical selection composed by Renee Baker & performed by the Chicago Modern Orchestra Project. A dance performance by Ennis Martin III will also demonstrate this changing mood from depression to euthymia to mania. -----
Following the performance, Dr. Nataka J. Moore, Psy.D (Adler University, clinical psychology professor) will define what major depression is and what it is not, to dispel common misconceptions. DuBose will then lead Dr. Moore and the audience in a discussion about the citizenship status of depressed persons and how the rest of us diminish or improve the citizenship status of people suffering from depressive disorders. The goal of the performance is to build empathy for depressed persons to increase their recognition as full citizens, and to help facilitate individual and community healing.
Threewalls is always finding new ways to share our artist’s unique voices through exhibits, talks, and gatherings. We would like you to be the first to know about these opportunities.