Arts Alive San Antonio

Have you ever heard of Artemisia Gentileschi?

Few people have though she’s getting kind of popular these days. And with good reason. Artemisia was a highly accomplished painter in 17^th century Italy when the art world was almost completely dominated by men. A good many of her works can still be seen today in various museums in Europe and the U.S., and a new book about her life and work, Artemisia Gentileschi and Feminism in Early Modern Europe has recently been published by Reaktion Books.

So, it’s not surprising that an organization of women artists would choose to name themselves the Gentileschi Aegis Gallery Association, which became known as GAGA. Founded in 2010 by artist Sylvia Benitez, the group has had more than 30 group exhibits since inception and currently has about 70 active members. About 40 of them are featured in the new GAGA show, During This Time, which, like so much else, can be seen only online.

“Time to work without interruption or distraction has long been the artist’s prayer,” wrote Benitez in the press release. “No one ever expected that the prayer’s answer would come disguised as a destroying angel bringing our world, our society, our workplaces and families to our knees.”  Many GAGA members were in no mood to create art, she said, but others felt differently, seizing the moment to be proactive and productive.

Included in the show are Lyn Belisle, Lesta Frank, Hebe Garcia, Loretta Medelin, Lucy Peveto, Bibi Saidi, Paula Sussman, Lisa Walker and many others. Most of the artwork is for sale at very reasonable prices. To view go to www.gagaart.org/summer2020.

On the music front, San Antonio’s chamber ensembles remain active and inventive. The Grammy-nominated Camerata San Antonio plans to present its entire 2020-21 season online although it is also hoping to welcome “small audiences later in the season when conditions allow us to gather in person again.” And, wisely, the organization is offering only online subscriptions, with the stipulation that only subscribers and donors will be able to reserve seats for in-person performances. The programming plans include a recital by the group’s faithful collaborator, pianist Viktor Valkov and the Blueprint program that was canceled back in March. A new element is the inclusion of black composers throughout the season.

But before the new season starts, the Camerata folks will try to entertain you with Video Vignettes, a series of home recitals by their talented musicians, premiering on the Camerata YouTube channel between Aug. 22 and 30. If you want to see those, send them your email address.

And, of course, they need your financial help. To make a much-needed donation go to www.Cameratasa.org

Another accomplished chamber ensemble, Agarita, has also announced its plans for the fall months. As is their tradition, each concert will be a collaborative project of some sort. On Aug. 28, it will be a collaboration with chefs from the Clementine restaurant who will whip up a 5-course meal while the quartet plays Schubert, Fauré, Chausson, Novaček, Bach and the contemporary composer Jessica Meyer. It’s a video presentation so you don’t get to sample the chefs’ goodies but recipes will be available. Watch on Agarita’s Facebook page from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.

Later on, a concert from the San Jose Mission will be livestreamed on Sept. 11, and a collaborative appearance with Andrea “Vocab” Sanderson is scheduled for Oct. 30. The latter will be an outdoor in-person event, with appropriate social distancing. www.agarita.org

At least three San Antonio theater companies will present virtual theater. The small Overtime Theater which specializes in premiering new works, has not been able to use its space for performances for months. But now, they can stream shows directly to the audience thanks to a platform called ShowTix4U. The one coming up is Overtime Cabaret: From Home, which will feature comedy, music, dance, poetry and more. “This, along with our other shows, will be available as 48-hour rental streams,” said managing director Nicole Erwin in the press statement. The Overtime thinks of itself as San Antonio’s answer to off-off Broadway, often featuring “the eccentric, the eclectic, the experimental and the original.”

Other shows to be streamed this summer are Nightingale by Jules Vaquera and Dan Timoskevich; An Evening with Edgar Allan Poe by Derek Berlin; and Ride the Musical by Rachel Roth and Dan Timoskevich

Streaming Price: $5-$25; virtual box office: https://showtix4u.com/events/overtimetheater 

The Classic Theater’s Community Conversations: Amplifying Black Female Voices, is continuing on Wednesday, Aug. 26 at 7 p.m. The theme this time is “What choices have you made to help make things better for the next generation?” The discussion will be facilitated by Cynthia Freeman Gibbs. Panelists include Danielle King, Linda Nance, Deborah Omowale and Melisa Sledge. The event is free but registration is required. https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_R0BblNb6QTCMoMn39euyGw?linkNum=2&campaignID=386660&patronID=1181982415&memberID=29a0bfd46d0494686fb9460d7c896b8c

Jump-Start Performance Co.’s 8×8 Cabaret Du Jump will be presented “En Noir” meaning it will feature black voices and will be curated by the current poet laureate Andrea “Vocab” Sanderson. Of course, it will take place online on Aug. 21 and 22. Featured artists on Friday are Aamori Olujimi, Odious Dance, Naomi Sumthin2Say, and Brian Drones. On Saturday: Jess Mahagony, Sanderson and Darcell Bios. Admission is pay-what-you-can. A zoom link and password will be emailed to you after the ticket purchase is completed. Tickets at www.jump-start.org. For information call 210-227-5867

And the Public Theater of San Antonio will have a reading of a new, original play, Abigail, at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 23. Written by Sarah Tuft, the story deals with a Hollywood director who is blacklisted for making inappropriate comments to women. Hired by his wife to direct The Crucible, he and his team find themselves in a messy situation when the star of the show objects to the misogyny built into her role.
To register: https://bit.ly/3aEOCVZ (The Crucible is Arthur Miller’s play about the Salem Witch Trials)