Focusing (Vol. II) Closing Reception
@ Corner
2912 N Milwaukee Ave (Storefront), Chicago, IL 60647
Opening Saturday, November 12th, from 6PM - 8PM
On view through Tuesday, November 15th
Focusing (Vol. II) is a continuation of Alejandro T. Acierto’s exploration of the breath through the colonial history of Filipino involvement in the 1904 World’s Fair. Focusing delves into the history of the Philippine Constabulary Band (PCB), a group of militarized musicians brought to the 1904 World’s Fair in connection with the ‘live zoo’ exhibition of Filipinos. This history touches on the representation of savagery vs. civilization, control and freedom, adaptation and displacement and how Filipinos, through the direction of an African American musician Walter E. Loving, sought their own liberation. Within the context of the PCB, the act of playing a wind instrument evokes an experience of constricting the breath and is a way to begin to articulate methods of control, power, and restriction. For Acierto, the marching band became a technology through which US colonialism was able to impose its own imaginary, and it is through this research that he investigates how Filipinos could reassert themselves.
Celebrate the closing of the show with an informal public gathering featuring footage of contemporary Filipino marching bands and delicious Filipino food.
Official Website
More events on this date
Tags: Alejandro T. Acierto, Chicago, Corner, Focusing (Vol. II), Logan Square
« previous event
next event »