Alexis – Page 7 – Alexis Clements

The Role of Artists

As some of you may know, I’m working on a book about the role of artists and the arts in society, particularly the US. While I’m working on the book, I’m also working on publishing journalism around the topic. Just recently I’ve published two OpEds on the subject, specifically related to funding for artists:

• New Data Reveals Artists Aren’t Gettin’ Paid

• Aren’t They Happier That Way? Artists and the NEA

There will be more articles on the subject going forward, so keep an eye out on my Twitter feed.

Informal Reading of New Play

I’ve decided to do an informal reading of my newest play at the place that helped inspire it. It’s free and open to the public, plus those in attendance are welcome to read parts from the script.

Here’s some basic info:

Useless
Written by Alexis Clements

Friday, May 11 at 7pm.

Informal reading at the Lesbian Herstory Archives (484 14th St, Brooklyn, NY 11215)

Free.
Light refreshments will be provided.

Some of those present will be able to read parts in the play – actors welcome.

There are seven roles in the play, all female. Ages range from 15-78. Multi-ethnic cast.

Collaborating with Seniors at University Settlement

This spring I’ll be working with a group of seniors at University Settlement’s Houston Street Center on a project to generate a short performance piece with the working title, How to Get By in New York City. This is my first time collaborating with a community organization. My hope is to incorporate dance, video, and performance into the piece.

University Settlement is the oldest settlement house in the US and they just celebrated their 125th anniversary in 2010. The organization has a fascinating history, including anecdotes about Eleanor Roosevelt teaching dance classes there as a young woman. For the 125th, I did an interview with Alison Fleminger, who runs their Performance Project. If you didn’t get a chance to read it, you can have a look at the link below:
• “The Rebirth of the Settlement House Movement“

On Filibusters and Faith

So I was recently in Costa Rica and stopped into a museum in the small town of Alajuela dedicated to Juan Santamaría, a national hero and a figurehead around which a part of Costa Rican national identity gathers. And as IContinue reading

Organ Failure

Maybe it’s because I’m a writer, but the number of times that “breast” and “vagina” have appeared in the news in the past month makes me wonder if people, and by “people” I mean “the government,” remember that those organsContinue reading

Buddhism & Meditation

Since mid-2011, I really began to become more earnest in reading about Buddhism and meditation, though I had been curious about it and occasionally dipped a toe in here or there a handful of times before.

Cultural Strategies Initiative

I’ve recently joined the Cultural Strategies Initiative as a Fellow. It’s a relatively new organization that’s focused on building “cross-sector projects and knowledge that will help to illuminate and activate art’s role in saving the world.” No small ambitions here!

Anyhow, as a fellow I’ll be continuing my arts journalism work and undertake a new book project that I started on late last year. In this book I’ll be examining the ways that the arts are currently valued in the US and suggest an entirely new way of thinking about their value. No small ambitions here either…

Vast Contradictions, Dec. 2011

What contradictions there are in the world. Someone I care about very much is in a place that has been characterized by poverty, malnourishment, armed conflict, systematic rape, and years upon years of exploitation and oppression primarily by outsiders. AndContinue reading

Ambition and the Past, Nov. 2011

“Ambition, if it feeds at all, does so on the ambition of others.” -Susan Sontag I saw the above quote projected during a performance of Kristin Marting et al’s Lush Valley at HERE in September. It’s come up in myContinue reading

Performa 09: Back to Futurism Published

Performa 09: Back to Futurism, the newly published catalogue for the Performa 09 performance art biennial was just published. A short essay by me about the re-enactment of Anna Halprin’s 1965 dance work parades & changes is contained in the book. Learn more.