“Zola” was a film inspired by a viral Twitter thread by Aziah “Zola” King. Credit: Courtesy of A24
The Wexner Center for the Arts is making the transition back to in-person events with a fall schedule filled with new art and events for everyone.
Melissa Starker, public relations manager of the Wexner Center for the Arts, said that although the center has increased its event calendar and ramped up in-person happenings similar to before the pandemic, it is still offering virtual events for those who may remain wary of participating in person.
“We are just starting to sort of ramp back up to the speed that we were at pre-COVID, in terms of the number of events we are hoping to share with folks,” Starker said. “Although, some of those will be virtual or hybrid, so we will definitely be giving people options depending on their comfort levels.”
Starker said the Wexner Center plans to go back to primarily in-person live performances and is having its first in-person performing arts event featuring musical group Moviola, as well as additional players and multimedia Sept. 24 in the Mershon Auditorium.
The center has partnered with Otherworld, a futuristic entertainment center in Columbus, to create a performance lab for musicians and artists. The event has been ongoing since Aug. 11 and will continue through Wednesday, when Mistar Anderson will perform their latest records, Starker said.
The Wexner Center will continue to hold events throughout the fall, with its next performing arts event Oct. 16 featuring Arooj Aftab and the Vulture Prince Ensemble.
Performing arts won’t be the only in-person events returning to the Wexner Center. The center has partnered with the Columbus Black International Film Festival for a screening of the film “Zola,” Cristyn Steward, CEO of the film festival, said.
The film festival has partnered with the Wexner Center for five years, and for this year’s festival, Steward said the theme is “transcendence,” which inspired her to choose “Zola” as the first screening.
“I wanted to do something more current,” Steward said. “Our theme this year is ‘transcend,’ and I think what we see with this film is it does represent a portion of authentic Black life.”
“Zola” was a film inspired by a viral Twitter thread by Aziah “Zola” King, and the non-traditional format in which this film was created is one of the key reasons why it was chosen for this year’s opening night, Steward said.
“In terms of transcending and how we view films and how they’re made, I think this is very different because this started as a Twitter thread and is literally just a story that a girl was telling on Twitter,” Steward said. “For it to materialize two years later into an actual feature is pretty amazing. I think it talks to the creativeness of Black folks in general.”
In addition to film-related events and showings, Starker said the Wexner Center will host learning events for the community, such as Bela Koe-Krompecher on Love, Death & Photosynthesis Aug. 31 at 7 p.m. and Elaine Heumann Gurian: Museums in a Post-COVID Age Sept. 2 at 4 p.m.
The event information on the Wexner Center website stated Koe-Krompecher will read from his memoir and discuss the recent donation of his archives to the Wexner Center during the event.
According to a Wexner Center press release, Heumann Gurian will touch on the role institutions play in society, especially as people collectively navigate COVID-19.
Fine and visual art will also have a place on the event calendar this fall. Jaqueline Humphries’ exhibition, “jHΩ1:),” will be on view at the Wexner Center Sept. 18 through Jan. 2, 2022. The exhibit will feature over 30 paintings and will also be home to Humphries’ largest creation to date: a multipanel painting inspired by the Wexner Center’s unique architecture.
Johanna Burton, executive director of the Wexner Center, stated in a press release the center is excited to host the work of such a talented artist.
“We’re elated to host this important exhibition, which comes at a key moment in the artist’s career,” Burton stated. “Jacqueline’s paintings are not just beautiful, but powerful, large-scale creations that push the boundaries of abstract painting as we think we know it. To see this work in playful combat with the Wex’s architecture will be an unforgettable experience for viewers.”
The Wexner Center will also host a free exhibition preview featuring a conversation between Humphries and curator Mark Godfrey Sept. 17 from 5-8 p.m., according to the press release.
A full list of events the Wexner Center for the Arts will hold this semester can be found on the Wexner Center events calendar.
