Presence of Absence: Gordan Parks Through an Empathetic Lens
An Immersive Concert Experience by Six-time Grammy winner Terence Blanchard and the E-Collective with The Turtle Island Quartet in Concert, with visual staging by UT Dallas ATEC LightSquad students under the direction of Professor Andrew F. Scott and of Kansas State University students under the direction of Professor Matthew Gaynor.
Fall 2021 - Spring 2022
Kansas State University
@gracegorgesstudios
I had the honor and privilege of being apart of a collaborative project between students at Kansas State and students at the University of Texas at Dallas. My personal work and contribution is shown from the time 0:00-1:22.
Additionally, I created content that was projected during the song, "Second Wave." Although not featured in the highlight video, it played following the sequence that used animated typography and a golden background.
Program Description
The title reflects a thoughtful consideration of influences. It combines the title of Terence Blanchard's current album, whose music will be featured during the performance. This album is a loving tribute to Wayne Shorter. It illuminates the challenge, discipline, beauty, and spirituality embodied in Wayne Shorter's life as expressed in his music. Likewise, it testifies to the continued impact that Gordon Park's life and work have on society and artists who seek to center social justice, the beauty of humanity, and hope in their work. Empathy was the superpower at the center of Gordon Park's life and interactions with his subject matter and craft. His ability to see the world critically with humility, grace, and curiosity allowed him to capture the essence of the human experience in all facets. Empathizing is the starting point of any design process or creative endeavor. As a collaborative group of musicians, multimedia designers, and art students, we have adopted this attitude as the project's founding principal, theme, and attitude. The artwork we create is a thoughtful consideration of the subjects and their relationship with each other and the wider society. Using a Synectic framework, we hope to bring the work of Gordon Parks and ourselves as artists into a broader consideration through deep connections relevant to our time. More importantly, this project exemplifies how creative pedagogy can advance when modern technology amplifies empathetic engagement.
Full Project Credits
Set List
Absence Elders I Dare You Dark Horse Envisioned Reflections Second Wave Soldiers Kaos
Musicians
Terence Blanchard (trumpet) Charles Altura (guitar) Taylor Eigsti (piano) David Ginyard Jr. (bass) Jonathan Barber (drums) David Balakrishnan (violin) Gabriel Terracciano (violin) Benjamin von Gutzeit (viola) Naseem Alatrash (cello)
ATEC LightSquad
Professor Roxanne Minnish: Art Direction/Production Manager Matthew Unkenholz: Technical Director
Faculty
Amanda Marder: Props Lead Karen Doore: Visual Computing Lead Liz Trosper: Conceptual Lead
Staff
Amanda Wray Goodwin: Lighting Director
Sound/Production
Safwan Chowdhury - Lead Rosa Marquez
Project Management
Loren Cisneros Jolynn Yeh
Code Warriors
Noah Coker Eduardo Garcia AJ Silverman
3d Props
Evan Acuna Liam Melugin Clay Purdy
Video Content
Athena Shen - Lead Nitashia Johnson - Lead Rez Alma-Dolores Acosta Charlie Chan Jacky Yin-Ho Chao Adan Morales
Graphics/Marketing
Koby Wheeler - Lead Rez Alma-Dolores Acosta Anna Malik Eunjoo Shin Cameron Steele Mason Zabojnik Controls Team Cameron Steele Research/Archives Vic Simon
Project Support
Charlotte Mason
Kansas State University Students
Grace Gorges Amyah Montgomery Abby Swafford Amanda Woolesen
Support Made possible with major support from the Gordon Parks Foundation Kansas State University, The Weary Family Foundation, University of Texas at Dallas.
Gordon Parks Light Sculpture made possible through the: Office of Research VP Accelerator Award Schools of the Arts Technology and Emerging Communications Dean Nils Roemer Special Faculty Assignment Program.
