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Blak Rapp M.A.D.U.S.A.

Memoirs of an Artivist
One-Womxn Play

Sat 09 Nov 2019
5:30 Memoirs of an Artivist, CFA Kresge Theatre
7:00 Reception, CFA Great Hall
7:30 Music Performance, CFA Great Hall
The WATS:ON Festival celebrates its 22nd year
Speak No Evil premieres live THUR 07 NOV.
College of Fine Arts Celebrates wats:ON? NOW. Festival
Janice Watson honors her daughter Jill through her support of the wats:ON Festival
Anthony McCall: 'Dark Rooms, Solid Light' at the Albright-Knox 16 Aug- 03 Nov
Blak Rapp
Blak Rapp
Blak Rapp
Blak Rapp
Blak Rapp

A mesmerizing and provocative autobiographical drama contextualizing issues of race, gender, religion, activism, and mass incarceration through a hip-hop lens.

Rapper, poet, activist, and historian Blak Rapp M.A.D.U.S.A. will be a featured artist of the 2019 festival. M.A.D.U.S.A. takes the conscious music movement by storm, painting a vivid picture of her culture via social and political justice interwoven with spiritual inspiration. Mary’s Daughter: Memoirs of an Artivist is a mesmerizing and provocative autobiographical drama that seeks to contextualize black women’s lives, illustrating intersecting issues of race, gender, religion, activism, and mass incarceration through a Hip-Hop lens. Blak Rapp M.A.D.U.S.A. performs her one-womxn play, live on stage at the Kresge Theatre.

Blak Rapp M.A.D.U.S.A. is a rapper, poet, activist and historian. M.A.D.U.S.A. (also known as Melanie Carter) and whose name is an acronym for ‘Making A Difference Using Skills and Activism’ has a degree in Africana Studies from the University of Pittsburgh. Through spoken word and melodic lyricism she paints a vivid picture of her culture via social and political justice interwoven with spiritual inspiration. M.A.D.U.S.A. recorded her first critically acclaimed single ‘It’s On’ in 2007, with Trickle Down Entertainment , a politically conscious independent record label. From poetry slams, freestyle battles and talent shows nationwide, she has displayed her colorful perspective and unique lyrical ability. Her outstanding reputation, along with her work with numerous community outreach organizations, such as Community Empowerment, New Voices Pittsburgh, and Scientific Soul Sessions, has made her a sought after champion of the people. M.A.D.U.S.A. is currently on a youth organizing campaign with SOUL (the School Of Unity and Liberation) based in Oakland, California. This multi-talented artist is on a mission to change the world by spreading a positive message and call to action for all poor people through her musical expression and activism.

Blak Rapp M.A.D.U.S.A.

Memoirs of an Artivist
One-Womxn Play

Sat 09 Nov 2019
5:30 Memoirs of an Artivist, CFA Kresge Theatre
7:00 Reception, CFA Great Hall
7:30 Music Performance, CFA Great Hall
The WATS:ON Festival celebrates its 22nd year
Speak No Evil premieres live THUR 07 NOV.
College of Fine Arts Celebrates wats:ON? NOW. Festival
Janice Watson honors her daughter Jill through her support of the wats:ON Festival
Anthony McCall: 'Dark Rooms, Solid Light' at the Albright-Knox 16 Aug- 03 Nov
Blak Rapp
Blak Rapp
Blak Rapp
Blak Rapp
Blak Rapp

A mesmerizing and provocative autobiographical drama contextualizing issues of race, gender, religion, activism, and mass incarceration through a hip-hop lens.

Rapper, poet, activist, and historian Blak Rapp M.A.D.U.S.A. will be a featured artist of the 2019 festival. M.A.D.U.S.A. takes the conscious music movement by storm, painting a vivid picture of her culture via social and political justice interwoven with spiritual inspiration. Mary’s Daughter: Memoirs of an Artivist is a mesmerizing and provocative autobiographical drama that seeks to contextualize black women’s lives, illustrating intersecting issues of race, gender, religion, activism, and mass incarceration through a Hip-Hop lens. Blak Rapp M.A.D.U.S.A. performs her one-womxn play, live on stage at the Kresge Theatre.

Blak Rapp M.A.D.U.S.A. is a rapper, poet, activist and historian. M.A.D.U.S.A. (also known as Melanie Carter) and whose name is an acronym for ‘Making A Difference Using Skills and Activism’ has a degree in Africana Studies from the University of Pittsburgh. Through spoken word and melodic lyricism she paints a vivid picture of her culture via social and political justice interwoven with spiritual inspiration. M.A.D.U.S.A. recorded her first critically acclaimed single ‘It’s On’ in 2007, with Trickle Down Entertainment , a politically conscious independent record label. From poetry slams, freestyle battles and talent shows nationwide, she has displayed her colorful perspective and unique lyrical ability. Her outstanding reputation, along with her work with numerous community outreach organizations, such as Community Empowerment, New Voices Pittsburgh, and Scientific Soul Sessions, has made her a sought after champion of the people. M.A.D.U.S.A. is currently on a youth organizing campaign with SOUL (the School Of Unity and Liberation) based in Oakland, California. This multi-talented artist is on a mission to change the world by spreading a positive message and call to action for all poor people through her musical expression and activism.

2019: NOW.

NOW. takes on the spirit of Activism, with artists and work tapping into the zeitgeist of our current climate to redirect culture. 

Spike Wolff
Curator, Artistic and Executive Director

NOW.

2019 Festival
07-08-09 Nov

SPEAK NO EVIL

Music Video
featuring Jasiri X, Blak Rapp M.A.D.U.S.A.

MENDI + KEITH OBADIKE

Book of Light
Sound-Light Performance

JASIRI X

Artist Talk and Musical Performance

Blak Rapp M.A.D.U.S.A.

Memoirs of an Artivist
One-Womxn Play

MENDI + KEITH OBADIKE

Anyanwu
Sound Installation

1Hood Media

Music Performances
featuring Jasiri X + Blak Rapp M.A.D.U.S.A.

62-485 / -785

CFA interdisciplinary course
Fall 2019
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SPIKE WOLFF

Curator, Artistic and Executive Director

https://soa.cmu.edu/spike-wolff

lwolff [at] andrew [dot] cmu [dot] edu

Spike Wolff is Special Faculty in the College of Fine Arts and School of Architecture at Carnegie Mellon University. In addition to her work as Artistic and Executive Director of the wats:ON Festival, Spike is Curator of the School of Architecture Lecture Series and has curated exhibitions for the Miller Gallery on Carnegie Mellon’s campus. Spike assumed directorship of the wats:ON Festival in 2010 and has been instrumental in its revitalization, bringing an eclectic and diverse range of internationally acclaimed and emerging artists and their work to Carnegie Mellon. Spike’s work and interests are interdisciplinary in nature. Recent design projects include ‘Shadow’ an installation for the Mattress Factory Museum, ‘The Hurricane’ a temporary jazz club for the Hill House of Pittsburgh, and exhibition design for ‘Contrarreloj, Felix de la Concha’ at the Frick Art Museum. Spike holds a Master of Architecture from SCI-Arc and a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Carnegie Mellon University.
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CASSIE HOWARD

Curatorial Assistant

cmhoward [at] andrew [dot] cmu [dot] edu

Cassie Howard is a student in the School of Architecture at Carnegie Mellon University entering her fourth year. Cassie has been an invaluable member of the festival team since 2017 and is Curatorial Assistant for 2019: NOW. Cassie is interested in the intersection of contemporary practice and activism, especially in how the arts can bring a voice to people who are continuously marginalized, engaging and empowering diverse communities.
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LIZ FOX

Assistant Dean for Staff Engagement

https://www.cmu.edu/cfa/about/leadership/bios/liz-fox.html

lizfox [at] cmu [dot] edu

Liz Fox is an assistant dean in the College of Fine Arts. She has been with the university for more than 30 years and most recently served as the assistant dean for Research for the College of Fine Arts and was a certified research administrator. Recently, Fox took on a new role in CFA, managing staff engagement. To that end, she focuses on the following priorities: staff morale, professional and personal development, diversity, recognition and events. A graduate of the Pennsylvania State University, Fox is working to develop workshops and opportunities for the College of Fine Arts staff, as well as meaningful occasions for recognition and rewards.
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EDDY MAN KIM

Associate Curator Emeritus

https://soa.cmu.edu/eddy-mankim

eddymankim [at] cmu [dot] edu

Eddy Man Kim is an Assistant Teaching Professor in the School of Architecture at Carnegie Mellon University, where he serves as a Co-director of the Computational & Tangible Interaction Design Laboratory (CoDe Lab). Eddy Man is a designer, researcher, educator, and entrepreneur who was awarded the George N. Pauly, Jr. Fellowship to join Carnegie Mellon University School of Architecture faculty as a Visiting Assistant Professor for the academic year of 2014/2015. A technologist and futurist at heart, Eddy Man is interested in interdisciplinary efforts to mutually augment design and technology—especially as they relate to current trends in web technology. Eddy Man is also one of the founding members of openUU, a design research agency based in Hong Kong. While holding the position of Technical Director, Eddy Man marketed for, managed, and delivered openUU projects that won four Best-of-Year Awards by Interior Design magazine and the 40-under-40 Award by Perspective Global magazine. While managing his practice in Hong Kong, Eddy Man taught graduate students at The University of Hong Kong Faculty of Architecture as a visiting design studio instructor and design workshops for Hong Kong Interior Design Association. Eddy Man received his Bachelor of Architecture from Cornell University College of Architecture, Art & Planning and obtained his Master in Design Studies at Harvard University Graduate School of Design, with a concentration in Design Technology. Upon completion of his Masters thesis, Sandbox3D: Web App for Real-time Design Collaboration, he was awarded the Digital Design Prize for _“the most creative use of digital media in relation to the design professions.”_ Eddy Man has worked in the offices of POSCO A&C of Seoul, South Korea; Robert A.M. Stern Architects in New York City; EPIPHYTE Lab of Ithaca, New York.
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GOLAN LEVIN

Curator Emeritus

https://www.cmu.edu/cas/people/levin_golan.html

golan [at] andrew [dot] cmu [dot] edu

Golan Levin develops artifacts and events which explore supple new modes of reactive expression. His work focuses on the design of systems for the creation, manipulation and performance of simultaneous image and sound, as part of a more general inquiry into the formal language of interactivity, and of nonverbal communications protocols in cybernetic systems. Through performances, digital artifacts, and virtual environments, often created with a variety of collaborators, Levin applies creative twists to digital technologies that highlight our relationship with machines, make visible our ways of interacting with each other, and explore the intersection of abstract communication and interactivity. Levin has exhibited widely in Europe, America and Asia. Levin’s work combines equal measures of the whimsical, the provocative, and the sublime in a wide variety of online, installation and performance media. His work has been exhibited at the New Museum of Contemporary Art, The Kitchen, the Neuberger Museum, and The Whitney Biennial, all in New York; Ars Electronica in Linz, Austria; The Museum of Contemporary Art in Taipei, Taiwan; The InterCommunication Center in Tokyo, Japan; and the Zentrum für Kunst und Medientechnologie in Karlsruhe, Germany, among other venues. Levin received undergraduate and graduate degrees from the MIT Media Laboratory, where he studied with John Maeda in the Aesthetics and Computation Group. Between degrees, he worked for four years as an interaction designer and research scientist at Interval Research Corporation. Presently Levin is Associate Professor of Electronic Time-Based Art at Carnegie Mellon University.