Aurora celebrates the world of jazz
Latin Jazz Occurrence 5, an exhibit featuring 11 local and global artists inspired by the world of jazz, opens with live music and painting at a reception Friday, May 15, in Aurora.
The exhibit highlights works by 11 jazz-inspired artists: Lewis Achenbach, Renee Baker, Douglas Ewart, Cameron Pfiffner, Lisa Flahive, Jordi Pedrola, Spencer Hutchinson and Lara Oppenheimer, Alberto Paniaya, Perry Slade and Bob Stickloon.
The opening reception at the Aurora Public Art Commission will feature music by James Sanders' Proyecto Libre. The group is an ongoing collective that merges Afro-Latin folkloric traditions with Chicago-style free improvisation, and includes Sanders on violin, Harrison Bankhead on bass, Avreeayl Ra on drums and Jean-Christophe Leroy on percussion.
During the reception, Achenbach will paint on canvasses placed around the band, aiming "to capture the frequency of the room through form and color and create an environment of complete freedom."
The evening will be filmed by David Weathersby of SubVerse Studios, recorded by David Zuchowski of DaverNoise, and photographed by Slade.
The live performance and reception for Latin Jazz Occurrence 5 takes place from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, May 15, at the David L. Pierce Art and History Center, 20 E. Downer Place, Aurora. Admission is free. Light hors d'oeuvres and a cash bar will be available. In addition, to keep the Jazz Occurrence free to the public, Achenbach is selling sketches for $100 each, with proceeds going directly to the artists. To support the Occurrence, go to lewisachenbach.com/products.
Latin Jazz Occurrence 5 will be on display from noon to 4 p.m. Wednesdays to Saturdays, May 15 through July 11, in the third-floor gallery of the Aurora Public Art Commission, at the Pierce Art and History Center, 20 E. Downer Place. Admission is free. The exhibit can be previewed on the Facebook page "Achenbach in Chicagoland."
The Aurora Public Art Commission is a civic organization dedicated to the presentation of all forms of public art. For information on the commission or the gallery, visit the city's website at aurora-il.org.