Art inspired by jazz goes on display in Aurora

Latin Jazz Occurrence 5, an exhibit featuring 11 local and global artists inspired by the world of jazz, opens this month with a reception featuring live music and painting.

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 - from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, May 15, at the David L. Pierce Art and History Center, 20 E. Downer Place, Aurora, - will feature music by James Sanders' Proyecto Libre. An ongoing collective that merges Afro-Latin folkloric traditions with Chicago-style free improvisation, Proyecto Libre 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 "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.

Admission is free. To continue to keep the Jazz Occurrence free, 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. Exhibit admission is free.