As part of the Caribbean Fine Art Fair 2021 series of discussions, Fly on The Diaspora presents ‘Art in a Post Digital COVID World’.  The event was produced in association with Occhi Arts and Entertainment, and Grace & Graffiti.

As we endure the effects of the Covid pandemic, our lifestyles and dependence on technology to communicate have changed. Many businesses and organizations, including art houses and museums, have reviewed their business models whilst improving their online provision to retain and expand audiences. As artists and the wider industry capitalize on the availability of digital platforms, what impact will this have on the exposure of art and artist globally?

Interdisciplinary artist/anthropologist Alexis Alleyne-Caputo and Occhi Co-Director David Emmanuel Noel are joined by visual artists Diogenes Ballester, Patricia Brintle, and Shadi Burton to explore the challenges and opportunities the future brings.

For further information on the Caribbean Fine Art Fair visit
https://www.cafafair.com/
https://www.caribbean.global/products

CAFA 21: Art in a Post Digital COVID World

Raymond McMorrin, affectionately known as Ray Mack, hails from Connecticut which is steeped in a rich history of jazz. He began studying the tenor saxophone at the age of eleven and never looked back. He has played with the likes of pianists Horace Silver and Hank Jones, trumpeter Roy Hargrove, trombonist Steve Davis, and drummers Gene Jackson and Curtis Torian just to name a few. He caught up with Occhi' Darryl Yokley for a catch-up during the Covid lockdown and ahead of his latest streamed gig this week.

Featured image courtesy of Raymond McMorrin

Catching Up Musician Raymond McMorrin

Award-winning original - singer, songwriter, piano player, producer and guitarist Julia Biel originally released “Black and White” in the UK in 2020 with much acclaim. Transmitting vocals with delicacy and profundity  'Black and White, Volume 1' remarks on the binary concepts of 'black' and 'white' in what she feels should be a post-‘racial’ world. The album is now available in the United States. She spoke to Occhi’s David Emmanuel Noel about the album and current projects.

In Conversation with Award Winning Jazz Singer Songwriter Julia Biel

Occhi’s David Emmanuel Noel speaks to Writer, Director, Producer, and Actress Sandy Daley. A Torontonian, originally from Kingston, Jamaica, Daley hit the ground running, starring in Christene Browne's, "Another Planet" & winning the Spirit Award for Favorite Columnist. She’s the winner of the Governor Generals' Award for Excellence, the Rising Star Award from Centennial College & named Toronto Fringe Festival Artist of The Year in 2020.  Her latest project "CHRONICLES OF A BLACK WOMAN: A SKETCH COMEDY" can be seen during the Toronto Fringe Festival, July 21-31.

Up Close and Personal with Award Winning Director, Producer and Actress Sandy Daley

Alicia D. Williams is the author of Genesis Begins Again, which received Newbery and Kirkus Prize honors. She was a William C. Morris Award finalist, for which she won the Coretta Scott King - John Steptoe Award for New Talent. The New York Times described the book as ‘reminiscent of Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye, but appropriate for a much younger audience.’ A graduate of the MFA program at Hamline University, and an oral storyteller in the African American tradition, she is also a teacher in Charlotte, North Carolina. Alicia spoke to Occhi’s Darryl Yokley about her career and the book ‘Genesis Begins Again’
For further information on the author visit www.aliciadwilliams.com

In Conversation with Author Alicia D Williams

The Together For Our Planet Exhibition is a collaboration between Occhi Arts and Entertainment and Phoenix FTA Limited, a UK-based sustainability strategy consultancy. Inspired by the UK Creative Earth Competition, Occhi Arts and Entertainment and Phoenix FTA Limited invited young artists from around the world to creatively engage with key topics of concern at the COP26 Climate Summit in Glasgow. 
Artist Cody Norton's entry “Trophy of our Consequences” is discussed with David Emmanuel Noel, one of the exhibition curators.

 “Trophy of our Consequences” 2021
Medium: Sculpture Found Object, Expanding foam, Acrylic paint, Flat medium coat.
For further information, or to download the publication visit
https://www.occhicontemporary.art/togetherforourplanetinitiative

Together For Our Planet Exhibition Featured Artist: Cody Norton

Trumpeter/Bandleader Carl Fischer presents T.Ë.T.I.
(Tribute to Evolutionary Trumpet Icons)


Carl Fischer & T.Ë.T.I. is a tribute to the greats that postured as more than just trumpet players, but also as innovators in the music, styles and social movements that surrounded them. These are the trumpet icons that are recognizable even by only their first name. The ones you can recognize from the first note or phrase. They helped to create, and give identity to, musical genres and even crossed between them. Louis, Dizzy, Miles and Maynard! These were the game changers that shaped not just the way trumpet was played, but also the music itself!  T.Ë.T.I., or Tribute to Evolutionary Trumpet Icons, gives audiences a sonic and visual live “look” into these master musicians, with compositions representing everything from their early developments to that which continues to influence the trumpet greats of tomorrow. He caught up with Occhi’s Mark Vodery to discuss the project, and more!

For further details visit https://fischmusic.com

In Conversation with Carl Fischer - trumpeter, trombonist and saxophonist

Since moving to New York City in 2014, Cuban trumpeter-composer-arranger Kali Rodriguez-Peña has been blending traditional sounds from his native country with the influences of some of his heroes like Miles Davis and Freddie Hubbard, and the compositional style of Wayne Shorter's music, along with elements of R&B and Hip Hop. Solidly established on the scene, he is poised to become one of the leading voices of a generation of young talented Cuban musicians who are taking their best shot in the Big Apple. We caught up with him to discuss his latest Truth Revolution album 'Melange'.
Photo by Andrés Martínez
Further information visit https://occhimagazine.com/

Occhi Magazine Interview with Trumpeter Kali Rodriguez Pena

Printmaking as an Art Form – Opportunities for Beginning Collectors
The renowned annual Caribbean Fine Art Fair (CaFA) returns virtually and in-person to Barbados to showcase the works of over four dozen black and Caribbean artists and provide a spotlight on NFTs.
The event presents a balanced selection of emerging and international artists, alongside a series of events and themed webinars including 'Printmaking as an Art Form’. Occhi’s David Emmanuel Noel and CaFA Fair Director Anderson M. Pilgrim discuss printmaking with guest artists Sadikisha Sandra Collier. Pepe Coronado, Paloma Obergh, and Taurus Cousins
For further information visit https://www.cafafair.com

Printmaking as an Art Form – Opportunities for Beginning Collectors

This forms part of a series of Caribbean Fine Art Fair events in collaboration with Occhi Arts & Entertainment. Cheryl D. Miller is a designer, author, and theologian who is best known for her diversity, equity, and inclusion advocacy for black graphic designers in the industry and marketplace. Miller holds a Master of Science degree in visual communications from Pratt Institute and received her BFA from the Maryland Institute College of Art, with Foundation Studies completed at the Rhode Island School of Design. She also holds a Master of Divinity degree from the Union Theological Seminary in New York City. An accomplished, award-winning designer and businesswoman, Miller established one of the first black women-owned design firms in New York City in 1984.

In Conversation with Artist and Designer Cheryl Miller

This forms part of a series of Caribbean Fine Art Fair events in collaboration with Occhi Arts & Entertainment. Occhi's David Emmanuel Noel and Mark Vodery are joined by CaFA Director Dr. Lori Crawford,  and celebrated artists Danny Simmons and Sadikisha Sandra Collier, to discuss black art in the mainstream and how current social, political, and economic trends will impact the industry.

Politics in Art: Black Art in The Mainstream

Occhi Contemporary represented artist Sumali (Buki) Piyatissa is a self-taught artist from Colombo, Sri Lanka. She is an Accountant by profession and her love for art birthed a keen desire to pursue if further, where she gave up her daily work as a financial advisor and took up art professionally. Today, Sumali is an active artist, who develops her own style and artistic identity. She enjoys experimenting with different mediums and textures. The dominant style of her paintings is abstract and differs from traditional techniques to a blend of modern mixed media techniques. 

Her submission for the Occhi/ Phoenix FTA The 'Together For Our Planet' Initiative is titled ‘Reflective Moments’. The painting is oil on canvas with gold pigment size 32” (H) x 40” (W)The artist was inspired by the glacier mountains that she experienced when she was on vacation. Reflecting upon the beauty of the picturesque view and the reflective colors brought this painting into the light. The artist desires to bring awareness and remind us all the beauty of nature that one should protect and preserve for generations to come.  She caught up with the exhibition curators David Emmanuel Noel and Ina Ballik to discuss her exhibition and publication entry.
For more information, please visit https://www/occhicontemporary.art
#occhicontemporaryart

Together For Our Planet- Featured Artist: Sumali (Buki) Piyatissa

Focused on increasing the representation of Black and Latinx artists in classical music and recognizing excellence, Sphinx programs serve beginner students to seasoned classical music professionals and cultural entrepreneurs and administrators. As the organization celebrates 25 years, Artistic Director Afa S. Dworkin and colleague Edith Yokley spoke to Occhi Magazine’s Darryl Yokley to discuss the initiative and its success.

The Sphinx Organization Celebrates 25 Years Increasing Diversity Classical Music

Luisa Rivera is a London-based artist, illustrator, and author from Chile. Most of her work is created with water-based paints and her illustrations appear in books, magazines, newspapers, and art exhibitions. We caught up with her to discuss her work. For further information, visit https://www.luisarivera.cl/ or https://www.instagram.com/laluisarivera/?hl=en
#occhicontemporaryart #occhiarts

In Conversation with Visual Artist Luisa Rivera

Brooklyn-based, Native Tel-Avivian, Dida Pelled, is widely regarded as the greatest jazz guitarist this side of the Mississippi. Love of the Tiger, Pelled’s upcoming album, is the product of a jazz prodigy gone rogue. It is a love letter to the obscure, weaving across genres, twisting and turning with Pelled’s ever-expanding range of musical abilities and interests. Dida discusses the project with Occhi's David Emmanuel Noel. For further information on Dida, visit https://didamusic.com

In Conversation with Jazz Guitarist Dida Pelled

Playing a fusion of jazz and Afrobeat, Kokoroko was named "ones to watch" by the Guardian, after their track "Abusey Junction’ attracted over 23 million views on YouTube. The band continues to garner attention and critical acclaim for presenting a uniquely fresh, exciting, and exuberant sound. We met with band members Onome Edgeworth and Sheila Maurice-Grey to discuss their music, inspiration, and headlining at the 2023 Christine and the Queens’ Meltdown Festival at London's South Bank Centre.
For further information, visit 
https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/wha...
https://www.kokorokomusic.co.uk/

Occhi Interviews:In Conversation with KOKOROKO's Sheila Maurice-Grey and Onome Edgeworth

Greg Riley is much-celebrated musician. He has performed with the Los Angeles Opera, The Music Theater of Southern California, Keiko Matsui, the Quincy Jones Orchestra, and the Ray Charles Orchestra. We caught with him to discuss the state of Broadway and creative industries during the pandemic plus more!

Occhi Interview- Greg Riley

The story of London's famous Ealing Club which, after opening in 1959, played a huge part in the careers of rock legends, such as The Who and The Rolling Stones. This venue fostered a pivotal generation of classic rock musicians. David Emmanuel Noel speaks to Director Giorgio Guernier and film producer/Ealing Club CIC co-Founder Alistair Young about the documentary film highlighting the London Borough of Ealing's rich music heritage.  For more info visit https://www.ealingclub.com

The Ealing Club Documentary: Suburban Steps To Rockland

Danny, a recently widowed hairdresser, and her 8-year-old daughter Wes are houseless. Shielding Wes from the truth, Danny pitches a tent and convinces Wes that it’s a fun camping trip. As Danny works to find permanent housing, Wes grows increasingly tired of weeks in the heat, so Danny promises her that they will go home by the end of the day. With clients lined up, Danny is confident that she will have the final cash she needs to secure an apartment, but a series of mishaps threatens to derail her plans. Under mounting pressure, and with roller skates as her only means of transportation, she has to somehow manage to get the money she needs in order to keep her promise to her daughter. 

Directors Kelley Kali & Angelique Molina presided over a challenging production period, dealing with a pandemic and a heat wave at the same time. Filming began in August 11th and continued through August 26th, with pick-ups done for five days between September 17th and the 26th. Produced by Roma Kong, Capella Fahoome and is an award-winning comedian, writer and actor Deon Cole, I’M FINE (Thanks For Asking), is the result of a labor of love, grit, determination and teamwork. Occhi’s Mark Vodery had the opportunity to speak to Kelley Kali and Deon Cole about the film, which features as part of the SXSW film festival, March 2021.

I'M FINE (Thanks for asking)

Occhi was born in the early 2000’s!  Under the creative stewardship of Tiffany Unscripted, it started as a hybrid digital magazine, releasing new features and sections with a focus on creative people. Although located in New York, Occhi Magazine reporters were based in Arizona, California, Canada, Illinois, and Ohio. The team currently includes writers in Toronto, Minnesota, New Mexico, New Jersey, New York, and London.
​
Further to the success of the magazine, and behind the scenes assistance to artists, publicists and creative businesses, Occhi Arts and Entertainment was established to provide a more tailored service. Capitalizing on the commercial background of our growing team members, we provide professional advice and strategic support in the areas of business development, marketing, and public relations, with a particular focus on creative businesses.

Occhi Arts & Entertainment Podcast

Popular tracks