“"Don't play what's there, play what's not there."”
- Miles Davis
What Does Culture Mean To You?
One of the things I love about sf|noir is its inclusivity. While sf|noir seeks to highlight the contributions of African-Americans and the African diaspora to art and culture, it does this not by narrowing its lens but rather widening it, illuminating how these contributions are interpreted and re-interpreted by different cultures, creating a rich and complex tapestry born out of diversity but woven together into a cohesive whole.
As an Advisory Committee member of sf|noir, I am proud of its long history of eclectic and cutting edge programming and look forward to supporting its continued growth as it enters its second decade. In the months to come, we will be asking a group of diverse and talented artists who have been featured in sf|noir events, “What Does Culture Mean to You?” and sharing their thoughts with the sf|noir community. (Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter, if you do not already do so, to see posts as they become available or sign up to receive our e-newsletter.)
As a Korean-American, who grew up in a vibrant arts community on the East Coast, culture is a shared yet constantly evolving sense of community that moves and shifts as new and different voices contribute to the larger collective. A couple of years ago, my father, nephew, and I watched Planet B-Boy, a documentary about Battle of the Year (BOTY) that highlighted the global influence of hip hop, showcasing the rise of Korean and other Asian B-boy crews. Needless to say, the film blew us away. For my father, who immigrated to the United States almost 40 years ago, it was a snapshot of a culture that felt both familiar yet incredibly foreign. The stories and struggles of some of the young dancers resonated with his own experience but were set against a cultural backdrop that had changed dramatically over the years. For my nephew, who was nine at the time, the movie opened up a whole new world of possibilities. Seeing boys like himself dancing on the big screen inspired him to start taking dance classes and he’s been B-boying ever since. Below is a clip from a winning performance of the Korean Crew. We look forward to you joining the sf|noir community.
Sincerely,
Sandra Park, Ph.D.