Short notice, I know, but it's not my fault. I get a lot of this sort of stuff and too much of it is on 24-48 hour notice. This one has enough lead time that interested locals can still make it.

Subject: Toni Morrison is Keynote for Free Symposium

Hello Everyone,

I am writing to let you know that on Friday and Saturday this week, October 15th and 16th, Columbia's Center for Jazz Studies will be hosting "The World of Romare Bearden," a major symposium on the life and art of the American painter. Our symposium, held in conjunction with the Whitney Museum's Bearden exhibition that opens this week, will bring to the Columbia campus some of the nation's most insightful Bearden scholars along with artists who worked with him or were influenced by him. The highlights of the symposium include a dramatic performance by S. Epatha Merkerson and Charles Dutton, both of whom performed regularly in plays by August Wilson that had a strong Bearden influence, an interview with the Dianne McIntyre (who will discuss Bearden's influence on her as a choreographer), a talk by jazz pianist Dr. Billy Taylor, and a keynote address by the writer Toni Morrison.

We will also hear from members of our campus community-Farah Jasmine Griffin (who will speak on Bearden and literature), Brent Edwards (who will explore the politics of Bearden's paintings), Diedra Kelly (Bearden's niece, who will speak about his impact on her as a painter), and Lisa Gail Collins (who will investigate images of travel in Bearden).

This symposium is free and open to the public. Most of the symposium will take place in 501 Schermerhorn; Ms. Morrison's address will be given in the Roone Arledge Auditorium, Lerner Hall at 7 p.m. on Saturday, October 16th.

The full symposium line-up is attached. For further details, please contact the Center for Jazz Studies: 212-851-1633; [email protected]. For more information on Bearden, and other events that are part of a citywide Bearden Homecoming Celebration-welcoming home to New York the traveling Bearden exhibition, contact www.beardenfoundation.org.

Friday October 15, 2004

Panel #1: The Life of the Artist (2:00 - 4:30 p.m.)
501 Schermerhorn Hall
-Frank Stewart
-Myron Schwartzman
-June Kelley
-David Driskell
-Richard Long
-Robert G. O'Meally, moderator
Break 4:30 - 6:30pm
Performance (6:30 - 7:30 p.m.) with Charles Dutton & S. Epatha Merkerson

Saturday October 16, 2004

Panel # 2: Close Reading/The Realm of Visual Art (10:00a.m. - 12:30p.m.)
501 Schermerhorn Hall
-Mary Schmidt-Campbell
-Diedra Harris-Kelley
-Ruth Fine
-Kellie Jones
-Bridget Cooks
-Lowry Sims, moderator
Lunch Break 12:30 - 2:30 p.m.

Panel # 3: Bearden and the Other Arts and Disciplines (2:30 - 5:00p.m.)
501 Schermerhorn Hall
-Farah Jasmine Griffin
-Brent Hayes Edwards
-Lisa Gail Collins
-Dr. Billy Taylor
-Richard Powell
-Dianne McIntyre with C. Daniel Dawson

Toni Morrison's keynote address (7:00p.m.)
Roone Arledge Auditorium, Lerner Hall