Visions of Afro-Futurism from the 1970s

Join us for a very special event with Damon Locks and members of the Black Monuments Ensemble to be held at the Chicago Art Institute during the 2024 AMS Annual Meeting in November 2024.

Damon Locks has conducted research in the archives of Sun Ra and other legendary African American musicians to recreate and sample the performance styles, costumes, and sounds of music from the 1970s. In this talk, Locks will explain the work process that has inspired these re-creations. He will explore how Afro-futurism reflected Black liberation movements, and explain the relevance of those movements today. The lyrics of these songs often describe fantastic journeys into outer space or transformative experiences and are accompanied by music that seems to lift the audience into a transcendent state through repetition, chord changes that suggest “rising,” and futuristic sound effects. This music was gratifying because it took people out of the everyday at a time when they were frustrated by ongoing struggles for civil rights and fair treatment. In the talk that begins this program, Damon Locks discusses his creative practice and use of music from the past. Afterwards, a performance by members of the Black Monument Ensemble will demonstrate the re-created music.

Tickets: $15 per person.

Tickets for conference attendees are available via the AMS Annual Meeting registration form. Tickets for the general public are available via TicketSpice.