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Edgar Arceneaux, Until, Until, Until…, 2015. A Performa Commission. Performance views. Photo by Paula Court
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Edgar Arceneaux, Until, Until, Until…, 2015. A Performa Commission. Performance views. Photo by Paula Court
Exhibition
Edgar Arceneaux. Until, Until, Until…
20 Oct 2017 – 21 Jan 2018
Regular hours
- Friday
- 10:00 – 18:00
- Saturday
- 10:00 – 18:00
- Sunday
- 10:00 – 18:00
- Wednesday
- 10:00 – 18:00
- Thursday
- 10:00 – 18:00
Address
- Gateshead Quays
- South Shore Road
- Gateshead
- NE8 3BA
- United Kingdom
Until, Until, Until… is a look back at Broadway legend Ben Vereen’s controversial performance at Ronald Reagan’s inaugural celebration in 1981.
About
At this event, Vereen staged a musical number in homage to the trailblasing vaudeville performer Bert Williams who, because of racist laws dictating who could appear on stage, always performed in ‘blackface’ makeup.
For his performance, Vereen also donned ‘blackface’ to access the vulnerability and reality of Williams’ legacy. Unfortunately, the television audience never saw the second half of Vereen’s performance, where the actor attended to the issue of race and blackface in Williams’ own words. The incomplete broadcast triggered a devastating backlash amongst Vereen’s audience and followers and completely derailed his career.
Until Until Until… re-stages Vereen’s original performance in its entirety. Both a celebration of Vereen’s performance and a powerful re-visitation of an important historical event, the work reflects on the power of the media, its ability to manipulate reality, and the devastating consequences for the public. .
