https://www.musicgallery.org/music-gallery-history-series-motion/
Sunday, October 16 Event: 6pm OCADU, Lambert Lounge 100 McCaul St. Free
Over the past twenty five years, Motion has been one of Toronto’s true treasures of spoken word art. Her aural/sonic works span the realms of word, sound and drama. Starting her career as a founder of Canada’s longest-running hip hop radio show (The Master Plan, CIUT), and one of the earliest hip hop artists in Toronto to appear on record, she soon became a mentor for the Fresh Arts Movement. Motion’s lyrical agility has taken her to the stages of Manifesto, Nuit Blanche, CBC TV and HBO’s Def Poetry Jam. Her theatrical works have been staged at Factory Theatre, Theatre Passe Muraille and the Banff Centre.
“Bang the Furnace: Music, Culture & Identity in Toronto’s Black Aural Spaces” passes through house parties to the moving streets of Caribana, block-O’s and clubs to the waves of college radio. These aural spaces have transported, mobilized and reinvented cultural expression in Toronto’s Black communities. This presentation, complete with turntables, explores the lineage and power of art and sound through the ears and words of this vital emcee/poet and playwright.
“Tell them we’re coming,” Motion loudly proclaims to the audience; and indeed, you need to know these two talented women are coming your way. Channeling the personas of BGirls to blues women and everything in between, Motion and L’Oqenz perform masterfully and with an honesty that makes their performance personal and moving… The true theatricality of the show lies with the innovative production elements used to transform the space. With such a simple set of only a few white boxes and hanging sections as a backdrop, the lighting (designed by Andre du Toit) and video projections (designed by Ramon Charles) easily transport audiences into the world of the show and create an impressive stage picture that is both compelling and complementary to the overall production.” -Alexandra Caprara, The Theatre Reader
