The nation misread him,
The prison enraged him,
His art expressed him,
His woman believed him,
His poetry saved him.
unFRAMED: A Man in Progress
At the age of eleven, Iyaba Ibo Mandingo was plucked from the tropical comfort of his childhood and taken to a new life in a strange country. unFRAMED is his poetic tale of life as an immigrant--from boyhood in Antigua to manhood in America. Using canvas, paint, poetry, prose and song, Iyaba tells a story of his transformation, from “Mommy Me No Wanna Go Merrica”--a prophetic piece that hints at the many trials he will face in a new land, to his powerful political poetry which leads to his arrest and attempted deportation in post- 9/11 America, Iyaba shares his rage, his determination, and his hope while he paints his self-portrait and successfully struggles to redefine his humanity, rediscover his smile, and truly accept himself for the first time. Presented in conjunction with an exhibit of his original artwork, audiences are invited into the studio of the artist where painting and poetry create unframed art.
When: Thursday, September 22—Saturday, September 24, 2011
1:30pm--11:30pm
Where:
John Jay College, Gerald W Lynch Theater
899 10th Ave
New York, New York 10019
Admission:
$20 ($10 for students)
212-279-4200
Presented by the Gerald W. Lynch Theater at John Jay College, in collaboration with Double Play Connections and Doing Life Productions; Jane Dubin, Executive Producer, Brent Buell, Director.
Other examples of Iyaba's art and performances
can be found at iyabart.blogspot.com. At right
is his cover for a PoemAlley collection, to
which he also contributed three poems (please
see the publications box at the bottom of the blog for ordering).
For more information, go to www.unframedtheplay.com, meanwhile, preview Iyaba's passionate multi-tasking combination of art, poetry and testimony in the video excerpts from unFRAMED below.
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