BALTIMORE, MD – Saturday, February 1, 2025: “Below the Surface”, an all-ages art and music performance event, is set to take place on Saturday, February 1, 2025, 7:30-9 pm at the Baltimore Theatre Project, 45 W Preston St, Baltimore, MD 21201, https://theatreproject.org/. “Below the Surface” is an experimental, collaborative, art and music performance by Baltimore-based visual artist, Farida Hughes, and classical percussionist, Matthew Keown. General admission is $30 with student pricing available for $20. Tickets at https://theatreproject.org/below-the-surface/.

About the Performance:

The immersive, hour-long performance of percussion music and responsive light-box art that is “Below the Surface” combines the creativity of Farida Hughes and Matt Keown. Their signature project represents the true spirit of collaboration as the two artists bring their respective disciplines together to create a dialogue between art and music. Sixteen perforated paper drawings made by Hughes on a lava field in Hawai’i show visible tracings of the paths of arrested volcanic activity. Situated in two long rows of custom-crafted light-boxes, the drawings pulse and fade between black and white and underlit vibrant colors as the performance proceeds. Keown’s music is scored for three specific instrumental arrangements consisting of found objects and various scrapers, marimba, and graduated drums. As the light-boxes dance, Keown’s intricate playing teases, echoes, and explodes, telling a story of creation, erosion and new possibility. Together, the artists create a live experience greater than the sum of the parts. They suggest that the boldness to act on creative impulse is necessary and reinvigorating in our post-pandemic world. Inspired by the unknowable power of creative volcanic activity, Hughes’ abstract art, animated by illumination, and Keown’s multi-movement percussion solo together present a multimedia experience reflecting on the ideas of nature, artistic invention, and collaboration.

Doors open at 7 pm and the performance will begin at 7:30. Performance length is roughly one-hour, with an additional half-hour post-show Q&A discussion with the artists on stage. Street parking is available near the venue, but the Baltimore Theatre Project also recommends the Fitzgerald Parking Garage at the corner of Mt. Royal and Oliver Streets. It is about two blocks from the theatre and is adjacent to the Lyric. Tickets are available online at https://theatreproject.org/below-the-surface/.

Farida Hughes is a Baltimore visual artist working primarily in painting. She has a BA from Fordham University in Studio Art and English, and an MFA from the University of Chicago. She exhibits her work locally and nationally. https://www.faridahughes.com/.
Matt Keown is a percussionist with the technique of a rudimental drummer and the sensibility of a classical musician. He completed the DMA program at Yale, and is currently the Assistant Professor of Percussion at Purdue University Fort Wayne. He is also a percussionist with the Baltimore-based Two Piano and Two Percussion group, icarus Quartet. https://www.mattkeownpercussion.com/.

Also Showing:

A concurrent art exhibition, “Resonant Currents”, will be on view February 1 through February 16, 2025 in the John Fonda Gallery at Theatre Project. This exhibition is free for all ages. Curated by Liz Faust, the exhibition includes artwork by Farida Hughes, Caryn Martin, and Artemis Herber. Together “Below the Surface” and “Resonant Currents” invite audiences to reflect on the beauty and power of collaborative creation.

Social Media: Follow and share: #BelowTheSurfaceArtMusic Instagram: @[faridahughes_artist @keownperscussion @baltimoretheatreproject @johnfondagallery

The Baltimore Theatre Project provides a home for some of the area's most stunning artistic offerings. Through the presentation of innovative contemporary works in performing and visual arts, Theatre Project connects Baltimore with a diverse community of emerging and established artists. They support local, national, and international artists who create original work, providing a program of performances that highlight many genres, and offering ancillary events such as workshops, master classes, artist discussions, and visual art exhibits throughout the year. Refreshments available for purchase. Theatre Project is ADA accessible. For more information please see: https://theatreproject.org. The “Below the Surface” project is supported in part by the Maryland State Arts Council (https://www.msac.org/).