liz gre

Liz Gre named 2019 Inside/Outside Fellow @ The Union for Contemporary Art (omaha, NE)

The Inside/Outside Fellowship Program is centered on building relationships between artists and communities through creative expression. Where in traditional residencies artists often work on their own in seclusion, The Union encourages artists of all disciplines to be active participants in the civic life of North Omaha while recognizing the potential of art and artists to spark social change. The Inside/Outside Fellowship is an opportunity for deep immersion in both studio practice and community engagement: Fellows explore materials and ideas to advance their creative careers and participate in activities to connect with neighbors and contribute positively to this place we call home.

As a 2019 Fellow, Liz Gre will be exploring the lives, adventures, celebrations, and challenges of her mother, Doris, paternal grandmother, Ethel, and maternal grandmother, Pearline. Ultimately anchoring her exploration are the following themes: Black ministry and the influence of magic and mysticism; the cultivation of mysticism in a religious context; mothering and daughtering; and generational throughlines to our current ways of being. 

She asks: How does a piece of music tell a story or share a narrative? How do black folk genres (roots music) and classical genres compare and contrast in the ways that elicit emotional responses? What is the effect of musical representation on the ways we choose to tell our stories? Are these the right questions to be asking myself now? 

Dear Omaha, I trust you…

Liz Gre has been invited to give the “special intro” before Barry Jenkins’ new film, ‘If Beale Street Could Talk”. This takes place at the opening screening at the Dundee Theatre on January 11, 2019.