Going ‘Beyond the Music’ to Explore Cultural Roots

Afro Latin Jazz pianist and composter, Arturo O’Farrill

February 2025 Article, Brookfield Neighbors Magazine, as part of the 2025 series: Creating Connections: Inspiring Lifelong Love of the Arts

 Article by Ben Brzeski, Development Director

Dios de Maia by Macondo Project artist, Rodrigo Carapia.

As a cultural and artistic hub in the region, part of the vision that guides the Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts is that all people in the community find an opportunity to experience culturally relevant art, artists and forms of artistic expression.

With the desire to contribute to that vision, the Wilson Center programming committee seeks out high caliber performers whose work supports this vision of reaching of all members of our communities. Performance committee chair and long-time Brookfield resident, Carrie Matteson, says “Having raised a family in this community, one of the gifts that I appreciate most about the Wilson Center is that it offers a breadth and variety of arts experiences all under one roof!”

In addition to presenting performances, the center provides meaningful opportunities for patrons to connect with artists of all disciplines who serve as bearers of culture. Executive Director, Sandy Wysocki, notes that “These interactions offer valuable opportunities for participants to explore the many ways that artistic expression contributes to a more human society.  The arts build social cohesion and serve as a platform for the realization of human potential.”

According to the most recent census bureau data (2022), the largest sector of non-white residents in Waukesha County identify as Hispanic/Latino (5.4%). In adjacent Milwaukee County, during the period of time between 2010 and 2022 the Hispanic/Latino population showed the most growth, increasing by 25,876 residents.

With this in mind, the Wilson Center has partnered with Milwaukee-based Latino Arts and the Macondo Project to orchestrate an opportunity for community members to engage in a celebration of Latino artistic and cultural expression, including a mainstage performance, student workshops, a visual arts exhibition, and coinciding free family art workshop classes. This multi-disciplinary celebration has been structured as an opportunity to go “beyond the music” with the goal of exploring the cultural roots of a variety of art forms. The partnership has also been selected for support by the Wisconsin Humanities Council for its focus on exploring the cultural import and meaning-making that is at the core of these various forms of artistic expression.

 Live Performance:

A centerpiece for this cultural offering is a residency with multi-grammy award winning jazz artist and celebrated cultural ambassador, Arturo O’Farrill, and his Afro Latin Jazz Ensemble. O'Farrill has dedicated his life to envisioning a future of inclusion and collaboration. His newest project, "Fandango at the Wall," was inspired by a festival he participated in on the U.S.-Mexico border.

On Saturday, February 1, the Wilson Center will present a one-night-only concert with Arturo O’Farrill. The evening will include a moderated pre-performance talk at 6:30pm with Latino Arts board member, Michael Reyes and Arturo O’Farrill.

ArtsReach:

As part of his residency, O’Farrill will be conducting workshops with local students, highlighting the reality that creative expression can be a path of cultural, personal and interpersonal exploration. O’Farrill’s student workshops will not only include engaging students in musical performance, but an exploration of the cultural roots of the music being performed.

Visual Arts Exhibit:

The Wilson Center will also host a visual art exhibit in the Ploch Art Gallery, featuring works created by members of The Macondo Project, whose goal is to create a more empathetic and united society through the arts. The exhibit runs from January 17th through the end of March and is entitled "Between Dreams, Clouds and Latin American Memories- Entre Sueños, Nubes y Recuerdos Latinoamericanos."

The Macondo Project is a Wisconsin-based multidisciplinary collective in which the genre of magical realism or fantastic realism serves as a tree where its participants explore cultural roots and other influences through their artistic practices and disciplines. Macondo members share the idea that place of origin is not solely tied to geographic location, but is an ongoing conversation informed by cultural heritage, lived experiences, individuality, and much more than just the branches on this same tree. The name Macondo is the mythical town that Gabriel García Márquez created in the pages of 100 Years of Solitude and which we have adopted as a symbol of the collective identity that we share as immigrants or descendants of Latin America and its people.

Gallery Opening Reception and Panel Discussion

As part of the launch of this exhibit, the Center will host a gallery night, featuring an artist talk and panel discussion. Through dialogue and conversation, participants will explore the history, cultural roots, and place that magical realism has in Latin America. There will be opportunities for a Q &A with artists and individual learning experiences through one-on-one conversations as participants view the art.

YOU’RE INVITED: 

Ploch Art Gallery Exhibit:
Macondo Project Gallery Exhibit: "Between Dreams, Clouds and Latin American Memories- Entre Sueños, Nubes y Recuerdos Latinoamericanos"
January 17th through March 28th
FREE to attend during Sharon Lynne Wilson Center Business Hours

Ploch Art Gallery Reception:
Macondo Project Exhibit Opening Reception and Panel Discussion - RSVP here
Friday, January 17 at 6pm - FREE to attend

Performance:
Arturo O’Farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz Ensemble
Saturday, February 1 at 7:30pm
Arrive early for a pre-performance artist talk with O’Farrill at 6:30pm
Tickets at: www.wilson-center.com

Visual Art Classes:
FREE Family Art Workshops with teaching artist Tiffany Knapow
February 8, 10am to Noon, Magic Realism

Explore the idea of magic realism in this workshop. Participants will learn about magic realism as they create a collage piece that uses found images. Participants are encouraged to walk through the Ploch Art gallery after their workshop to experience the current exhibit featuring magic realism artwork by the Macondo Project Collective.