SF Salon Music Presents: Patterns Unbound

Patterns Unbound

Shadow Puppet Theater and African-Print Fashion on the Global Stage

African-Print Fashion Now! A Story of Taste, Globalization, and Style

African-Print Fashion Now! introduces guests to a dynamic and diverse African dress tradition and the international fashion worlds it inhabits: “popular” African-print styles created by local seamstresses and tailors, international runway fashions, and boundary-breaking youth styles favored in African’s urban centers. The story begins with the early trade of European machine-made copies of Indonesian batik and the subsequent marketing of colorful, boldly designed cotton print cloth to a West African clientele. Ms. Quick’s presentation concludes with an exploration of works by contemporary artists who incorporate African print to convey messages about identity, hybridity, and aspiration. 

Wayang Earth Synopsis

Step into a world of shadow, sound, and magic in  “Wayang Earth?!,” an otherworldly shadow puppet theater production of intricately designed puppets and one-of-a-kind homemade musical instruments inspired by Balinese shadow theater. “Wayang Earth?!” tells the zany, comedic fables of mythical dual creatures who grapple with extraordinary challenges in a realm constantly altered by magical forces. Operating the twenty-plus stick puppets in the “Wayang Earth?!” production is solo puppeteer Katie Harrell, who uses a wide range of voices to bring the characters to life. Accompanying the play is the Harmonic Drift ensemble of gongs, bells, and found object instruments, led by Dan Bales, creating an immersive sensory experience that transcends the ordinary.

Drinks and hors d’oeuvres will be served at 4 pm, followed by the concert. Desserts are offered after the concert.