Although Lyssa Morgan Gallery's Hot Summer Nights exhibit has concluded, locals have one more opportunity to enjoy some sizzling Brazilian art before the summer draws to a close. This time around, the Studio@620 serves as the backdrop, BrasilArts and EMIT (the adventurous music organization) are the hosts, and Bay area audiences can enjoy Brazilian theater and music in addition to an exhibit of artworks.
Brazilian-born performer Wilson Loria presents a scene from his one man show, To the Winners, a piece in which he uses mime, dance and accordion music to tell a story about an incredible journey. He produces the work in full at TBPAC later this fall.
Brisa Do Brasil quartet performs smooth bossa nova, which marries samba rhythms with American jazz; Alex Santos offers a set of chorinho, or choro, (literally, "to cry"), a sort of melodic, jazz-infused style of old-fashioned Brazilian music widely considered to be the most sophisticated, if the most sentimental, of the country's musical expressions; and Alvon Griffin leads a batucada, or samba jam session, and invites attendees to bring a hand drum and join in.
Artists affiliated with BrasilArts are featured at the event, and though their techniques may diverge and fluctuate from one media to the next, they share a uniquely Brazilian point of view to their subjects and works. Exhibiting artists include Claudia Tielas, Luiz Guido Carli, Jane Wickbold, Olivia Amaral, Alice Vilhena, Jose Pereira, Gilda Lacerda, Beto Carrazzone, Cynthia Castejon, Lucia Luckmann, Ernani Silva, Cris Mason, Ana Goldberger and Miguel Penha.
Brasil Arts Festival, 5-8 p.m. Sun., Aug. 20, The Studio@620, 620 First Ave. S., St. Petersburg, $10 (includes Brazilian snacks and beverages), 727-341-4363, www.emitseries.org or www.brasilarts.com.
This article appears in Aug 16-22, 2006.