Solange performs “An Ode To,” a stunning visual performance of her album ‘A Seat At The Table.’ Krisanne Johnson / Red Bull Content Pool
Written by Tonja Renée Stidhum
Solange Knowles graced the Guggenheim for a Red Bull Music Academy event that was billed as an “interdisciplinary performance piece and meditation examining themes from A Seat at the Table“—and it was masterful!
Solange used the full-scope of the Frank Lloyd Wright design to her advantage and crafted her concert into a work of art. It was an interactive masterpiece, as Solange had asked audiences to dress in all-white to create a contrast against the brown-oranges, yellows, dark blues, and reds of herself, her backup singers, and the band.
Krisanne Johnson / Red Bull Content Pool
Krisanne Johnson / Red Bull Content Pool
Solange performed a set of minimalist versions of favorites from the critically-acclaimed A Seat at the Table, such as “Cranes in the Sky,” “Mad,” “Don’t Touch My Hair,” and “F.U.B.U.”
Krisanne Johnson / Red Bull Content Pool
“It’s not about just being here at the Guggenheim,” she mentioned after the performance, “it’s about tearing the f*cking walls down.”
Krisanne Johnson / Red Bull Content Pool
Staying true to her word, she maintained an essence of the carefree Black girl, blackness, pride and black feminism, which she showcased through interpretive dance, singing directly to Black audience members, and even singing to a security guard. The band was even part of the artful choreography as three separate rows of trumpeteers popped up on the three levels of the artichoke-esque Manhattan museum.
Krisanne Johnson / Red Bull Content Pool
After what appeared to be a magical experience, Solange ended with a message, “It’s not about allowance, because we belong here. We built this.” Say that, sis!
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Tonja Renée Stidhum is a writer/director living in Los Angeles by way of Chicago. She is the co-host of the movie review podcast, Cinema Bun Podcast. She is made of sugar and spice and everything rice… with the uncanny ability to make a Disney/Pixar reference in the same sentence as a double entendre. You can follow her on Twitter @EmbraceTheJ, on Facebook FB.com/tstidhum, and Instagram @embracethej. You can find more of her work on her About Me page, https://about.me/tonjareneestidhum.
