‘Cuba in Changing Times’
Great Barrington — On Sunday, November 15 the Schumacher Center for a New Economics will present Cuban author Rafael Hernández for a talk entitled “Cuba in Changing Times.”
Hernández’s talk will be at the invitation of the Schumacher Center’s Cuba-U.S. Agroecology Network, the goal of which is to create an exchange of information across borders to promote a resilient and sustainable model of agriculture. Cuba adopted sustainable agriculture after the fall of the Soviet Union and has since become an example for urban gardens everywhere. Hernández will discuss how Cuba can entertain more open borders without sacrificing its unique political and cultural identity.
Rafael Hernández is the editor of the Cuban magazine Temas and a senior research fellow at the Centro de Investigación de la Cultura Cubana Juan Marinello in Havana. His publications include several books and essays on Cuban and U.S. policies, inter-American relations, international security, migration, Cuban culture, civil society, and politics.
The talk will take place at 7:30 p.m. at John Dewey Academy and will be followed by a question-and-answer session and a reception. Tickets are $5 or five BerkShares (preferred). Registration is required due to limited seating. For more information or to register, see the Berkshire Edge calendar or call the Schumacher Center at (413) 528-1737.
–E.E.
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Adirondack artist Don Wynn signs with Neumann Fine Art
Hillsdale, N.Y. — Neumann Fine Art has announced the addition of Don Wynn to its stable of artists. Wynn’s artistic range is currently featured at the gallery with an oil painting, an acrylic on paper, and two wood block prints on display.
Born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1942, Don Wynn holds a BFA from Pratt Institute and an MFA from Indiana University. He has been a visiting artist at many universities and institutions and has received awards from the Elizabeth T. Greenshields Memorial Foundation, the Fine Arts Work Center, and the New York State CAPS Program. He is the first living artist to have been given a solo exhibition at the Adirondack Museum. In 1995 the Metropolitan Museum of Art acquired one of his oils for its Twentieth Century Collection. In 2010 Wynn’s work was included in the National Academy of Design’s 185th annual Invitational Exhibition of Contemporary American Art.
–E.E.
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Behold! New Lebanon receives J.M. Kaplan Innovation Prize
New Lebanon, N.Y. — Behold! New Lebanon, the nation’s first living museum of contemporary rural American life, today announced that it has been chosen to receive the J.M. Kaplan Innovation Prize. A new initiative of the J.M. Kaplan Fund, the $175,000 prize supports interdisciplinary innovation in the fields of cultural heritage, human rights, and the built and natural environments.
“Behold! New Lebanon is a perfect example of the kind of hybrid, hard-to-categorize problem solving we wanted to support through the JMK Innovation Prize,” said the J.M. Kaplan Fund Executive Director Amy Freitag. “It is an elegant solution to a pressing need in struggling, rural communities.” The 10 winners of the inaugural prize were chosen from among 1,138 applicants representing many areas of interest, including criminal justice, food systems, cultural heritage, technology, public health, economic empowerment, and the arts.
Piloted in 2014 and conducting its first full season in summer 2015, Behold! New Lebanon offers unprecedented access to and a realistic picture of small town rural life. To assist the economic and social development of their small town, residents teach the art of rural living in their fields, barns, and kitchens which presents visitors with a unique, personal experience.
–E.E.
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Pianist Benjamin Hochman at Camphill Ghent
Chatham, N.Y. — The fourth annual season of The Concerts at Camphill Ghent continues with a performance by pianist Benjamin Hochman on Saturday, November 14 at 3 p.m. in the Culture Hall. Hochman, winner of the prestigious Avery Fisher Career Grant, will perform a concert entitled “The Grand Chaconne.”
Hochman made his successful New York recital debut in 2006 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. He has since established a vibrant musical presence in New York City through concerts with the New York Philharmonic, American Symphony Orchestra, a Carnegie Hall debut with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, and a succession of recital and chamber performances at the 92nd Street Y. Hochman’s latest album, “Variations,” was released in February.
Tickets are $25 for adults, $20 for seniors, $5 for students, and $45 for a family. For tickets and more information, see the Berkshire Edge calendar or call (518) 392-2760.
–E.E.
