Marcus Morris presents "Marian Anderson: Contralto Immortal"
Information About the Event
On View
Knox Memorial Theater
112 East High Street
Mount Vernon, OH, Free Admission
Artist
Marcus Morris
Acknowledgements
Special thanks to the Mount Vernon Arts Consortium for lending us the historic Knox Memorial Theater for this project.
Marcus Morris, Fall Fellow at The Annex, presents…
Marian Anderson: Contralto Immortal
Knox Memorial Theater
112 East High Street, Mount Vernon, OH
drop in any time from 4 - 6 p.m.
Marian Anderson was an African-American world-renowned contralto who became a symbol of the Civil Rights Movement after being denied the opportunity to perform at Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C. Thanks to the support of First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, Anderson delivered an iconic concert at the Lincoln Memorial in April 1939, performing before 75,000 people. Just one month later, Anderson returned to Knox County, Ohio, for a performance at the Knox Memorial Theater, a venue where she had also appeared in 1930 at the invitation of the Booker T. Washington Club.
Morris’s installation is a "ghost performance" of her 1939 concert, an homage to both the essence of Anderson’s presence and the rich history of Blackness in Mount Vernon. It is also a tribute to the role of theaters in Knox County, acting as a space that holds and reflects cultural and historical narratives across generations. As Morris explains, "A ghost is a trace or an essence of a life." Inspired by Kenyon Professor Emeritus of History Ric Sheffield’s research about Marian Anderson’s Ohio performances, Morris explores her legacy through image and song, keeping conversations about our complex histories alive.
On October 30, viewers are invited to visit the Knox Memorial Theater, where images and video of Anderson will be projected on the stage, and the space will be filled with her voice. This performance-as-installation draws from Anderson’s Lincoln Memorial setlist presented in 1939 and her supplemental music. The viewer is welcome to experience Morris’s exploration of presence and sound as he disjoints her image from her music. The theater, too, becomes a silent performer, holding the history of this significant moment.
This installation reflects on the essential role of Black performance in liberation. By reimagining Marian Anderson’s 1939 performance, we acknowledge her absence and celebrate the Black women in Knox County who made it possible for her to grace the stage 85 years ago. This project is Morris’s offering to the community that welcomed Anderson, provided for her when she was refused lodging in local hotels, and ensured that her legacy became part of our shared history.
This fellowship is made possible with the Mount Vernon Arts Consortium's support and stewardship of the historic Knox Memorial Theater.
The program is a ~17 minute loop. Please feel free to stay as long as you’d like.