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Deering Estate’s Charles Deering McCormick Fellow and Emmy-award winning filmmaker Marlon Johnson presents the second season of The Retrofit, an interdisciplinary series inside the Deering Estate theatre. The Retrofit is a five-part multimedia film and live performance series at the intersection of the arts, natural environment, and social equity. The Retrofit is a campaign to reimagine spaces and expressions while celebrating a shared foundation. Hosted by Miami native Carla Hill and curated by Marlon Johnson, this series champions the transformative power of the arts through storytelling and invites audiences along for the ride.
ln commemorating Black History Month, we not only reflect on the past but also envision a forward-looking celebration by reimagining it as Black Future Month. This episode showcases a diverse array of artists who delve into the boundless potential and possibilities that shape a rich tapestry of expression, encompassing the realms of spoken word, dance, film, and music. Together, they contribute to a dynamic exploration of culture, creativity, and the limitless contributions that shape the narrative of Black excellence, both past and future.
Films presented will include T.W.E.R.K – a series of dance films based on Deering Estate’s Artist-in-Residence Michelle Grant-Murray’s program of the same name. T.W.E.R.K. is an afro-futuristic exploratory work that generates awareness surrounding Transnational artistic dance Works and practices that Evoke Revolutionary Kinship. The program will also include screenings of Down to Zero (2023), a short narrative film by Joshua Jean-Baptiste, and excerpts from Conversations with America (2023), a documentary feature film by Marlon Johnson that endeavors to challenge and reshape the prevailing narrative surrounding the black male experience in the United States.
The program will also include additional pre-recorded interviews with writer/director Joshua Jean-Baptiste and dancer Jeonna Pinnock.
The Retrofit program is on Sunday, February 18th. Orature by Deering Estate Artist-in-Residence Dr. Keshia Abraham, and a Q&A with artist Michelle Grant-Murray and filmmaker Chad Tingle to follow the film screening.
The screening and performance will take place indoors inside the Deering Estate theatre on Sunday, February 18, 2024. The show starts at 4 p.m. Doors will open 15 minutes prior to start time. A complimentary cocktail hour will be outdoors with live music from 3 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Tickets are $20 and can be purchased online.
For more information please visit the Deering Estate website.
About the Panelists:
Joshua Jean-Baptiste is a Haitian American writer/director. Drawing from his experiences, he explores cultural and identity themes. Beginning with experimental theater in Miami, he has since developed his craft, co-writing and starring in ‘Grown’ (2018) and co-writing ‘Ludi’ (2021), acclaimed at SXSW and Miami Film Festival. A 2023 Oolite Arts alumnus, he’s developing diverse short films and a feature-length project. Beyond directing, Joshua mentors storytellers and produces “Folktales and Fire,” promoting cultural understanding and supporting underrepresented voices in the Black Speculative Arts.
Michelle Grant-Murray is the Artistic Director of Olujimi Dance Collective and has taught, performed, and created work in Europe, Asia, South America, the United States and the Caribbean. Most recently, Michelle has served as performer and co-choreographer of Teo Castellano’s “F-Punk Junkies.” As a dance scholar, she is the author of Beyond the Surface: An Inclusive American Dance History. Michelle is committed to the developmental voice of the Black Female Artists. She is currently an Artist-in-Residence with the South Miami Dade Cultural Arts Center and the Deering Estate.
Jeona Pinnock is a second-year dance major at New World School of the Arts College, and brings a lifelong passion for dance to her academic pursuits. Having started her dance journey in childhood, Jeona recently achieved a significant milestone by participating in The Katherine Dunham Legacy Program at the renowned Jacob’s Pillow. Her dedication to her craft is further underscored by the recognition she has received, a Dunham Legacy Scholarship, which plays a crucial role in supporting her ongoing studies.
Chad Tingle was born and raised in Jamaica then emigrated to New York City. His dual citizenship and roots in both countries give him a unique perspective on how he approaches filmmaking. Tingle has directed several documentaries that explore social and cultural issues relative to Miami. His films have been presented at SXSW, Miami Film Festival, Cleveland International Film Festival, Maryland Film Festival, Sarasota Film Festival, Madrid Art House Film Festival, and the Cork Film Festival in Cork, Ireland.
Marlon Johnson is the Charles Deering McCormick Fellow of the Deering Estate’s artist-in-residence program. The fellowship is sponsored in part by the Deering Estate Foundation and the Charles Deering McCormick Friends of Art Fund.
About the Deering Estate
Deering Estate, located at 16701 SW 72 Ave. in Miami, is a 21st Century house museum, cultural and ecological field station, and a national landmark listed on the National Register of Historic Places, owned by the State of Florida and managed by Miami-Dade County Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces Department. Deering Estate is designated as one of seven Miami-Dade County “Heritage Parks” which have a vital role in our community’s history, environment and in providing recreational and cultural experiences.
Cultural Arts Programming at the Deering Estate is made possible with the support of the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners, and The Deering Estate Foundation, Inc.
About the Deering Estate Foundation
For those who treasure the Deering Estate, who advocate for its preservation and wish to invest in its future, The Deering Estate Foundation provides opportunities for individuals and corporations alike to partake in membership, signature events, and one-of-a-kind experiences, all in service of providing vital funding and support to the Deering Estate. Through these efforts, the foundation fulfills its mission to uphold the legacy of Charles Deering’s cherished 1920s-era property, to provide funding for the cultural, educational and recreational experiences it offers, as well as its significant scientific and archaeological endeavors to conserve its diverse flora, fauna and the eight native ecosystems that thrive on its 450 acres, and to ensure its longevity as a prized American heritage site. Established in 1989, The Deering Estate Foundation, Inc. is a community-based charitable 501(c) 3 Florida Corporation and the philanthropic partner of the Deering Estate.
