The party that the national arts organization RAW is throwing Thursday night at the Hotel Shattuck Plaza defies description. It’s part fashion show, part art show, and part disco bash, with a dash of liquor and plenty of attitude thrown in.
About ten local artists will show off their wares in an event that pulsates with music, lights, dancing and talking.
“I call it an artists’ circus,” said organizer Mandolin Kadera-Redmond, who was hired by the southern California group in the fall of 2010 to put on events in Berkeley and other parts of the East Bay.
Patrons who buy tickets will walk into a room and see fashion models strutting around, their bodies clad by local fashion designers and their faces made up by local make-up artists. They can look at the paintings and art installations on display – including one that puts succulents in stiletto heeled-shoes – converse with the artists and even buy their work. In the background music mixed by DJs will be pulsing.
Some of the featured artists include Rachel Mahlke, David Gerhard, Tasha Lopez, Makeda Rashida, Maryam Qudus, and Gracie Ginian. The host for the evening, which begins at 8 pm, is Adi and the DJ is Agana.
While there have been RAW events in southern California, this is the first one in Berkeley, said Kadera-Redmond. It’s part of a nation-wide roll out of RAW across the country, called RAWcross. There will be 17 RAW parties in cities around the U.S. on February 3, including shindigs in Seattle, Philadelphia and Hollywood, she said. The idea is to give exposure to emerging artists.
“RAW’s mission is to provide up-and-coming artists of all creative realms with the tools, resources and exposure needed to inspire and cultivate creativity so that they might be seen, heard and loved,” said a press release. “RAW educates, connects and exposes emerging artists in 22 artistic communities nationwide through monthly showcase events.”
Tickets are $10 and can be purchased here.
