EC-CHAP Virtual Film Series: Live Stream - The Making of a Willington Mural - “A Canvas of History and Social Change" with Comments by the Artist

“A Canvas of History and Social Change” represents a year-long public art project developed and executed by the Eastern Connecticut Center for History, Art, and Performance (EC-CHAP).  EC-CHAP is a 501.c.3 cultural organization serving eastern Connecticut and beyond.

The purpose of this project is to raise awareness of local history, culture, and sustained innovation that has endured time and social change through mural art. The resulting mural has been created on a 200-foot retaining wall located on the east side of River Road (State Route-32) at EC-CHAP’s residence, The Mill Works, 156 River Road, Willington, CT.

The mural artist responsible for presenting and finalizing concept designs, and completing the final mural is Christopher Gunderson. Mr. Gunderson is a visual artist and full-time graphic designer at Avid Marketing Group, Rocky Hill, CT.

This project was partially funded by a REGI grant administered by the Department of Economic and Community Development, Connecticut Office of the Arts. The remaining funds required to complete this project were acquired through a major fundraising activity.

Please join us to learn about the making of this important project! We hope to have the artist available live to provide comments and discuss the process used to complete this work.

Should you have questions or need additional information, please call 518-791-9474.

THIS EVENT IS CANCELLED.

PLEASE JOIN US IN MAY.

SUGGESTED DONATION $5.00

“School of Rock” (PG-13), 2003, is a classic feel-good musical was directed by Richard Linklater, starring  Jack Black, Mike White, Joan Cusack.

We’re sure most of us have seen this film - but you just can’t get enough of Jack Black’s (Dewey Finn) transition from loser rocker to hero music teacher that transforms a class of affluent elementary students into a cohesive team of self-confident musicians. If you haven’t seen this flick, IMDb offers this brief description: “After being kicked out of his rock band, Dewey Finn becomes a substitute teacher of an uptight elementary private school, only to try and turn them into a rock band”.

This film is a part of the EC-CHAP Film Series hosted by the Eastern Connecticut Center for History, Art, and Performance (EC-CHAP), a 501.3.c non-profit membership-based cultural organization. To learn more and how you can become a member, visit www.ec-chap.org. Suggested donation $5.00.

Cabaret and group seating. Doors 6:30pm / Show 7:00pm. Soft drinks and snacks available. We are pleased to offer our exclusive "BYOB&F" model - Bring Your Own Beverage & Food (Wine & Beer Only - I.D. Required).

 Call 518-791-9474 for information and table reservations.

EC-CHAP Film Series: "The General" (NR) 1926 - Silent Film with Commentary by Dr. Jonathan Murray

SUGGESTED DONATION $5.00

SPECIAL NOTE: EC-CHAP debut of our silent film series with commentary by local film enthusiast, Dr. Jonathan Murray

The General (NR) is considered a classic among silent films. This 1926 film was written and directed by Buster Keaton and Clyde Bruckman. When Union spies steal an engineer's beloved locomotive, he pursues it single-handedly and straight through enemy lines. (IMDb)

This film is a part of the EC-CHAP Film Series hosted by the Eastern Connecticut Center for History, Art, and Performance (EC-CHAP), a 501.3.c non-profit membership-based cultural organization. To learn more and how you can become a member, visit www.ec-chap.org.

Cabaret and group seating. Doors 6:30pm / Show 7:00pm. Soft drinks and snacks available. We are pleased to offer our exclusive "BYOB&F" model - Bring Your Own Beverage & Food (Wine & Beer Only - I.D. Required).

 Call 518-791-9474 for information and table reservations.

EC-CHAP Film Series: "Faces Places" (PG) 2017 with showing of The Making of a Willington Mural: “A Canvas of History and Social Change” (2019) and artist talk

SUGGESTED DONATION $5.00

SPECIAL NOTE: Award winning documentary, “Faces Places” will be shown as a part of EC-CHAP’s monthly film series. The film is preceded by a showing of The Making of a Willington Mural: “A Canvas of History and Social Change” with a brief talk by the artist. The theme of public art is carried through the evening.

‘Faces Places’ Review: A Living Legend Delivers ‘The Year’s Best, Most Beguiling Doc’ (https://www.therollingstone.com)

Faces Places (PG) is a unique French documentary (English subtitiles) written and directed by photographer/muralist JR and filmaker, Agnès Varda.

Agnes Varda and JR journey through rural France in JR’s specially adapted van, which is like a mobile photo booth. and form an unlikely friendship. Their artistic work and direct involvement with communities demonstrate the power of public art and social connection.

They arrive in villages and towns and get locals to have their portrait pictures taken in the back of his vehicle, which he can then print out at gigantic size, sometimes doing a whole body shot printed out piecemeal, and which he then plasters on to the sides of buildings, matching the sections up with a wallpaperer’s skill, though we never see this tricky manoeuvre. “The results are utterly spectacular, and often unbearably moving” (.Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian)

Agnès Varda and JR have things in common: a passion for and the exploration of images in general, and more precisely, for places and for ways of showing, sharing, and exhibiting them. Agnès chose cinema. JR chose to create open air photography galleries. When Agnès and JR met in 2015, they immediately wanted to work together, to shoot a film in France, far from cities, during a trip in JR's photographic (and magical) truck. Through chance encounters and prepared projects, they reached out to others, listening to them, photographing them, and sometimes putting them on posters. This film also tells the story of Agnès and JR's friendship, which grew stronger throughout the film shoot, between surprises and teasing, and while laughing about their differences. - Rotten Tomatoes

Agnes Varda is almost 90 years old and she is still making fantastic films. Searching, compassionate, provocative, funny, sad ones. This is one of them. You should see it, and then go dancing in the streets.

Varda has been making films since 1955, and throughout her career, which saw her as one of the key figures in the French New Wave, she’s been a generous and ingenious collaborator. For this movie, which is part character drama (with real-life characters), part road documentary, and part essay-film,

Varda co-signs with the French artist who calls himself JR. A bit over one-third Varda’s age, he always sports a hat and dark glasses. His work is in photography and public art. He travels through Europe in a van that’s a photo booth, creating large-format portraits of people he meets. He goes even larger with some of his other works, creating giant pictures that he then affixes to the sides of buildings, or train cars, or ships. After which he documents that work, and lets nature take its course—the images are generally washed away by time. In this film, one is very dramatically swept off by the tide. JR’s is a humanist artistic mission; he gets ordinary people to partake in his work, which inevitably delights them. - Roger Ebert

Preceding the screening of the feature documentary, “Faces Places”, The Making of a Willington Mural: A Canvas of History and Social Change” will be shown along with a brief talk and Q&A by the muralist, Christopher Gunderson.

This film is a part of the EC-CHAP Film Series hosted by the Eastern Connecticut Center for History, Art, and Performance (EC-CHAP), a 501.3.c non-profit membership-based cultural organization. To learn more and how you can become a member, visit www.ec-chap.org.

Cabaret and group seating. Doors 6:30pm / Show 7:00pm. Soft drinks and snacks available. We are pleased to offer our exclusive "BYOB&F" model - Bring Your Own Beverage & Food (Wine & Beer Only - I.D. Required).

 Call 518-791-9474 for information and table reservations.

EC-CHAP Dedication Celebration: "A Canvas of History and Social Change" - Free to the public

*** THIS IS AN ALCOHOL FREE EVENT ***

“A Canvas of History and Social Change” represents a year-long public art project developed and executed by the Eastern Connecticut Center for History, Art, and Performance (EC-CHAP).  EC-CHAP is a 501.c.3 cultural organization serving eastern Connecticut and beyond.

The purpose of this project is to raise awareness of local history, culture, and sustained innovation that has endured time and social change through mural art. The resulting mural has been created on a 200-foot retaining wall located on the east side of River Road (State Route-32) at EC-CHAP’s residence, The Mill Works, 156 River Road, Willington, CT.

The mural artist responsible for presenting and finalizing concept designs, and completing the final mural is Christopher Gunderson. Mr. Gunderson is a visual artist and full-time graphic designer at Avid Marketing Group, Rocky Hill, CT. You may find details concerning this project on the EC-CHAP website at: www.ec-chap.org.

This project was partially funded by a REGI grant administered by the Department of Economic and Community Development, Connecticut Office of the Arts. The remaining funds required to complete this project were acquired through a major fundraising activity.

Please join us to celebrate the completion and dedication of this important project! We will provide a brief overview of the project and process of the work completed. Time will be allocated, and weather permitting, we will proceed to view the mural from the opposite side of the road.

Should you have questions or need additional information, please call 518-791-9474.