The Frick celebrates TENDER: a literary anthology and book of spells: evidence, and what comes next.
The Frick Pittsburgh has always been an institution grounded in history and Gilded Age lore—the Frick family, the stories of their lives, and their legacy has been at the center of the narrative. Our beautiful historical site and grounds that was once a home, and the objects that build a tangible story of this family’s life remains; we are now, in earnest, stepping into the task of working forward. By listening, by making relationships with those around us, by honoring stories that haven’t been told by people who have not been allowed to be in the light. By offering ourselves as a partner, as a safe place to tell every story, and as a place willing to do the work to be better.
Anthologies often highlight works that have long been published, a collection of curated work highlighting a particular theme, literary movement, region, era, etc. It is not quite as common that an anthology is created as an “of-the-moment” response born of longing, the need to speak up, and as a tool to encourage healing. But that is just what TENDER is.
Published in 2019, before we were living in a global health crisis and before the world woke up, just a little bit more, to the social injustice and ravages of white supremacy and police brutality, the writers of TENDER were offering up this anthology of the stories of an existing, ever-morphing landscape of Black womenx and femme creatives.
Rather than a compendium or a reference guide to past work, TENDER reads like a living snapshot of the world of Black womenx and femme writers and visual artists with Pittsburgh as its epicenter. Some of the stories, phrases, or images conjured by each of these 19 womenx, though chronicling the past and imagining the future, transport the reader to the exact moment we are living in now. And this is why the Frick Pittsburgh is grateful for the opportunity to give the community another way in which these stories and these incredible womenx can be seen and heard.
In this three-part program, the Frick welcomes the editors of and many of the contributors to TENDER—they will be in discussion, in community, and will be sharing published and new work. Beyond the final products, the series will look at the artists’ processes and practices, as well as open up a discussion about the art ecosystem in Pittsburgh and what will come next for these powerful, inspired womenx.
From the editors:
About TENDER a literary anthology & book of spells: evidence
This collection of poetry, prose, and art by Black womxn and femmes in Pittsburgh grew out of a longing for connection and comfort in a city and a world that is not always tender toward them. The book is a balm they made for themselves. The collection is edited and published by Vanessa German and Deesha Philyaw.
TENDER is brought to you by late-night conversations among Black womxn and femmes telling our stories, talking about us, loving on us. Conversations of reckoning and consideration of the heart and the soul and how we are living with ourselves, friends, family, and lovers, through times of stress and social media and false media. This book is brought to you by healing hands, prayers, loud laughter, and freestyles.
Programs
Thursday, October 1 at 6:30 p.m.
TENDER: New Works, Process & Practice, Part 1
The first installment in this three-part online series will feature six TENDER contributors sharing their new writing, work created after their TENDER contribution. Participants will read/share their work, discuss their writing practice and process, and take questions from the audience. Participants: Melanie Dione, Lisa Pickett, Almah LaVon Rice-Faina, Jennifer Shannon, Christina Springer, and Alona Williams. Hosts: Vanessa German and Deesha Philyaw. Free for members and students; $10 non-members and guests. Advanced registration required. Click here to register.
Wednesday, October 14 at 6:30 p.m.
TENDER: New Works, Process & Practice, Part 2
The second installment in this three-part series will feature another six TENDER contributors sharing their new writing and visual art, work created after their TENDER contribution. Participants will read/share, discuss their artistic practice and process, and take questions from the audience. Participants: Ada Griffin, Cheryl Hall-Russell, Medina Jackson, a.k. payne, Celeste C. Smith, and Aaliyah Thomas. Hosts: Vanessa German and Deesha Philyaw. Free for members and students; $10 non-members and guests. Advanced registration required. Click here to register.
Tuesday, October 27 at 6:30 p.m.
TENDER: The arts Ecosystem in Pittsburgh: Black Women & Femme Artists
The third and final installment in this three-part series will focus on the arts landscape/ecosystem for Black women and femme artists in Pittsburgh. What do we need? Where do we go from here? Participants Yona Harvey, Hannah Eko, and Mant¿s will address these questions, read their work, and take questions from the audience. Hosts: Vanessa German and Deesha Philyaw. Free for members and students; $10 non-members and guests. Advanced registration required. Click here to register.
Anthologies often highlight works that have long been published, a collection of curated work highlighting a particular theme, literary movement, region, era, etc. It is not quite as common that an anthology is created as an “of-the-moment” response born of longing, the need to speak up, and as a tool to encourage healing. But that is just what TENDER is.
Published in 2019, before we were living in a global health crisis and before the world woke up, just a little bit more, to the social injustice and ravages of white supremacy and police brutality, the writers of TENDER were offering up this anthology of the stories of an existing, ever-morphing landscape of Black womenx and femme creatives.
Rather than a compendium or a reference guide to past work, TENDER reads like a living snapshot of the world of Black womenx and femme writers and visual artists with Pittsburgh as its epicenter. Some of the stories, phrases, or images conjured by each of these 19 womenx, though chronicling the past and imagining the future, transport the reader to the exact moment we are living in now. And this is why the Frick Pittsburgh is grateful for the opportunity to give the community another way in which these stories and these incredible womenx can be seen and heard.
In this three-part program, the Frick welcomes the editors of and many of the contributors to TENDER—they will be in discussion, in community, and will be sharing published and new work. Beyond the final products, the series will look at the artists’ processes and practices, as well as open up a discussion about the art ecosystem in Pittsburgh and what will come next for these powerful, inspired womenx.
From the editors:
About TENDER a literary anthology & book of spells: evidence
This collection of poetry, prose, and art by Black womxn and femmes in Pittsburgh grew out of a longing for connection and comfort in a city and a world that is not always tender toward them. The book is a balm they made for themselves. The collection is edited and published by Vanessa German and Deesha Philyaw.
TENDER is brought to you by late-night conversations among Black womxn and femmes telling our stories, talking about us, loving on us. Conversations of reckoning and consideration of the heart and the soul and how we are living with ourselves, friends, family, and lovers, through times of stress and social media and false media. This book is brought to you by healing hands, prayers, loud laughter, and freestyles.
Programs
Thursday, October 1 at 6:30 p.m.
TENDER: New Works, Process & Practice, Part 1
The first installment in this three-part online series will feature six TENDER contributors sharing their new writing, work created after their TENDER contribution. Participants will read/share their work, discuss their writing practice and process, and take questions from the audience. Participants: Melanie Dione, Lisa Pickett, Almah LaVon Rice-Faina, Jennifer Shannon, Christina Springer, and Alona Williams. Hosts: Vanessa German and Deesha Philyaw. Free for members and students; $10 non-members and guests. Advanced registration required. Click here to register.
Wednesday, October 14 at 6:30 p.m.
TENDER: New Works, Process & Practice, Part 2
The second installment in this three-part series will feature another six TENDER contributors sharing their new writing and visual art, work created after their TENDER contribution. Participants will read/share, discuss their artistic practice and process, and take questions from the audience. Participants: Ada Griffin, Cheryl Hall-Russell, Medina Jackson, a.k. payne, Celeste C. Smith, and Aaliyah Thomas. Hosts: Vanessa German and Deesha Philyaw. Free for members and students; $10 non-members and guests. Advanced registration required. Click here to register.
Tuesday, October 27 at 6:30 p.m.
TENDER: The arts Ecosystem in Pittsburgh: Black Women & Femme Artists
The third and final installment in this three-part series will focus on the arts landscape/ecosystem for Black women and femme artists in Pittsburgh. What do we need? Where do we go from here? Participants Yona Harvey, Hannah Eko, and Mant¿s will address these questions, read their work, and take questions from the audience. Hosts: Vanessa German and Deesha Philyaw. Free for members and students; $10 non-members and guests. Advanced registration required. Click here to register.