Joy Guidry
Radical Acceptance is the title of Joy Guidry's new album and it tells their story of processing trauma, self-care, self-love, and finding hope for the future. Drawing inspiration from the work of Sonya Renee Taylor who has defined radical self-love as, “its own entity, a lush and verdant island offering safe harbor for self-esteem and self-confidence." While Joy’s musical offerings represent a range of musical idioms and methodologies from improvisation and graphic scores to multimedia and gospel, the uniting principle for Guidry is a focus on the importance of affirmation, validation, and self-care. Guidry states, “Radical acceptance is a personal practice that has evolved in my life over the past year. This doesn't mean there aren't still tough times, but times of warmth and comfort are much more present these days. I will never be able to change my past, the things that hurt me, but I can live a peaceful and beautiful life of my own creation. The most important thing I've had to teach myself is that there is nothing wrong with my body or my brain. My body is fat and I struggle with my mental health daily, and neither of those things makes me any less of a human being. I know that my Black, Fat, Queer and Nonbinary body is valid in every way. Learning to love my whole self unconditionally will be a lifelong journey, but I am just so happy to be where I am today. This is my radical acceptance.”
The concert features Joy Guidry on bassoon, theremin, voice, and electronics.
Listen to Joy's new album on Bandcamp
Morivivi
Morivivi is comprised of two Brooklyn born musicians, Desde and KAYA. The Morivivi plant, also known as the Mimosa Pudica is known for its ability to shy away from touch, enclosing its leaves, and blooming again once left alone. Thus, both artists join together as Morivivi to explore themes surrounding topics of of death, rebirth, submission, and control in their lifetimes.