Blues music was born in Mississippi, came of age in Chicago, and went on to inspire generations of rock and rollers, ranging from the British invasion of The Beatles and The Rolling Stones to contemporary groups, such as The Black Keys. As one of America’s contributions to the world of music, the blues took root in the fertile soil of the Mississippi Delta, a flood plain covering 7,000 square miles between the Mississippi and Yazoo rivers. Early blues greats in the Delta pioneered the strong rhythmic style of music, accenting the raw emotions of the lyrics by squeezing chords out of a guitar with a bottleneck or metal slide. A celebration of Mississippi’s rich musical heritage, the exhibition A Cast of Blues features 15 resin-cast masks of blues legends created by artist Sharon McConnell-Dickerson, as well as 15 color photographs of performers and of juke joints by acclaimed photographer Ken Murphy. Both McConnell-Dickerson and Murphy are Mississippi residents.
A Cast of Blues will be on exhibit at the Historic Eureka School, a part of the Sixth Street Museum District, located at 410 E. Sixth Street beginning Saturday, September 11. The exhibit is free of charge, and will be open through October 9th, on Thursdays and Fridays 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. and Saturdays 12 p.m. –
4 p.m. “We decided to bring A Cast of Blues exhibit to Hattiesburg because of the exhibit’s ties to the
history of blues music in Mississippi, and because the featured artists of the exhibition are
Mississippians,” said Rick Taylor, Executive Director of the Hattiesburg Convention Commission, which oversees the attractions and projects within the Sixth Street Museum District. Georgia-Pacific’s Leaf River Cellulose is the presenting sponsor for A Cast of Blues. “Georgia-Pacific’s Leaf River Cellulose is honored to be the presenting sponsor for the Historic Eureka School exhibition of A Cast of Blues,” said Bill Glenn, Leaf River Cellulose’s public affairs manager. “Anyone who knows music knows the blues were born in Mississippi and we are excited to see how this display will celebrate the rich history of so many blues artists who set the foundation for American music.”
A Cast of Blues artist Sharon McConnell-Dickerson has said, “a life cast is like a 3-D photograph to someone who is blind.” McConnell-Dickerson, who is visually impaired, continues, “It captures the flesh, muscle, bone, hair, and subtle expressions of emotion. I wanted to discover the faces behind the music I love, so I went to Mississippi to map out the visages of the real Delta blues men and women.” Ken Murphy’s photographs are selected from the groundbreaking book Mississippi: State of Blues (published 2010 by Proteus/Ken Murphy Publishing). Murphy captures the essence of the blues through highly detailed, panoramic color pictures. The exhibition’s compilation of casts and photos create a compelling portrait of the men and women who defined—and continue to shape—the tradition of Mississippi blues.
During the 1920s and 1930s, Charlie Patton, Son House, Robert Johnson, and scores of other bluesmen and women barnstormed across the Delta, playing plantations, juke joints, and levee camps scattered throughout the area. It was the next generation of Mississippi music artists led by Willie Dixon, Muddy Waters, and Howlin’ Wolf, who brought the Delta blues north to Chicago. The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, and other rock and rollers picked up on the Delta sound and introduced it to the world. The musicians who stayed behind in Mississippi kept the tradition alive, passing it from one generation to another. Since the 1990s, Delta blues music has undergone a revival, with the rediscovery of overlooked artists—R.L. Burnside, T Model Ford, and Bobby Rush—and the rise of contemporary blues acts like the North Mississippi Allstars and the Homemade Jamz Blues Band.
A Cast of Blues exhibition is fully accessible to all visitors, featuring braille labels and educational materials, as well as a music playlist for gallery use and a closed-captioned film about the Cast of Blues project. In addition, visitors are encouraged to touch the resin-cast masks. Says McConnell-Dickerson, “As a sculptural and visual art experience, feeling the life-made casts of these individuals and their facial expressions transfers their experiences directly to our fingertips.” The exhibition is also accompanied by the 2008 documentary film, M for Mississippi: A Roadtrip through the Birthplace of the Blues. “There will be fun, interactive components that will allow children the opportunity to learn about the blues through hands-on play,” said Latoya Norman, Director of Museums for the Hattiesburg Convention Commission. “A Cast of Blues comes with musical instruments that children will be able use to create their very own music and performances. We are excited to see what they will imagine.”
Organized and toured by ExhibitsUSA, a national part of Mid-America Arts Alliance, the exhibition was curated by Chuck Haddix, music historian, author, radio personality, and director of the Marr Sound Archives at the University of Missouri-Kansas City.
For more information about A Cast of Blues at Historic Eureka School in Hattiesburg, MS call 601-450-1942 or visit www.hattiesburgeureka.com.
Saturday Sep 11, 2021
12:00 PM - 4:00 PM CDT
September 11th - October 9th
Thursdays and Fridays 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. and Saturdays 12 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Historic Eureka School, a part of the Sixth Street Museum District, located at 410 E. Sixth Street, Hattiesburg, MS
601-450-1942