For the past 10 years, Baltimore Living Archives Artist in Residence Lawrence Burney has been a lead journalist telling the usually hidden and untold stories highlighting Baltimore + the DMV’s most captivating music, visual arts, and the surrounding culture that informs both. This summer Lawrence curates a series of films that in one way or another, have helped him gain a better understanding of self. Whether they affirm personal experiences, help make more sense of family & communities that raised him, or altered the way he approaches his work, each is crucial to his growth as a man and a curatorial force. True Laurels Summer Films present an opportunity for Lawrence to share how he sees the world with the public.
Dancehall Queen Synopsis
Street vendor Marcia is scraping together a living in Kingston, Jamaica amid a set of family troubles. Her young daughter is being hounded by a rich sugar daddy who has been supporting the family and her brother's life is being threatened by a local thug. When the licentious patron threatens to abandon the family, and her brother breaks down under pressure, Marcia hits bottom. She needs to escape to a haven where she can get lost in fantasy. Decked out in club clothing and outrageous glamour, Marcia finds refuge in the beats of the very dance hall outside of which she normally vends.
"I love this film because it reminds me of a specific time of my childhood. In my household, especially on weekends, my mother would play roots reggae and dancehall and that was a key factor in shaping my musical taste. Dancehall Queen is the best depiction of not only the music that was coming out of Jamaica in the mid-to-late 90s, but it also captures the scene and socioeconomic factors that informed the music. It’s been one of my favorite scene report type of films since I first saw it." - Lawrence Burney
Baltimore Living Archives is a collective place keeping project that builds community and civic engagement, centered around the sharing of stories through film and media co-produced by The SNF Parkway Theatre and the Enoch Pratt Library. Baltimore Living Archives is an artist residency that invites Baltimoreans to craft and showcase media-based stories alongside two Baltimore artists with archiving practices, SHAN Wallace and Lawrence Burney. SHAN and Lawrence will develop their own work and work with the community, sharing skills and stories through a number of participatory programs. Members of the community will be invited to share their stories, explore and contextualize archives, and enjoy the findings of SHAN and Lawrence.
This project is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Anonymous Foundation. To find out more about how National Endowment for the Arts grants impact individuals and communities, visit www.arts.gov.
COVID-19 POLICIES
- Face masks are required at all times in the SNF Parkway except when consuming concessions in your seat.
- All patrons must show proof of vaccination (and booster shot, if eligible) OR proof of negative PCR test dated a maximum of 72 hours before the event.