Aymar Jean Christian produced his first Web pilot, Nupita Obama Creates Vogua, in December 2014. The series explored a tumultuous love triangle between Curtis (musician Erik Wallace), Reyes (performance artist Kiam Marcelo Junio), and Gia (drag queen Saya Naomi), and featured original music, art, fashion, and choreography from its three stars. It was the series that launched Christian’s inclusive online television platform, Open TV. Since then he has produced ten projects created by and starring queer people, people of color, and women from a variety of artistic disciplines, and is in the beginning stages of dozens more.
At this year’s Chicago Humanities Festival, on a panel called “Slow, Artistic, Indie TV,” Christian and three creators of original series for Open TV—Ricardo Gamboa, Shea Couleé, and Nic Kay—will discuss the importance of independent television and the long process of producing each project.
In 2017 Open TV will launch at least six more original projects, both online and at events around the city. Christian hopes other underrepresented artists will be inspired to use the medium of independent Web-based television to share their experiences with larger audiences.
Sat 10/29, 4:30 PM Block Museum of Art 40 Arts Circle Dr., Evanston 312-494-9509 chicagohumanities.org $12, $5 teachers and students
