Callie's

Join us on Wednesday, November 13, at 10am for the second edition of Brood Reading Group—a monthly gathering organized for mothers* and their kin. Together, we will discuss “The Argonauts,” a braided work that combines memoir, philosophy, and theory, written by Maggie Nelson.

*Please note, the use of the word “mother” in this context is not limited to biology or gender but exists in a space of possibility and pluralism; we welcome all who step into the name, however they arrive there.

Each gathering will unfold over an hour in English. Participants are encouraged to read the text in advance and are welcome to attend with their children. Capacity is limited and registration is required; please use the link in bio to register.

Living between New York, Harare, and Berlin, nora chipaumire is an artist who uses the body to explore the theoretical, historical, and personal. Hers is a movement-based practice refined over years through an approach called “nhaka,” literally translated as “heritage” in Shona, the artist’s first language. Rooted in decolonialism, nhaka is an animist physical manifesto that, in nora’s words, seeks to “express a poetic insolence that rebels against ignorance, honors ownership of the body and imagination, and conveys freedom and strength.”

We are always happy to welcome nora back to Callie’s, and have hosted her multiple times since our earliest years. Most recently, she returned this past winter to prepare “Dambudzo,” a performance-activated installation that premieres this week at mumok in Vienna. “Dambudzo,” which translates to “trouble” in Shona, creates a radical and participatory space that explores political realities through sound and movement. 🌍💭

At present, nora is a Pina Bausch Fellow, a Doris Duke Fellow, a Researcher-in-Residence at the NYU Future Imagination Collaboratory, and a Mellon Artist-in-Residence at Columbia University. In November 2023, she was awarded the Grand Prix de la Danse de Montréal for her opera “Nehanda,” which she had prepared at Callie’s earlier that year. She has received the Guggenheim Fellowship and the Princeton Hodder Fellowship, among others.

“Dambudzo” will be performed at mumok nightly at 7pm from June 11 to 14. Tickets are available from the mumok website. 🎟️



📸: Stills from video documentation of open studio performance at Callie’s in 2024 by Katrina Singleton.

Thank you to everyone who joined us to celebrate the launch of Isabel Lewis and Callie’s first publication, “An occasion to consider a book.” Our special thanks go to Isabel and the book’s designer Dan Solbach for sharing insights into the conceptual journey behind the work, and also to Isabel and Dirk Bell for the incredible spread they prepared for guests. It was a pleasure hosting you all for such a warm and intimate evening.

As Isabel explained during her conversation with Dan, she understands this publication as a kind of script to be performed or an occasion waiting for the reader’s attendance. She noted that one of the key points of departure for the work was the question of how she might create an occasion without being present for it herself. If you missed the evening, you can experience these and other musings by purchasing a copy of the book via the link in our bio 💚

“An occasion to consider a book” is proudly co-published as edition of 1250 by Callie’s with and , and was made possible by the generosity of .



📸 Event photographed by .hugendubel for Callie’s; “An occasion to consider a book,” photographed by for Callie’s.