Vita Hewitt - Midbrow

A Tender Portrait of California Indigenous Life

Duncan Agulair’s photographs of Native California life stand as a direct challenge to the pervasive narrative that Indigenous communities are relics of the past. On view at OMCA now.

Vita Hewitt

16 Jan 2025 · 4 min read

TikTok Kink and Unpacking Consent: “Babygirl” Brings A Complicated Narrative

Erotic thriller or age-gap rom-com gone wrong? “Babygirl” fails to bring the heat, and worse, simplifies and stupefies complex sexuality, instead offering insipid regurgitations of pulpy tropes.

Vita Hewitt

13 Jan 2025 · 4 min read

Laughter Unscripted: Improv as Art Form

Improv Curious? The All Out Comedy Theater delivered a night of laughter and hijinks, elevating the improv art form up out of the basement.

Vita Hewitt

7 Jan 2025 · 3 min read

Ballin’, Old School: A Triumphant Return for Oakland’s Gaskell Ball

More than 600 attendees flocked in full skirts and suits to waltz the night away, for the first time in eight years.

Vita Hewitt

3 Jan 2025 · 4 min read

A Night of Haunting Harmony

There are performances that transport you to another world, where time bends and the boundaries between the sacred and the earthly blur. Kitka Women's Vocal Ensemble’s recent concert was one such experience.

Vita Hewitt

26 Dec 2024 · 4 min read

A Nutcracker of Magic and Whimsy

There’s something truly magical about the Oakland Ballet’s rendition of The Nutcracker, bringing the holiday classic to life with a fresh burst of whimsy and local flair.

Vita Hewitt

24 Dec 2024 · 3 min read

Dancing on the Ceilings: Vertical Dance Showcase Takes Flight

Dancers defy gravity in Bandaloop’s intimate indoor performance, celebrating nature, community, and human spirit.

Vita Hewitt

19 Dec 2024 · 5 min read

Placement as Sculpture and Layers as Story: East Bay Open Studios Winter Finale, Recap

East Bay Open Studios: so much art, so little time. Agustín Maes reviews Kathleen King and Jo Ann Biagini and we remind you of the other excellent works we checked out, too.

Multiple authors

17 Dec 2024 · 3 min read

Dungeons, Dragons, and Drag Queens: Let’s Ride

Not your average—if there is such a thing—game of D&D. These magical queens take things to the next level at Rockridge Improvement Club monthly.

Vita Hewitt

16 Dec 2024 · 4 min read

A Journey Through Memory and Displacement

Artist Shirin Towfiq shared “images as ghostly as long forgotten memories” at Clio’s Books for this month’s installation of See(d) Art Series.

Vita Hewitt

13 Dec 2024 · 5 min read

Craft Day at the Crazy House

At Jingletown Art Studios, artists Patricia Guthrie and Shellz share a spirit of transformative boldness, spanning media and tradition. Guthrie’s quilts challenge traditional craft and Shellz’s vivid animal portraits speak urgently to environmental issues.

Vita Hewitt

11 Dec 2024 · 4 min read

A Powerful Exploration of Movement and Change

EBPCO’s “Momentum” blows down the walls: 20 photographers share their mightiest moments in movement with the Town.

Vita Hewitt

10 Dec 2024 · 4 min read

A Vintage Saturday Morning: Cartoons & Cereal at The New Parkway Theater

A nostalgic escape: Every Saturday morning, this Oakland cinema opens its doors to a group of us "grown-up kids" craving that sweet throwback with a modern twist.

Vita Hewitt

22 Nov 2024 · 3 min read

Oakland

Oakland Symphony's Carmina Burana and Two Black Churches Pack a Powerful Message

More than a hundred voices accompanied by a full orchestra gave our our soul a sense of elation that we didn't know it was missing.

Vita Hewitt

11 Nov 2024 · 3 min read

Musically Haunting: "Ghost Quartet"Gives us Life at Oakland Theater Project

If you could be any kind of dead person, what kind would you be? Spoiler: you want to be a ghost, the kind that goes “hoo hoo hoo all night

Vita Hewitt

5 Nov 2024 · 3 min read

Style Shines Bright on Oakland Rooftop

The High 5ive Rooftop Bar at the Kissel Uptown Oakland boasts a stunning view of Oakland; currently in more ways than one. 100 Faces of Oakland, an ambitious project sponsored by Visit Oakland and created by photographers Anthony Weaver and Patanisha Williams, is on display through October 31st.

Vita Hewitt

20 Oct 2024 · 2 min read

Custom Kicks and Sustainable Style: The Art of Sneakers

The Art of Sneakers, Vol. 1 offered an alternative and a tantalizing glimpse into that topic, into the ever-growing field of sustainable fashion, this past weekend in Oakland.

Vita Hewitt

15 Oct 2024 · 4 min read

“These Things Are Like Yeast”: 50 Years On, New College Artists Remain Collective

Once, when I was a young, bright-eyed MFA student, a professor told the class to “look to the left of you. Look to the right of you. You should know that only one in five of you will still be making art in five years time. As the years go on, it will be even less.”

Vita Hewitt

26 Sep 2024 · 4 min read