Lisa Bonet and My-Linh Le Headline Mowna Avant Premiere

The Museum of Wild and Newfangled Art (mowna), a newly opened online museum specifically designed for the digital age, announces the Avant Premiere special event as part of mowna's Opening Show, which will feature the world debut screening of MUD WATER, a coming-of-age dance film starring Xavier Days, written and directed by My-Linh Le, and "Freedom" a, cutting-edge music video directed by Lisa Bonet featuring Dorothy and Angel Haze and an extremely talented, award-winning ensemble of talent, in front of and behind the camera.

The Avant Premiere is a VIP event for mowna members and MUD WATER Kickstarter supporters and is a prelude to the 2021 mowna online Biennial, which opens on April 30, 2021 and runs through September 22, featuring 100 International Artists across all art mediums.

The Avant Premiere event takes place on Friday, March 26, 2021 at 5:30pm PT/8:30pm ET for VIPs, the press and festival presenters, and Saturday, March 27, 2021 at 5:30pm PT/8:30pm ET for museum members. For more information on how to become a member to secure tickets, please click here.

The Avant Premiere opens with the "Freedom Music" video by Lisa Bonet, followed by an introduction to MUD WATER by the filmmakers, the world premiere screening of the film, and a Q&A with directors, crew & cast including My-Linh Le, and star Xavier Days. The event will culminate in an afterparty in the mowna party room.

Weaving together myth, movement, and snapshots of real life, MUD WATER is about a crew of turfers preparing for an upcoming dance battle and a man in search of his shadow. The cast of Mud Water consists entirely of real dancers who are recognized in

the turfing community as well as globally in the world of freestyle dance. Main actors Yung Phil (Turf Feinz), Dopey Fresh, Intricate, and No Name - who play themselves - are local turfers from Oakland, San Francisco, and surrounding areas.

"Getting an avant premiere with mowna feels like one of those really lucky, synergistic moments that we've had throughout the making of this film. For one, I love that we're on the same page about being ambitious and daring in our experimentation, while sticking closely to authenticity. mowna and MUD WATER are of the same kind: we don't care about high horses or usual ways of doing things, we're just here to make the time of our lives, blowing past expectations," said director, My-Linh Le.

The Freedom Music video, by Lisa Bonet, is a part of the #FreedomRemix movement, made by a predominantly female crew and features over 100 women of all ages celebrating liberation, by Dorothy, featuring Angel Haze. The project is directed by Lisa Bonet and produced by We Are Hear. Executive Producers include Linda Perry and Kerry Brown.

"This was a beautiful collaboration of dance activism. We have here, the power of women assembling, dancing, celebrating ~ protecting...the joyful participation in the sorrows of the world. The way forward is through paths yet known. Carrying in our hearts, Above All Do No Harm. We must teach this to our children. We come fierce, like mama rhino guarding her young, all the while feeding our Joy. We sway to the songs of our ancestors." Said Lisa Bonet.

Members of the Museum of Wild and Newfangled Art (mowna) provide support for the museum's mission, helping to sustain mowna and supporting artists to live their lives and make their work. Membership to mowna has purposely been made affordable and accessible so members are able to enjoy free admission, access to the collection and special events: meet the artists, curator talks, parties, mowna founders' chats and more. Membership to mowna is $15/month and can be cancelled at any time.

70% of member contribution pays the artists for their work. The other 30% pays for the creation of the site and the curation of the work.

Click here to become a mowna member