“Elvis and Chagall,” a multi-media experience, will provide a fascinating evening at Owens Auditorium on the campus of Sandhills Community College on Jan. 8 at 7 p.m.
The event offers the opportunity to hear the timeless music of Elvis Presley, see some of the seminal works of artist Marc Chagall, and discover the amazing similarities between these two 20th-century icons.
Vivian R. Jacobson will reprise her “Elvis and Chagall” lecture (first given at SCC in 2014) on Wednesday, Jan. 8, at 7 p.m. in Owens Auditorium at the Bradshaw Performing Arts Center on the campus of Sandhills Community College. The date of the lecture coincides with what would have been the 90th birthday of Elvis Presley, known as the King of Rock and Roll.
Tickets for the event are free and available at sandhillsbpac.com/events. Seating will be limited, so advance tickets are recommended. To obtain tickets in person call 910-692-7271.
Jacobson, an internationally recognized expert and lecturer on the life and art of Marc Chagall, will demonstrate how Chagall’s and Presley’s passion for their art gave them a surprising—and profound—commonality.
“Although they never met, Chagall, who is often referred to as the quintessential Jewish artist of the 20th century, shared striking similarities with Elvis. The fervor of Chagall’s paintings and the energy of Elvis’s music are both electric,” Jacobson says. “Both men were born into the humblest of circumstances to mothers who had confidence in their early talents. Women played important roles in the lives of both men.”
As part of her lecture, Jacobson will present new images from the photo collection of Elvis Presley Enterprises. These images, recently released from the archives of LIFE magazine, have not been seen publicly before. She will also include newly discovered Chagall artworks made public within the last four years.
Jacobson—a gifted lecturer and storyteller who has spoken at galleries, museums, churches, synagogues, and colleges both in the U.S. and abroad—is noted for her fascinating and entertaining presentations. “Elvis and Chagall” is described as an experience of sight, sound, art, and music, highlighting the remarkable similarities between these two icons.
Both men had a deep respect for religion. The audience will hear Elvis’s moving “Amazing Grace” accompanied by Chagall’s paintings of the Crucifixion and Resurrection. For Chagall, the Christ configuration symbolized the suffering of all mankind.
Likewise, both men had a profound ability to express the power of love. Jacobson will showcase Chagall’s famous paintings—Lovers in Red Sky, Lovers in Lilacs, and The Birthday—as Elvis sings “The Wonder of You.”
A biography of Elvis led Jacobson to recognize a commonality between these two seemingly different men, inspiring her to develop this multimedia presentation. This lecture promises to delight art and music lovers alike—and even those unfamiliar with either Elvis or Chagall.
Jacobson has shared “Elvis and Chagall” with audiences across the country, including New York, Memphis, Beverly Hills, and major cities in North Carolina. “I fervently believe in the commonality of these two men—one a Jew, one a Christian—who came from different parts of the world and engaged in different forms of expression, yet impacted millions through their art,” Jacobson says. “I hope the takeaway is a strong sense of the universality of all people, a message we need now more than ever.”
“The college wanted Vivian Jacobson to present her Elvis and Chagall lecture again,” said Germaine Elkins, Vice President of Institutional Advancement at SCC. “With her passion for continuing research, Vivian will have new music, images, and stories to share. The date—Jan. 8—marks what would have been Elvis’s 90th birthday. Put all that together, and it promises to be an amazing evening. The tickets are free, but we strongly recommend getting them early at ticketmesandhills.com.”
Following the lecture, Jacobson will sign copies of her book, “Sharing Chagall: A Memoir.” Staff from SCC’s Boyd Library will also be available to loan books on Elvis and Chagall from the library’s collection.
Contributed by Bradshaw Performing Arts Center.
