Internationally acclaimed artist and filmmaker Simon Frederick joins GRAMMY-nominated composer Carlos Simon and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra for the U.S. premiere of The Unstated Magnificence of Stillness: A Love Letter to Black Ladies.
Happening at Heinz Corridor on Saturday, 8 November, the efficiency serves because the centrepiece of the AFRICANISM Gala 2025, introduced by FashionAFRICANA. The premiere will unite movie, orchestral music, and high quality artwork in a groundbreaking collaboration that celebrates the wonder, energy, and cultural legacy of Black ladies world wide.
“This work is my love letter to the ladies who carried total generations on their backs,” mentioned Simon Frederick. “By this work I wished to reframe how Black ladies see and really feel about themselves, not as muses or topics, however because the architects of our tradition. Each body, each observe, each picture is a hymn to their grace.”
The unique rating, composed by Carlos Simon, might be carried out stay by the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra as Frederick’s cinematic visuals unfold on display screen.
“Composing for this work was particular to me, as a result of—yeah, Black ladies!” mentioned Carlos Simon. “Their magnificence, their resilience; they’re completely all the pieces and deserve all their flowers. I wouldn’t be the person I’m with out the love, nurturing, and assist of the Black ladies in my life. This work is greater than a movie or a symphony —it’s a love letter that I hope might be celebrated and carried out for years to return.”
Celebrated as “the Met Gala of Pittsburgh,” the AFRICANISM Gala can even honor recipients of the 2025 AFRICANA Icon Awards, together with Olympic and WNBA champion Swin Money and worldwide mannequin and cultural ambassador Fatou Jobe, alongside further honorees to be introduced.
Frederick’s apply has redefined how Black id is represented throughout artwork and media. His portrait sequence Black Is the New Black turned the most important acquisition of up to date Black Britons within the Nationwide Portrait Gallery’s historical past. His tv sequence They’ve Gotta Have Us, Black Is the New Black, and The Outsiders have reached world audiences on Netflix, BBC, and YouTube Originals, and he was lately named amongst Britain’s 100 Most Influential Black Folks.
The Unstated Magnificence of Stillness marks Frederick’s return to large-scale set up work, merging high quality artwork, movie, and orchestral efficiency into an immersive expertise that transcends conventional storytelling.
“This piece isn’t nearly illustration,” Frederick added. “It’s about reverence— about giving Black ladies the stage, the sunshine, and the sound they’ve at all times deserved.”
The Unstated Magnificence of Stillness takes place November eighth at Heinz Corridor, Pittsburgh, USA. Discover out extra right here.