With so much to do in our own River City, it can be hard to get out and see the rest of Virginia, but it’s always rewarding. With that in mind, stories in our 33rd issue take us outside of Richmond to find the best in arts, music, and news throughout the Commonwealth and beyond.
Aaron McIntosh, Invasive Queer Kudzu
A visit to the Museum of Contemporary Art in Virginia Beach inspired our feature arts story on New York City-based Inka Essenhigh, a painter whose stunning oils and enamels bring wildly imaginative worlds to life. Essenhigh shared the inspirations of her unique childhood–equal parts Dungeons & Dragons, Heavy Metal Magazine, and Renaissance painters–that led to the nature spirits, celestial entities, and funky, animation-style characters she’s been painting over her nearly 30-year career.
From southside Richmond, Chelsea Higgs Wise reported on a new wave of galleries, venues, and artists, building a space for black artists and creatives who have been pushed out of spaces they’ve created by gentrification. For our third arts story, published in partnership with GayRVA.com, Marilyn Drew Necci brought us Aaron McIntosh’s Invasive Queer Kudzu, a unique quilted project bringing LGBTQ stories from across the south.
As the one-year anniversary of the Charlottesville rally draws near, Editorial Director Landon Shroder checked in on the case against James Alex Fields, Jr., and learned how the FBI thwarted a white supremacy terror cell in our Commonwealth. Following our pipeline beat, staff writer Madelyne Ashworth traveled to the frontline against the Mountain Valley Pipeline, visiting families living in trees to protest the seizure of their land.
Frontline against the pipeline. Photo Landon Shroder
Fresh from covering the national battle rap event that came to Richmond, Hip Hop Henry took a different track for this issue, covering the intersection of faith and hip-hop. Our second music piece, from regular contributor Davy Jones, brings it back to the River City for a story on Andy Jenkins, whose debut album Sweet Bunch will be out soon from Spacebomb Records.
Radio B at Virginia Union University. Photo By: Branden Wilson
In addition to our features and original reporting, we have the latest craft beer news, restaurant updates, fashion blurbs, and reviews on the must-hear singles and albums of the quarter. Look for RVA #33 wherever you hang out in the city or at the link below:
