From pop music to art music, and from the art of the non-portrait to the art of the CoMo Sea

With Columbia's annual True False Film Fest returning the first weekend in March, this week Diana Moxon chats with three of the visual and musical artists who will be showing and performing alongside this year's documentary film line-up, plus she checks in with one of the most prolific composers of African art music. Arriving in Columbia from Canada on March 5th is indie pop singer Begonia (www.hellobegonia.com) whose debut album 'Fear' was released right before pandemic fear arrived on the planet, Diana chats with Begonia about being an artist during a pandemic and her new single, 'Heaven'. Visual artist and spoken word poet, Askia Bilal (www.askiabilal.art), talks about how his work centers around what it means to be human and his non-portrait series. Geologist and artist Carrie Elliott discusses her True False installation work COMO Sea and her fascination with the intersection of art and science. And Ghanaian-Nigerian-American composer, Fred Onovwerosuoke (www.fredomusic.com), talks about becoming a composer and his Nubian and Warrior Dance works which will be performed in Columbia by the Mizzou New Music Ensemble and the Columbia Civic Orchestra. Opening and closing music credits with thanks to guitarist Yasmin Williams (www.yasminwilliamsmusic.com)

What is Speaking of the Arts?

Speaking of the Arts is mid-Missouri's only weekly arts show. The show is hosted by Diana Moxon, who chats with actors, directors, authors, musicians, festival directors, event organizers, arts curators, and artists about the events they are involved in and also about their own works and their influences. Whilst the show focuses mainly on the mid-Missouri arts scene, Diana's guests have included international composers, conductors, authors as well as artists, musicians, and performers from around Missouri.