The Full Story
BARE: In the Flesh
BARE: In the Flesh BARE: In the Flesh is a collection of poetry and prose written by Morgan Paige and Calil "JUST C.O.S." Cage. This body of work constructs a narrative of two individuals doing the work of becoming one entity. JUST C.O.S. and Morgan Paige explore the challenges couples face individually due to their own experiences and upbringing. Simultaneously, the two writers expand on the challenges lovers may face together while fighting for a love they have never experienced before.
Visioning
It took us about two months to fully develop and curate the poetry experience, and while it was easy to create, it was difficult to acknowledge some of the emotions I was experiencing. We labeled the production, “BARE” because it took us mentally and emotionally stripping ourselves bare to share our stories in such a vulnerable way. We wanted the work to be honest, authentic, and compelling. We needed it to be cohesive, strategic, and impactful. By conversing and being real with one another, we were able to make that happen with God-par excellence. We did our first show in Columbus, OH at the Roy G Biv Gallery on September 11th, 2022. After seeing its impact in Columbus, we took the show back home to Cleveland. This show was held on November 13th, 2022 at Lounges CLE and had a very similar outcome – revelation, conversation, tears, and joy from our audience.
Execution
While discussing the piece of work and how proud of it we were, Morgan and I decided to make it an album and a book. The work began again. We connected with Charles Fresco at Breakthrough Sounds Recording Studio, Guwuan Williams, a drummer, Jamal Robinson, a pianist, and Jeremiah Polite, a bass player. We recorded the live-studio album in one day, over the course of 12 hours, and it was a celestial moment. To top it off, Kenneth Cody, a brilliant cinematic producer, was present and was able to get footage of the process from start to finish.
On June 9th, we held our Album and Book Release Event at Lounges CLE, a social lounge near the downtown area. It was a night to remember with over 150 people in attendance, laughs, tears of joy, and stunning attire. Over the course of just 3 months, we were able to facilitate and produce an entire album and book. None of this would have been possible without the tremendous help of friends and artists who are absolutely excellent in their career paths. This project was so important because it brought together an entire community of creatives outside of ourselves. It has brought life to so many other people just as it has given life to us.
