A turbulent labor dispute in Elaine, Arkansas in 1919 led to hundreds of killings in the heart of the Deep South. An unmarked mass grave in which many were buried lies in a field outside of town near a rusted water tower. In this video, the artist makes a journey across a budding cotton field to arrive at the subtle burial mound and then, back again. The artist ventures into a hostile space to grapple with the unmarked symbols of systemic oppression.
Read MoreEugene Williams, age 17, was stoned to death by white teenagers while floating over to the “white side” of a Chicago beach on July 27th, 1919. On the exact time and date 100 years later, the artist sends a group of performers adrift. Connected by rope in the mighty Lake Michigan, the large ensemble becomes a monument to the moment in which racial difference tore apart the fiber of Chicago. Now, in the present, a mixed-race group struggles to hold together, as the same forces that led to Eugene’s float are still present today.
Read MoreFire and Movement retraces the route and narrative of the 1917 Camp Logan Uprising, one of Houston’s most complicated and often misrepresented historical events. The uprising saw African American soldiers of the 24th United States Infantry revolt and attempt to march on the city in response to the abuse from white citizens and the police in Jim Crow-era Houston. In this work, a group of trained performers reenact the militaristic formations and movements the soldiers took, as they sought to gain control of the racist situation.
Read MorePreparing to engage with demons of past and present day, This is Not a Drill considers training techniques inspired by the Student Non-violent Coordinating Committee, The Black Panther Party, and Marine Corps. The artist and performers rehearse close-order drills, bo staff training, boxing, and shooter drills to delve into communal strength and find unity through ritualized physical routines. Trained by seasoned Gulf War vets, the performance crew spent months researching and readying themselves. The audience bears witness to the deliberate series of training exercises, as if they walked in upon the preparations for an inevitable fight.
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