Story, Word, Sound, Sway

Levester Williams, “Shift, Sift, Swoosh Bods” (detail, video still), 2018. HD video, color, four audio channels; 17 minutes 33 seconds (full length). — Levester Williams, *“Shift, Sift, Swoosh Bods” (detail, video still),* 2018. HD video, color, four audio channels; 17 minutes 33 seconds (full length).

When

January 18 – February 26, 2021

Where

Hybrid Event

Stamps Gallery
201 South Division Street
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48104
Google Map/Directions
Hours/Access

Details

Exhibition
Open to the public
Free of charge
Watch Video

Story, Word, Sound, Sway is an exhibition of work by eleven Stamps School of Art & Design Alumni using performance, movement, text, sound, and design to interrogate systems of oppression and interrupt the status quo. It explores themes of alternative histories, archives, Black identity, collective memory, storytelling; meshing performance and performativity, and the interplay of the oral and aural in one’s experience of the world. An undercurrent of movement explored in multiple variations thread the works together, realized through a variety of methods including painterly gesture, repetitive mark-making, performance with an audience or without, spoken word, ambient sound, and reimagined instruments. The exhibition aspires to pull at the loosened threads of a social fabric in crisis, revealing larger complex histories and art discourses, nationally and internationally, framed through the experiences and trajectories of Stamps alumni during their time in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The exhibition will be accompanied by a publication that will include interviews with each of the alumni artists conducted by current Stamps’ student and exhibition co-curator Moteniola Ogundipe.

Artists: Carisa Bledsoe (BFA Interarts ’14), Schroeder Cherry (BFA ’76), Elshafei Dafalla (MFA ’08), Masimba Hwati (MFA ’19), Caleb Moss (BFA ’13), Senghor Reid (BFA ’99), Valencia Robin (MFA ’08), Yvette Rock (MFA ’99), Wes Taylor (BFA ’04), Levester Williams (BFA ’13), and Elizabeth Youngblood (BFA ’73)

Story, Word, Sound, Sway is co-curated by Jennifer Junkermeier-Khan and Moteniola Ogundipe.

Related Events

Story, Word, Sound, Sway: Carisa Bledsoe & Schroeder Cherry - January 28, 2021
Story, Word, Sound, Sway: Discussion - February 18, 2021

Gallery

Story, Word, Sound, Sway: Installation View

What the Tide Brought In is a three act solo performance presented by a Black woman who unveils multiple layers of costumes while traversing intersections in her identity. In the flux of physical theatre meets performance art, this piece is narrated by the artist's voice taking on multiple characters in pre recorded voice overs as well as various musical excerpts in the realm of jazz, blues, and soul.

Carisa Bledsoe: What the Tide Brought In (Cité International des Arts, Paris, FRANCE Solo Exhibition : Out of Space

Carisa Bledsoe: Videos (installation view)

Schroeder Cherry: Videos (installation view)

Dallas Dan. African American cowboy rod puppet, light brown complexion, with black wavy hair and beard, brown eyes, measuring 36 x 10 inches. Heads and hands are made of sculpted plastic wood, with a cloth body. Wearing a red and white jacket, black slacks and brown cowboy boots.

Schroeder Cherry: Dallas Dan

Jamahl. Young African American male rod puppet, light brown complexion, with brown cornrow hair, brown eyes, measuring 36 x 10 inches. Heads and hands are made of sculpted plastic wood, with a cloth body. Wearing a yellow/orange kente cloth shirt and slacks, cowrie shell necklace and sandals.

Schroeder Cherry: Jamahl

Elshafei Dafalla: Survivors Among Us

A vertical assemblage sculpture made from spear, with a bugle , other elements include copper tubing and a contact magnetic microphone

Masimba Hwati: Dzikamunhenga 2

Masimba Hwati: A poem to a river (excerpt)

Caleb Moss: Ode to 1301

Caleb Moss: About The Collab

Caleb Moss: The Collab’s Super Cut

Senghor Reid: You Must First Learn How to Save Yourself

Senghor Reid: The Night Is On My Mind

Senghor Reid: Knife in the Water

Senghor Reid: Borderline 5

Senghor Reid: Borderline 6

Senghor Reid: Blind Chance

Valencia Robin: Untitled (Cathedral series)

Valencia Robin: Cathedral

Yvette Rock: Detroit rePatched: Drawn Out of the Water

Yvette Rock: 14143 Bentler rePatched

Yvette Rock: Community Conversations: Wrestle with Billy & Sarah Mark

Yvette Rock: Community Conversations: Jesus & Geronimo

Yvette Rock: Community Conversations: Matt & Bev

Yvette Rock: Community Conversations: Kahtara and Dwan

Yvette Rock: Community Conversations with Tenuous Equilibrium #1

Yvette Rock: Community Conversations with Tenuous Equilibrium #2

Yvette Rock: Self-portrait with Arise at Tenuous Equilibrium

Wesley Taylor: Ann Arbor Undercommons (Install View #1)

Wesley Taylor: Ann Arbor Undercommons (Install View #2)

Wesley Taylor: Ann Arbor Undercommons (Install View #3)

Wesley Taylor: Ann Arbor Undercommons (Install View #4)

Wesley Taylor: Ann Arbor Undercommons (Install View #5)

Wesley Taylor: Ann Arbor Undercommons (Install View #6)

Wesley Taylor: Ann Arbor Undercommons (Install View #7)

Wesley Taylor: Ann Arbor Undercommons (Install View #8)

Shift, Sift, Swoosh Bods is a four-channel, HD color video that cinematically and aurally foregrounds black agency through the sculptural engagement from four black male performers. The video invites the audience to respond to the moving image in an intimate, embodied manner and thus to share in the haptic transactions of the performers.

Levester Williams: Shift, Sift, Swoosh Bods

Levester Williams: Shift, Sift, Swoosh Bods (excerpt)

Elizabeth Youngblood: +Graphite and Chartuse

Elizabeth Youngblood: New One

Elizabeth Youngblood: Cone + Chartruse

Elizabeth Youngblood: Clear Disturbance

Elizabeth Youngblood: Clear Disturbance (detail)

Elizabeth Youngblood: Keystone 1

Elizabeth Youngblood: Woven Field Painting 2

Elizabeth Youngblood: Woven Field Painting 1

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Story, Word, Sound, Sway: Installation View
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Story, Word, Sound, Sway: Installation View
"Story, Word, Sound, Sway" exhibition installation view (outside)
- Link to work »
2/62

Story, Word, Sound, Sway: Installation View
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Story, Word, Sound, Sway: Installation View
"Story, Word, Sound, Sway" exhibition installation view (entrance)
- Link to work »
3/62

Story, Word, Sound, Sway: Installation View
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Story, Word, Sound, Sway: Installation View
"Story, Word, Sound, Sway" exhibition installation view (interpretative panel)
- Link to work »
4/62

Story, Word, Sound, Sway: Installation View
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Story, Word, Sound, Sway: Installation View
"Story, Word, Sound, Sway" exhibition installation view of Masimba Hwati's work.
- Link to work »
5/62

Story, Word, Sound, Sway: Installation View
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Story, Word, Sound, Sway: Installation View
"Story, Word, Sound, Sway" exhibition installation view of Wesley Taylor and Yvette Rock's work.
- Link to work »
6/62

Story, Word, Sound, Sway: Installation View
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Story, Word, Sound, Sway: Installation View
"Story, Word, Sound, Sway" exhibition installation view of Yvette Rock and Caleb Moss' work.
- Link to work »
7/62

Story, Word, Sound, Sway: Installation View
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Story, Word, Sound, Sway: Installation View
"Story, Word, Sound, Sway" exhibition installation view of Masimba Hwati, Wesley Taylor, Yvette R...
- Link to work »
8/62

Story, Word, Sound, Sway: Installation View
i
Story, Word, Sound, Sway: Installation View
"Story, Word, Sound, Sway" exhibition installation view of Caleb Moss' work.
- Link to work »
9/62

Story, Word, Sound, Sway: Installation View
i
Story, Word, Sound, Sway: Installation View
"Story, Word, Sound, Sway" exhibition installation view of Senghor Reid's work.
- Link to work »
10/62

Story, Word, Sound, Sway: Installation View
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Story, Word, Sound, Sway: Installation View
"Story, Word, Sound, Sway" exhibition installation view Valencia Robin, Elshafei Dafalla, and Eli...
- Link to work »
11/62

Story, Word, Sound, Sway: Installation View
i
Story, Word, Sound, Sway: Installation View
"Story, Word, Sound, Sway" exhibition installation view of Valencia Robin's work.
- Link to work »
12/62

Story, Word, Sound, Sway: Installation View
i
Story, Word, Sound, Sway: Installation View
"Story, Word, Sound, Sway" exhibition installation view of Elizabeth Youngblood's work.
- Link to work »
13/62

Story, Word, Sound, Sway: Installation View
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Story, Word, Sound, Sway: Installation View
"Story, Word, Sound, Sway" exhibition installation view of Schroeder Cherry, Elizabeth Youngblood...
- Link to work »
14/62

Carisa Bledsoe: What the Tide Brought In (Cité International des Arts, Paris, FRANCE Solo Exhibition : Out of Space
i
Carisa Bledsoe: What the Tide Brought In (Cité International des Arts, Paris, FRANCE Solo Exhibition : Out of Space
What the Tide Brought In is a three-act solo performance presented by a Black woman who unveils m...
- Link to work »
15/62

Carisa Bledsoe: Videos (installation view)
i
Carisa Bledsoe: Videos (installation view)
Videos on view at Stamps Gallery as part of "Story, Word, Sound, Sway" include: "What the Tide Br...
- Link to work »
16/62

Schroeder Cherry: Videos (installation view)
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Schroeder Cherry: Videos (installation view)
Videos on view at Stamps Gallery as part of "Story, Word, Sound, Sway" include: "Khordell: How to...
- Link to work »
17/62

Schroeder Cherry: Dallas Dan
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Schroeder Cherry: Dallas Dan
1992, digital print of puppet, 11” x 17”
- Link to work »
18/62

Schroeder Cherry: Jamahl
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Schroeder Cherry: Jamahl
2010, digital print of puppet, 11” x 17”
- Link to work »
19/62

Elshafei Dafalla: Survivors Among Us
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Elshafei Dafalla: Survivors Among Us
2020 - Ongoing, Sound installation
- Link to work »
20/62

Masimba Hwati: Dzikamunhenga 2
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Masimba Hwati: Dzikamunhenga 2
2020, mixed media, 48" x 60" x 19"
- Link to work »
21/62

Masimba Hwati: A poem to a river (excerpt)
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Masimba Hwati: A poem to a river (excerpt)
2020, video, 12 minutes 14 seconds
- Link to work »
22/62

Caleb Moss: Ode to 1301
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Caleb Moss: Ode to 1301
2018-2019, installation
- Link to work »
23/62

Caleb Moss: About The Collab
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Caleb Moss: About The Collab
2020, poster
- Link to work »
24/62

Caleb Moss: The Collab’s Super Cut
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Caleb Moss: The Collab’s Super Cut
2016-2019, video, 10 minutes 31 seconds

Video: youtu.be/IcEtfNAho2E
- Link to work »
25/62

Senghor Reid: You Must First Learn How to Save Yourself
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Senghor Reid: You Must First Learn How to Save Yourself
Lorwyn Peterson Playground, Detroit, MI, 2019, Performance, 24 minutes
- Link to work »
26/62

Senghor Reid: The Night Is On My Mind
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Senghor Reid: The Night Is On My Mind
The Raw Space, Detroit, MI, 2019, Performance, 12 minutes
- Link to work »
27/62

Senghor Reid: Knife in the Water
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Senghor Reid: Knife in the Water
2020, Acrylic on canvas, 48” x 60”
- Link to work »
28/62

Senghor Reid: Borderline 5
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Senghor Reid: Borderline 5
2019, Oil on board, 36” x 24”
- Link to work »
29/62

Senghor Reid: Borderline 6
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Senghor Reid: Borderline 6
2019, Oil on board, 36” x 24”
- Link to work »
30/62

Senghor Reid: Blind Chance
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Senghor Reid: Blind Chance
2016, Acrylic on canvas, 48” x 60”
- Link to work »
31/62

Valencia Robin: Untitled (Cathedral series)
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Valencia Robin: Untitled (Cathedral series)
2020, Acrylic, cloth, paper and pencil on canvas, 12" x 12"
- Link to work »
32/62

Valencia Robin: Untitled (Cathedral series)
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Valencia Robin: Untitled (Cathedral series)
2020, Acrylic, cloth, paper and pencil on canvas, 12" x 12"
- Link to work »
33/62

Valencia Robin: Untitled (Cathedral series)
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Valencia Robin: Untitled (Cathedral series)
2020, Acrylic, cloth, paper and pencil on canvas, 18" x 18"
- Link to work »
35/62

Yvette Rock: Detroit rePatched: Drawn Out of the Water
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Yvette Rock: Detroit rePatched: Drawn Out of the Water
2019, Mixed media, 8" x 18" x 7"
- Link to work »
36/62

Yvette Rock: 14143 Bentler rePatched
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Yvette Rock: 14143 Bentler rePatched
2020, Video, 3 minutes 52 seconds

Video: vimeo.com/383087686
- Link to work »
37/62

Yvette Rock: Community Conversations: Wrestle with Billy & Sarah Mark
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Yvette Rock: Community Conversations: Wrestle with Billy & Sarah Mark
2016, Mixed media fiber, 19.5” x 7” x 3.75”
- Link to work »
38/62

Yvette Rock: Community Conversations: Jesus & Geronimo
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Yvette Rock: Community Conversations: Jesus & Geronimo
2016, Mixed media fiber, 19” x 3.25” x 5.5”
- Link to work »
39/62

Yvette Rock: Community Conversations: Matt & Bev
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Yvette Rock: Community Conversations: Matt & Bev
2016, Mixed media fiber, 19” x 7” x 4”
- Link to work »
40/62

Yvette Rock: Community Conversations: Kahtara and Dwan
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Yvette Rock: Community Conversations: Kahtara and Dwan
2016/2020, Mixed media fiber, 18” x 12” x 2.5”
- Link to work »
41/62

Yvette Rock: Community Conversations with Tenuous Equilibrium #1
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Yvette Rock: Community Conversations with Tenuous Equilibrium #1
2016, Mixed media on wood, 16” x 20” x 1.5”
- Link to work »
42/62

Yvette Rock: Community Conversations with Tenuous Equilibrium #2
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Yvette Rock: Community Conversations with Tenuous Equilibrium #2
2016, Mixed media on wood, 16” x 27.5” x 3.25”
- Link to work »
43/62

Yvette Rock: Self-portrait with Arise at Tenuous Equilibrium
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Yvette Rock: Self-portrait with Arise at Tenuous Equilibrium
2014, Mixed media on wood, 12” x 12” x 3.5”
- Link to work »
44/62

Wesley Taylor: Ann Arbor Undercommons (Install View #1)
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Wesley Taylor: Ann Arbor Undercommons (Install View #1)
2020 - Ongoing, Installation, Lead Archivist: Jamall Bufford with the assistance of Athletic Mic ...
- Link to work »
45/62

Wesley Taylor: Ann Arbor Undercommons (Install View #2)
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Wesley Taylor: Ann Arbor Undercommons (Install View #2)
2020 - Ongoing, Installation, Lead Archivist: Jamall Bufford with the assistance of Athletic Mic ...
- Link to work »
46/62

Wesley Taylor: Ann Arbor Undercommons (Install View #3)
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Wesley Taylor: Ann Arbor Undercommons (Install View #3)
2020 - Ongoing, Installation, Lead Archivist: Jamall Bufford with the assistance of Athletic Mic ...
- Link to work »
47/62

Wesley Taylor: Ann Arbor Undercommons (Install View #4)
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Wesley Taylor: Ann Arbor Undercommons (Install View #4)
2020 - Ongoing, Installation, Lead Archivist: Jamall Bufford with the assistance of Athletic Mic ...
- Link to work »
48/62

Wesley Taylor: Ann Arbor Undercommons (Install View #5)
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Wesley Taylor: Ann Arbor Undercommons (Install View #5)
2020 - Ongoing, Installation, Lead Archivist: Jamall Bufford with the assistance of Athletic Mic ...
- Link to work »
49/62

Wesley Taylor: Ann Arbor Undercommons (Install View #6)
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Wesley Taylor: Ann Arbor Undercommons (Install View #6)
2020 - Ongoing, Installation, Lead Archivist: Jamall Bufford with the assistance of Athletic Mic ...
- Link to work »
50/62

Wesley Taylor: Ann Arbor Undercommons (Install View #7)
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Wesley Taylor: Ann Arbor Undercommons (Install View #7)
2020 - Ongoing, Installation, Lead Archivist: Jamall Bufford with the assistance of Athletic Mic ...
- Link to work »
51/62

Wesley Taylor: Ann Arbor Undercommons (Install View #8)
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Wesley Taylor: Ann Arbor Undercommons (Install View #8)
2020 - Ongoing, Installation, Lead Archivist: Jamall Bufford with the assistance of Athletic Mic ...
- Link to work »
52/62

Levester Williams: Shift, Sift, Swoosh Bods
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Levester Williams: Shift, Sift, Swoosh Bods
Shift, Sift, Swoosh Bods (Installation View), 2018, HD video, color, four audio channels, 17 minu...
- Link to work »
53/62

Levester Williams: Shift, Sift, Swoosh Bods (excerpt)
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Levester Williams: Shift, Sift, Swoosh Bods (excerpt)
2018, HD video, color, four audio channels, 17 minutes 33 seconds

Video: vimeo.com/297640910
- Link to work »
54/62

Elizabeth Youngblood: +Graphite and Chartuse
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Elizabeth Youngblood: +Graphite and Chartuse
2019, Pencil, graphite and silver paint on mylar, 51" x 35"
- Link to work »
55/62

Elizabeth Youngblood: New One
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Elizabeth Youngblood: New One
2019, Silver paint and pencil on paper, 21" x 29"
- Link to work »
56/62

Elizabeth Youngblood: Cone + Chartruse
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Elizabeth Youngblood: Cone + Chartruse
2020, Graphite on paper, 30" x 22"
- Link to work »
57/62

Elizabeth Youngblood: Clear Disturbance
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Elizabeth Youngblood: Clear Disturbance
2019, Ink and pencil on paper, 38" x 55"
- Link to work »
58/62

Elizabeth Youngblood: Clear Disturbance (detail)
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Elizabeth Youngblood: Clear Disturbance (detail)
2019, Ink and pencil on paper, 38" x 55"
- Link to work »
59/62

Elizabeth Youngblood: Keystone 1
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Elizabeth Youngblood: Keystone 1
2020, Graphite on paper, 30" x 22"
- Link to work »
60/62

Elizabeth Youngblood: Woven Field Painting 2
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Elizabeth Youngblood: Woven Field Painting 2
1992, Cotton and rayon, 60" x 34"
- Link to work »
61/62

Elizabeth Youngblood: Woven Field Painting 1
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Elizabeth Youngblood: Woven Field Painting 1
1992, Cotton and rayon, 42h" x 34"
- Link to work »