Spring 2022

Artistic Activism and the Power of Collective Resistance Spring 2022 Program, curated by Selene Wendt

Building on our work in 2020 and 2021, the EADJ Program will present a set of vibrant discussions that examine the consequences of social and historical inequities on the southern imaginary, as seen in art from Africa, Latin America, South Europe, South Asia, and the American South. The Spring Program continues to explore the potential for radical collaboration and togetherness across these disparate geographies.

Read the full press release here.

Spring 2022:

Episode 1: The Ocean as Archive

In the spirit of Derek Walcott who helped us to understand that the sea is history, and Edward Kamau Brathwaite who observed that unity is submarine, this panel focuses on the significance of the ocean as a cultural archive that relates to the history of migration. From the Middle Passage to its contemporary parallel, witnessed in migration across treacherous seas to escape dire political, social, and economic circumstances, the ocean is indelibly weighted by history and the legacy of colonialism, as conveyed through artwork and scholarship by Isaac Julien, Ayesha Hameed, and Naiza Khan.

Episode 1: Wednesday, March 16, 10:00 AM CST

Speakers: 

1. Isaac Julien, British artist and filmmaker,  Distinguished Professor of Art, University of Southern California, Santa Cruz, CA
2. Ayesha Hameed,Artist, Lecturer in Visual Cultures, Goldsmiths, University of London, UK
3. Naiza Khan,Artist working between Karachi and London, UK
4. Selene Wendt, (Moderator)  2022/23 EADJ Curator, Founder, The Global Art Project

Sound Commission: Neo Muyanga, Composer and Installation Artist, Cape Town, South Africa

Episode 2: Monumental Acts of Resistance

Artistic interventions that confront the legacy of colonialism and question the legitimacy of colonial statues and monuments are powerful acts of artistic solidarity and resistance. Unfortunately, ongoing debates surrounding the dismantling of monuments are often highly polarized, allowing little room for a more nuanced discussion.  This panel sets the spotlight on four leading contemporary artists whose monuments and interventions represent constructive alternatives that have the potential to raise sociopolitical awareness about the past and the present, thereby building hope for the future.

Episode 2: Wednesday, April 6t, 9:00 AM CST

Speakers:

1. Ebony G. Patterson, Artist and Educator
2. Joiri Minaya, Artist and Educator
3. Jeanneatte Ehlers, Artist based in Copenhagen
4. Selene Wendt, EADJ 2022/23 Curator and Founder, The Global Art Project

Episode 3: The Future of Unity: A Cuban Conversation

Throughout the 2022-23 Engine for Art Democracy and Justice programming, emphasis is placed on the increasing number of contemporary artists who are leading the way in terms of raising sociopolitical awareness and creating societal change through artistic collaborations and artist-lead initiatives. This panel involves a nuanced discussion about Cuban contemporary art and highlights existing artist initiatives that can be seen as models for the future of artistic solidarity and collaboration in Cuba.

Episode 3: Wednesday, April 27th, 10:00 AM CST

Speakers:

1. Sandra Ceballos, Artist and Founder, Espacio Aglutinador, Cuba
2. Ruth Behar, Cuban-American anthropologist and writer
3. Maria de los Angeles Torres, Latin American and Latino Studies Distinguished Professor, University of Illinois Chicago
4. Maria Magdalena Compos Pons (Moderator), Cornelius Vanderbilt Endowed Chair Professor of Fine Art, Vanderbilt