March 27, 2017
Artist and 2017 TED fellow Damon Davis to give presentation at K-State
Damon Davis, 2017 TED fellow, will discuss his All Hands on Deck project and screen excerpts from his documentary "Whose Streets?" at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 4, in 101 Thompson Hall.
A reception will follow at the Marianna Kistler Beach Museum of Art.
Davis started the All Hands on Deck project as part of the Black Lives Matter movement to honor human rights activists. After Michael Brown was shot to death by police in Ferguson, Missouri, on Aug. 9, 2014, Davis, a native of St. Louis, joined the protests against the shooting and started photographing the upraised hands of his fellow activists. With permission from area businesses, Davis posted 3-feet-tall posters of his photographs on buildings. The rows of raised hands provided a visual backdrop for the protests, transforming "hands up" from a symbol of surrender to resistance and community solidarity.
Two of Davis' fine art prints are included in the Beach Museum of Art's collection.
The All Hands on Deck project also has appeared in many American and international cities.
Additional events related to Davis' presentation:
• Visit the Union Program Council art table to photograph your hands and be part of All Hands on Deck, K-State edition from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 27-29.
• Aileen June Wang, curator, will discuss works by African-American artists on display during a pre-event gallery talk from 4:30-5:30 p.m. Thursday, March 30, at the Beach Museum of Art. Additional gallery talks with Wang will be 2:30 p.m. April 4 and 12:30 p.m. April 12 at the William T. Kemper Art Gallery in the K-State Student Union.
• View the All Hands on Deck exhibit organized by students of the Union Program Council and Black Student Union April 4-14 at the William T. Kemper Art Gallery in the K-State Student Union.
Davis' presentation is organized by the Marianna Kistler Beach Museum of Art in partnership with the Black Student Union and co-sponsored by the art department. The event is funded in part by the Student Governing Association Fine Arts Fee; K-State Libraries' Dow Center for Multicultural and Community Studies; and American ethnic studies department.
Photograph by Nate Burrell.