In celebration of Jeffrey Gibson: Like a Hammer, drag performer Anthony Hudson (Carla Rossi) and dance artist Gilbert Small will perform pop-up responses inspired by Gibson’s iconic sculptures of Everlast punching bags adorned with intricate patterns, bright fringe and beadwork, song lyrics, and quotes.
Gibson complicates the punching bag. Traditionally associated with masculinity, competition, and strength, Gibson's use of materials that reference Native American and queer club cultures questions notions of gender, identity, and sexuality. These in-gallery performances interpret the complex themes in Gibson’s artwork through dance and drag performance while celebrating the region’s talent.
performance times
7 pm Anthony Hudson
7:15 pm Gibert Small
The evening will include an informal Q&A where the artists will share their process and approach to responding to the artworks.
about the artists
Anthony Hudson (Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde) is a multidisciplinary artist, writer, performer, and filmmaker best known as Portland’s premier drag clown CARLA ROSSI, an immortal trickster whose attempts at realness almost always result in fantastic failure. Together they host QUEER HORROR—the only ongoing LGBTQ horror screening series in the country—at the historic Hollywood Theatre, where Anthony serves as its Community Programmer. In 2018 Anthony was named a National Artist Fellow by the Native Arts & Cultures Foundation, a Native Launchpad artist by the Western Arts Alliance, and in 2019 Anthony was named an Individual Artist Fellow by the Oregon Arts Commission.
Gilbert Small was born in Baltimore, Maryland, and started his professional ballet training at the age of 10 at the Baltimore School for the Arts. He has studied at various programs in North America and Europe. After graduating from the Baltimore School for the Arts, he continued his studies at the Conservatory of Dance at Purchase College. While at Purchase, Gilbert was given the opportunity to study abroad at Codarts in Rotterdam, Netherlands. He has performed with Toronto-based ProArteDanza as well as New York-based A.I.M, The Dash Ensemble and Sidra Bell Dance New York. Gilbert is in his 10th season with Ballet BC. The last two years he's been a guest artist with the company and also collaborating with them as a Rehearsal Director. Gilbert is also a collaborator with Seattle-based dance company, zoe | juniper
free with special exhibition admission
Image: ONE BECOMES THE OTHER, 2015, Jeffrey Gibson, Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians/Cherokee, b. 1972, repurposed wool army blanket, repurposed punching bag, glass beads, plastic beads, steel studs, artificial sinew, quartz crystals, copper cones, nylon fringe, steel, and acrylic paint, 73 × 16½ × 16½ in., Private collection, courtesy of Marc Straus Gallery, New York, image courtesy of Jeffrey Gibson Studio and Roberts Projects, Los Angeles, California, photo: Peter Mauney.