Providence, Rhode Island, continues to thrive as the ‘Creative Capital’
These local artists tie activism into their compelling performances
Updated: 8:20 PM EST Dec 5, 2023
CREATIVE CAPITAL ADDS WEIGHT TO THAT CLAIM WITH A VIBRANT COMMUNITY OF ARTISTS MOVING ACROSS DISCIPLINES AND BLURRING THE LINES BETWEEN ART ACTIVISM AND COMMUNITY ENGAGED AGENT. THERE ARE A LOT OF VERY COMMUNITY CENTERED ARTISTS, ARTISTS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN BUILDING COMMUNITY THROUGH THEIR ARTWORK, AND IT’S JUST AN INCREDIBLE PLACE TO WORK. MY NAME IS BECKY DAVIS. MY PRONOUNS ARE SHE, THEY, AND I AM AN ARTIST AND EDUCATOR HERE IN PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND. DAVIS WAS BORN IN GEORGIA ON A MILITARY INSTALLATION NAMED FOR A CONFEDERATE GENERAL, SOMETHING THAT STILL RESONATES IN THEIR WORK. THERE WAS ONE PROJECT THAT I DID CALLED IN THE SHADOW OF DIXIE, AND THAT PROJECT WAS FOCUSED AROUND HOLDING SPACE ON CONFEDERATE MONUMENTS ACROSS GEORGIA. I HELD SPACE ON MONUMENTS IN THEIR SHADOW AND WROTE POSTCARDS CARDS TO LOCAL POLITICIANS WHO HAD JURISDICTION OVER THE SPACE. THE PERFORMANCE WAS BOTH ACTIVE OF ASKING POLITICIANS TO DISCUSS THEIR POSITIONS ON THE MONUMENTS AND A CONSCIOUS NOD TO THE MEANS USED BY THE DAUGHTERS OF THE CONFEDERACY TO FUND THE MONUMENTS THEY FUNDED MANY OF THOSE MONUMENTS BY THROWING HOUSE PARTIES, BY ENTERTAINING, AND TO THROW HOUSE PARTIES, YOU HAVE TO SEND INVITATIONS. YOU HAVE TO SEND LETTERS. SO UNDER STANDING, THE ROLE THAT THE PAST PLAYS IN CREATING THE PRESENT AND SETTING THE TONE FOR THE FUTURE. YEAH, IT’S REALLY IMPORTANT TO MY PRACTICE THAT THESE WORKS ARE FROM THE BLOODSTONE SERIES. THIS WAS THE VERY FIRST COLLAGE THAT I MADE FROM THIS SERIES. DAVIS’S LATEST WORK STARTS WITH AN HISTORIC IMAGE AND THEN USES COLLAGE TO ADD LAYERS AND DEPTH. THERE ARE STONES ON EITHER SIDE AND AT THE CENTER A WINDOW OF HOPE. HAVING SOMETHING THAT SIGNIFIES LIFE, LIFE AND BEAUTY, BUT ALSO FRAGILITY TO COME UP IN THE CENTER OF THIS CAVE SPACE IS I THOUGHT WAS VERY EVOCATIVE. BEST CASE SCENARIO, I HOPE THAT MY WORK SERVES AS A MIRROR FOR FOLKS TO SEE THEMSELVES TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THEIR OWN LIVES AND HOW THEY CONNECT WITH THE LARGER STORY OF OUR AMERICAN STORY. GET READY. LET’S RIDE IN THE PROVIDENCE ART SCENE. SOMEWHERE BETWEEN DANCE, MUSIC, VISUAL ARTS AND ACTIVISM SITS THE HOUSE OF GLITTER. THE HOUSE OF GLITTER IS PRIMARY. PHILLY A QUEER AFFIRMING AFRO-LATINX DANCE COMPANY, BUT ALSO A CHOSEN FAMILY. THE CHOSEN MEMBERS OF THIS FAMILY INCLUDE I AM ACTON SITA COULIBALY. I’M STEVENS AND JAMAL TONG AND NOT PRESENT ON THIS DAY. MATTHEW GARZA, TRENT LEE AND ANTHONY ANDRADE, ALL WHICH ARE CO FOUNDING MEMBERS. THESE FIVE MEMBERS ARE THE FOUNDATION OF THE HOUSE AND OF COURSE GLITTER BECAUSE WHO DOESN’T LOVE A LITTLE GLITTER. BUT TO UNDERSTAND THEIR SPARKLE, IF YOU WILL, YOU MUST FOCUS LESS ON THEIR DANCE MOVES AND MORE ON THEIR ABILITY TO SPARK A MOVEMENT. MY BODY, WE’VE GONE TO EVENTS AND DONE THINGS WHERE WE JUST SORT OF SHOWED UP AND ASKED PEOPLE TO SHOW UP WITH US AS A COMMUNITY. SO VERY MUCH COMMUNITY BUILDING THROUGH OUR ARTS AND THROUGH OUR MOVEMENT AND WHATEVER WE FIND OURSELVES FINDING A RHYTHM TO IS WHAT WE SORT OF DEFINE AS OUR ART. TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT ALL MEANS AND HOW IT WORKS. LET’S TRAVEL BACK IN TIME TO DECEMBER OF 2019, WHEN PRE-COVID THE HOUSE OF GLITTER BEGAN A TWO YEAR RESIDENCY AT THE FORMER HOME OF ESEK HOPKINS HOP KINS WAS FAMOUSLY A CONTINENTAL NAVY OFFICER DURING THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR AND INFAMOUSLY THE CAPTAIN OF A SLAVE SHIP. THE RESULTED IN THE TRAGIC DEATHS OF 109 ENSLAVED AFRICAN WOMEN AND MEN. WE’VE GOT SOME THING UNFORGETTABLE. WE KNEW THAT THAT WE DIDN’T WANT TO SORT OF JUST SIMPLY BURN DOWN THE HOUSE BECAUSE THAT’D BE THE EASIEST WAY OUT. SO WE TAKE AWAY THE IDEA OF CANCEL CULTURE AND WE THINK ABOUT HEALING AND RESTORING AND WHAT THAT FEELS LIKE AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE FOR EACH OF US. SO MUCH OF HISTORY AND CULTURAL PRESERVATION IS ABOUT KEEPING THINGS THE SAME, AND THAT’S THE LAST THING THAT WE WANTED TO DO FOR HOUSE OF GLITTER CHANGE CAME BY CREATING AN ACTIVIST DANCE OPERA INSPIRED BY THE UNHEARD VOICES OF HOPKINS VICTIMS AND INVITING THE PUBLIC IN TO SHARE IN THE EXPERIENCE. MAYBE I AM AN ISLAND. WE WANT TO RUFFLE FEATHERS AND WANT TO CHANGE WHAT WE SEE AS HISTORIC PRESERVATION ACTION AND TURN IT INTO HISTORIC HEALING IN A WAY THAT FEELS LIKE EMPOWERMENT. AND HOUSE OF GLITTER HOLDS REGULAR AFRICAN DANCE CLASSES IN THEIR PERFORMANCE SPACE IN PROVIDENCE, AND DANCE IS A HUGE PART OF THEIR ORIGIN STORY, RIGHT? THE MEMBERS MET THROUGH A DANCE TROUPE OUT OF BROWN UNIVERSITY, AND THEY’VE EXPANDED THEIR ARTWORK NOW THEY’VE GOT A RECORD LABEL, THEY’VE DONE SOME OTHER STUFF. BUT DANCE REALLY IS STILL FOUNDATIONAL TO EVERY
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Providence, Rhode Island, continues to thrive as the ‘Creative Capital’
These local artists tie activism into their compelling performances
Updated: 8:20 PM EST Dec 5, 2023
Becci Davis (she/they) is an award-winning visual artist based in Providence, Rhode Island. Their work is strongly anchored in time and the connections between past, present, and future. Becci works with many mediums, including photos, collage and film, to explore history and connection.The Haus of Glitter is a chosen family of artists based in Providence, Rhode Island. They identify their practice at the intersection of “Queer-Affirming Feminist BIPoC cultural preservation + space keeping, historical intervention, social practice, concert dance, public spectacle, immersive interdisciplinary performance theater, and protest/performance art….” and, of course, glitter. This all translates into a group that can throw a house party or re-invent a historic property through community building, inclusive programming, and music.
Becci Davis (she/they) is an award-winning visual artist based in Providence, Rhode Island. Their work is strongly anchored in time and the connections between past, present, and future. Becci works with many mediums, including photos, collage and film, to explore history and connection.
The Haus of Glitter is a chosen family of artists based in Providence, Rhode Island. They identify their practice at the intersection of “Queer-Affirming Feminist BIPoC cultural preservation + space keeping, historical intervention, social practice, concert dance, public spectacle, immersive interdisciplinary performance theater, and protest/performance art….” and, of course, glitter. This all translates into a group that can throw a house party or re-invent a historic property through community building, inclusive programming, and music.
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