The Anthropophagic Effect
February 13–June 9, 2019
In the exhibition and residency The Anthropophagic Effect, presented as part of the Department of Education and Public Engagement’s Winter/Spring R&D Season: INHERITANCE, Jeffrey Gibson (b. 1972, Colorado Springs, CO) explores the material histories and futures of several Indigenous handcraft techniques and aesthetics. For this exhibition, Gibson has produced a new series of garments and helmets employing techniques learned over the course of the residency, including Southeastern river cane basket weaving, Algonquian birch bark biting, and porcupine quillwork—crafts practiced by many tribes across this land long before European settlers arrived. These works will be activated over the course of the exhibition with performances and staged photo shoots in the Fifth Floor Gallery. Alongside this new body of work, Gibson has selected a group of Cherokee and Choctaw objects and garments from his family’s collection, situating his own works within a wider lineage.
The exhibition’s title, The Anthropophagic Effect, alludes to Oswald de Andrade’s legendary 1928 Manifesto Antropófago (Anthropophagic Manifesto), which argued that Indigenous communities could “devour” colonizers’ culture in order to reject domination and radically transform Western culture to their own ends. The season’s theme, INHERITANCE, points to Andrade’s powerful proposition while more broadly alluding to the transmission of knowledge, skills, and capital.
Alongside this exhibition in the Fifth Floor Resource Center, Samples & Citations presents some of Gibson’s manifold influences, showcasing samples of works by contemporary and historical Indigenous musicians, visual artists, curators, and writers. This presentation includes archival materials from the American Indian Community House Gallery, a historic community center and exhibition space—which mounted Gibson’s first solo exhibition in New York City—alongside a diverse reading library with publications exploring Indigenous art and culture from the 20th century to the present.
The exhibition is curated by Johanna Burton, Keith Haring Director and Curator of Education and Public Engagement, and Sara O’Keeffe, Associate Curator, with Kate Wiener, Curatorial Assistant. The Resource Center presentation Samples & Citations is organized by Jeffrey Gibson and Kate Wiener.
Public Programs
Performance: The Spirits Refuse Without a Body
Thursday, February 21, 7pm
Activating the collection of garments Gibson produced for his residency and exhibition, this intimate event will feature a live set by DJ Kookum, as well as performances by musician Laura Ortman and choreographer Mx. Oops accompanied by two dancers.
Glenn Adamson and Julia Bryan-Wilson in conversation
Saturday, March 16, 3pm
This conversation between curator and writer Glenn Adamson and art historian Julia Bryan-Wilson will situate the Indigenous craft techniques that Gibson employs within a broader design history.
Gallery Talk: Kathleen Ash-Milby on Jeffrey Gibson: The Anthropophagic Effect
Thursday April 11, 3pm
Curator Kathleen Ash-Milby will discuss the history of the American Indian Community House Gallery in New York City, where she served as curator and co-director from 2000 to 2005. The gallery presented many important exhibitions of Indigenous artists, including Gibson’s first solo exhibition in the city
Valerie Steele and Jeffrey Gibson in Conversation
Thursday May 30, 7pm
This conversation between legendary fashion historian Valerie Steele, Director and Chief Curator of The Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology, and Gibson will explore relationships between couture and Indigenous fashion design.
Performance: To Name An Other
Saturday June 8, 3pm
In a special closing performance for Gibson’s residency and exhibition, 50 performers will be brought together for a drumming event to give names to our current political climate.
