Closing keynote: Using art as an effective means of activism
with Damon Davis
Learn more at juneteenth.umich.edu
Dr. Laurie McCauley, Opening Remarks
Damon Davis, Keynote Speaker
Deborah Mitchell Covington, PhD, Moderator
Join us for a thought-provoking fireside chat between U-M’s Dr. Debbie Mitchell Covington and acclaimed artist Damon Davis as we explore the power of art as a catalyst for social change. Damon’s work spans various mediums, from painting to music to film, and has been a driving force in the conversation around race, identity, and activism.
In this intimate discussion, Damon will share insights into his creative process, discussing how he uses art to amplify marginalized voices and challenge societal norms. He will delve into the role of artists in activism, highlighting the ways in which art can ignite conversations, inspire action, and foster empathy.
Damon Davis Bio
Damon Davis is an award-winning, post-disciplinary artist based in St. Louis, Missouri. His work spans a spectrum of creative mediums to tell stories exploring how identity is informed by power and mythology.
Davis is co-director of the critically acclaimed documentary, Whose Streets?, chronicling the 2014 Ferguson uprisings. In 2020, critic Ben Davis cited his project All Hands On Deck, which captured the hands of people who shaped and upheld the Ferguson movement, as one of the “100 Works of Art That Defined the Decade.”
His work has been nominated for the Peabody Award, is featured in the permanent collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, and has been exhibited at the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit, Saint Louis Art Museum, Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts, and the San Diego Contemporary Museum of Art. Davis is a Firelight Media, Sundance Labs, TED, and Kennedy Center Citizen Artist Fellow.