Wednesday - Dallas Museum Of Art

10am – Alex Da Corte’s Rubber Pencil Devil Discussion

To prepare for our morning discussion, watch the Alex Da Corte: 57 Varieties | Art21 “Extended Play” video to learn about our artwork focus AT THIS LINK (12:04). Consider the following:

• Are any of the characters Da Corte portrays familiar to you? If so, do they conjure up memories of a specific time in your life?
• This house is a portrait of the land I live in. I thought, how do I know my life? How do I know my politics, how do I know my religion, how do I know my love? I probably learned it from my family. But, mostly, I probably learned it from TV. Do you agree with Da Corte’s claim that TV shapes our understanding of the world? Why or why not? What kind of understanding do you think the artist gains by portraying these characters?
• Think of a specific show or film that holds significance for you. Which character (if any) do you identify with? Why? What do you think it might feel like to embody that character? What rules operate within the world of that show or film? Whose stories are minimized or not represented at all?
• What might your version of Rubber Pencil Devil look like? Write, sketch, or collage some ideas.

Please gather the following supplies to bring to the morning discussion:

• 1 piece of paper, at least 8”x11”
• A pencil with an eraser
• A pen or fine-line marker that makes a solid line that stands out
• Collage materials or colored pencils to add color

12-1pm – Zoom Lunch (optional)

2pm – Ej Hill’s Desk (a Dedication) Discussion

The artist EJ Hill worked in collaboration with Ms. Samaria Rice, the mother of Tamir Rice, the 12-year-old boy whose life was taken by a Cleveland police officer. EJ Hill uses a combination of reclaimed wood from Harvard University when it was still an all-male institution, an old, wooden school desk, and an intimate dedication from Ms. Samaria Rice to her son. The dedication plaque is placed on the desk itself and invites the viewer to stand behind the desk mounted on the white walls of the museum to read the dedication. The dedication plaque reads:

In loving remembrance of my son, Tamir Rice—a sacrifice for change and guiding light for reform in the United States—we dedicate this installation to you. Losing you is the hardest thing that I will ever face but in my pursuit of justice for you, it is an honor to work with artists and activists all over the world to tell your story. I’m humbled to share in EJ Hill’s vision for the University of St. Tamir—a space to remember you and what state-sanctioned violence did to our family and many other black and brown communities across the nation. The struggle against police terror continues.
—Ms. Samaria Rice, May 31, 2019

Videos

• Samaria Rice speaks at the Cleveland Museum of Art on November 20, 2019, two days before the 5th anniversary of the killing of her son Tamir by a Cleveland Police officer – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqdxxg581ty
• Artist E.J. Hill and artist/activist Amanda King speak at the Cleveland Museum of Art [Watch E.J. Hill’s presentation to 8:20] – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-u9iotsaha&t=541s