On March 22, I was invited to a strolling dinner reception and a talk by Yvonne Rainer, an
American avant-garde dancer, choreographer, and filmmaker, whose work in these disciplines is regarded as challenging and experimental: Wikipedia (for more information.)
 
The event took place at the Michigan Theater in Ann Arbor, to a packed diverse audience.  The talk was an essay written by Ms. Rainer from the point of view of the Sun God Apollo, sometimes political, sometimes humorous, sometimes sad as we struggle to find our humanity.
 
I was honor to meet her for her courage to be whom you are, her contributions to the dance world, as well as her philosophy of live and let live.

Photo: Juliet, Yvonne Rainer, (also guest from Athens) Katerina Stefanidaki and Zafos Xagoraris)
 

​On March 15 thru April 5, I am sharing an art exhibition with my friend Ann Pearlman that I met here in Ann Arbor, MI who is a visual artist, sculptress and writer at the Ann Arbor Arts Center.   The overall exhibition is called “Re/Viewing Oppression. Ann is featuring her sculptured series called “Mass Incarceration” dealing with the over population of African American males in prison and I on the other hand am exhibiting my “Requiem in Color.” This series focuses on the abnormal amount of police shootings of unarmed African American males and females.
 
A few months ago we decided that it would be very interesting to do collaborative pieces.
It would be a first for me, although Ann has done other collaborative work with other artists.  I enjoy venturing into the unknown, and this was certainly one of those times.  No talking, and no judgment of what the other contributed allowing us to freely move into the paintings. For this exhibition we will be showing two of the pieces.  We titled them “Black Bars,” and “Prison Jammed.”
 
My artwork also includes events of unrest, protest marches, citizen grievances and injustices, so often recognized for short periods of time and then forgotten. Archived as cold cases, to gather dust, distort our history leaving growth in a dark and forgotten place because we can’t remember, we don’t remember, and as is often quoted, “if we don’t remember the past, we are domed to repeat it.”
 
‘Forgetting’ is illustrated how easily our society can be molded in the most effective way
to not understand what has happened before, is happening now, and will probably continue in the future.

So I use art as a vehicle to remember our grievances of the past, the present and
for the sake of our future, I ask are we domed. To repeat those things which are not good for our Humanity?  Perhaps we can have Art help us to remember.

 
 On April 4, between the hours of 5-7 pm
there will be an informal conversation for the public to meet both of us and to learn more
about our work.  Light refreshments and seating will be provided.
 
Let us remember our children and fellow adults, including Trayvon Martin, Tamir Rice and Jordan Edwards and the men and women whose lives also ended too soon, such as Oscar Grant, Freddie Gray, Eric Garner, Philando Castile, Walter Scott, Sandra Bland, Michael Brown and many others, past and present. Let’s say - never forget, and remember we can do better.
 
Juliet Seignious