Complex Movements: Beware of The Dandelions, 400-square-foot polyhedron pod structure, 2017

INVINCIBLE–ILL WEAVER, DETROIT MI, Taylor’s creative partner, in Complex Movements and Emergence Media, mentee of Grace Lee Boggs

MENTOR GRACE LEE BOGGS, 1915-2015, courtesy of the James and Grace Lee Boggs Center to Nurture Community Leadership, Detroit MI

Complex Movements: Invincible-ill Weaver, L05, Sage Crump, Waajeed, Wesley Taylor installation, 2017

Complex Movements shares insights from their project Beware of the Dandelions which is a mobile art installation that functions as a multimedia performance, a community organizing process, and oral history video archive. The piece intersects disciplines including: community organizing, design, hip-hop and electronic music, architecture, and theater. Complex Movements engages communities to expand their strategies for organizing around local and trans-local social justice issues, 2017

GRACE LEE BOGGS, 1915-2015, with Complex Movements: Invincible-ill Weaver, L05, Sage Crump, Waajeed, Wesley Taylor, 2017

GRACE LEE BOGGS, 1915-2015, with Complex Movements: Invincible-ill Weaver, L05, Sage Crump & Wesley Taylor, 2017

Beware of the Dandelions installation and workshop mode, 2017

Collaborative Installation, 2017

Collaborative Installation, 2017

Wesley Taylor is an interdisciplinary designer and fine artist, musician, filmmaker, and curator. Taylor holds an MFA in 2-D Design from Cranbrook Academy of Art. He taught at Virginia Commonwealth University before joining Wayne State University in Detroit MI.

Taylor’s diverse skillset and extensive collaborations have established him as a critical member of the Detroit creative community. As a musician and designer, he has made many contributions to the Detroit hip-hop scene. Locally and beyond, he is widely recognized for building stronger bridges between design and social justice movements. He describes his projects as institutional grassroots initiatives.

A Mission to Nurture Talent

Taylor co-directs the artist space and residency Talking Dolls Detroit with Ron Watters and Andrea Cardinal. The mission of Talking Dolls is to “… empower our northeast Detroit neighborhood through justice-focused initiatives. We create a nexus of progressive art and community-led activism through access to our shop, artist studios, and gallery space for workshops, performances, and celebration.”

Complex Movements: Beware of the Dandelions touring structure, 2017

Talking Dolls hosts artists including, most recently, multimedia artist bree gant from the west side of Detroit. Their artist’s statement notes that a current project entitled Ore is “an investigation into temporality and process as performance, turning from the landscape of the city toward how we move through ourselves.”

Talking Dolls Detroit is particularly focused on establishing and building stable spaces for creatives to flourish. “A lot of what I am working on currently is expanding public offering of creative space to the Detroit community through stable space with resources and facilities, as well as the ability to help nurture talent in and outside of institutions,” he says.

While Taylor hopes to build stronger connections between Talking Dolls and WSU, he also applies that same sense of purpose to the classroom, providing a space for free exchange of ideas, discussion, and experimentation. “I like to think of my classroom as a lab,” he says, highlighting its critical use as a place where there is “research happening and a free exchange of ideas.” The lab model is rooted in collaboration and, vitally, a location “where students do not have to think of being competitive, but … doing research [that] is available for everybody to continue on with if they see fit.”

Emerging Media, Ideas, and Approaches

Emergence Media Retrospective, 2016

Taylor is also a founder of Emergence Media, which has a far-reaching mission and purpose. According to its website, the organization “explores the power of creative expression to activate social transformation.” They work with a core group of artists and projects, and a wide network of collaborative partners to produce music, multimedia, installations, tours, workshops, and special events. Taylor explains that while he initially started Emergence Media as a record label, with long-term Detroiters and activists ill Weaver/Invincible and Mike Medow, the work now extends far beyond that genre. “We started a music label that now supports creative initiatives across a lot of things. There is no one thing that Emergence Media is working on,” he says.

Complex Movements: Invincible-ill Weaver, L05, Sage Crump & Wesley Taylor presentation, 2017

Wesley Taylor
interdisciplinary designer and fine artist, musician, filmmaker, and curator

Waajeed
music producer, sound designer, filmmaker

Sage Crump
producer, cultural strategist

Invincible (ill Weaver)
lyricist, organizer, filmmaker

L05 (Carlos Garcia)
artist and designer

+ Aaron Jones
architect/fine artist

Complex Movements: Beware of The Dandelions, which occurred inside a 400-square-foot polyhedron pod structure, 2017

Complex Movements: Beware of The Dandelions, which occurred inside a 400-square-foot polyhedron pod structure, 2017

Complex Movements: Beware of The Dandelions, which occurred inside a 400-square-foot polyhedron pod structure, 2017

Taylor has collaborated with Detroit-based DJ and producer Waajeed, cultural strategist Sage Crump, Invincible, and the multimedia technology artist LO5 to form the creative team Complex Movements. Together, they constructed a science fiction- inspired immersive visual and sound experience using projections, music, and gaming. Their most acclaimed project was the mobile art installation and production Beware of The Dandelions, which occurred inside a 400-square-foot polyhedron pod structure. It was described by Emerson College film publication The Independent as “a science fiction parable in which the audience plays the role of post-apocalyptic survivors and unlocks the untold stories of their community.” The project received funding from Mapfund, National Endowment for the Arts, and Knight Foundation. Its purpose was to apply complex scientific ideas to social justice movements, community work, and capacity building. The team developed an engagement strategy that was rooted in organizing and building community cohorts and advisory circles in the cities and places that the project toured.

Complex Movements film title, 2017

Complex Movements' Beware of the Dandelions (Detroit) was presented in collaboration with Allied Media Projects and Talking Dolls with support from:

National Endowment for the Arts. New England Foundation for the Arts' National Theater Project, with lead funding from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. Peck Family Foundation. Creative Capital. Robert Rauschenberg Foundation. MAP Fund. Creative Many. The Kresge Foundation. The Center for Community-Based Enterprise (C2BE). David Blair Memorial Fund.

Video by The Right Brothers

Complex Movements: Beware of The Dandelions performance, 2017

Today, Emergence Media is supporting efforts to create a legal framework for grassroots film work called the Reimagine Framework. Emergence is collaborating with directors, lawyers, and other stakeholders to develop “a document or process that is easy for people to plug in at the beginning, instead of facing issues at the end of a project.” Taylor explains, “Often, there are a lot of problems that prevent projects from moving forward. This would enable them to grow legally and not deal with the boring — but necessary — side of art making.” Emergence Media wants to support those projects and make sure that they happen. “We support internal projects and external projects that need support and logistical resources, like being a fiduciary partner and able to hold or accept grant money for artists.”

Embracing Technology

As evident in his work with Emergence Media and Complex Movements, Taylor does not shy away from experimenting with emerging technology that challenges existing approaches to art and design. “I work with a lot of theoretical and contemporary approaches to art making and design making,” he says. “Sometimes, these ideas might be kind of new and not really well established — they might be emerging ideas as opposed to tried and true, well-established ideas.”

One example he shares is his efforts to incorporate Artificial Intelligence applications into the classroom, specifically for writing proposals for speculative designs. ChatGPT, for example, can be “an aid a way to think through design or anticipate design practices from these new technologies,” he says. “Things move so fast, and there’s so much hype around certain things and not a lot of information, so I think it’s important to incorporate these things, leverage them in a critical way, and for the students to see if these are worthwhile tools to incorporate in their practices.”

The exercise became a learning experience of the vulnerabilities of technology reliance. “They were working with AI in critical ways. Some students realized that there were holes in the ChatGPT, like that it was generating references that didn’t exist. They learned that they had to use caution when using these tools, and were somewhat suspicious as they were using them. These were great, real-time discoveries for the students to have.”

Building Design Justice

Design Justice Network: 10 Principles publication and workshop, 2023

Within Complex Movements, Taylor continues to explore the role of design in supporting social change. His work with the Design Justice Network amplifies its process of using a set of principles that bring about more just and equitable design processes. This is especially important among the most marginalized individuals and communities that have been excluded from design processes and most adversely impacted by design decisions.

“The design justice network is a global community of design practitioners, and the designers can be expansive — from graphic design to product design, to service design and systems design, to architecture and city planning, or even creative coding and computational coding and UI/UX design. Those practitioners are all represented within the network, and they have all signed onto this set of 10 principles,” Taylor says.  

Bringing Design Justice to the Classroom

Taylor has worked to bring the idea and principles of design justice into the classroom, and he hopes to do more. He acknowledges some limitations to the fullest integration of a design justice curriculum at the undergraduate level, Taylor focuses on the opportunities.

“Where undergrads are concerned, the principles are not immediately aligned with their hopes of getting a job or employment, but they are not counter to it either,” he says. “In the network, we have people … figuring out how to engage with their employment, coworkers, projects, or clients in ways that they might feel [are] at odds with those parties, but then [developing an opening for] a counter-conversation with those parties. Students may not necessarily have experienced some of these things yet.”

Taylor recognizes that a design justice approach requires a greater complexity that may not align with the fast pace of a design classroom. “We want people to take into account more tolerances, more axes. It is not a single axis approach, but a multi-axis approach,” he says. “We want designers to slow down. In school, there’s an acceleration to get stuff done really fast. By the time you account for many of the aspects that design justice asks you to consider, it becomes very difficult to fully engage with design justice in a classroom.”

While design justice in the classroom may be a longer-term goal, Taylor is currently focused on bringing the city into the classroom in meaningful ways. He wants to show WSU students how Detroit can help make theoretical ideas more tangible — by utilizing specific resources that the city has to offer and discussing their work within the broader context of the city.

“I like to incorporate real-world material and experiences,” he explains. “If we’re working on projects with archives or collections, then I fully encourage my students to go visit them in person. They can then see, even locally, how a design concept or something conceptual gets used in the real world, and how those things are very much immediately available to them. When we’re talking about a concept, they can see how it is alive in the City of Detroit.”

Ultimately, Taylor sees his return to Detroit and WSU an opportunity to strengthen the connections between his work and his network. “At Wayne State, [I can] bring a lot of my worlds together, and I am really excited about that. Having multiple worlds means I have multiple approaches, and I’m dealing with multiple mediums and different groups of people. Being able to combine those things at opportune times increases tenfold through Wayne State …. The work that I’m doing exists on different planes, and I’m still exploring the best way to translate to the classroom experience. As some of these things begin to mature, I am finding ways to incorporate them into the classroom more efficiently and effectively. I am excited about being a part of the growth of people’s practices.”

PRINTWORK, 2016

WES TAYLOR, DETROIT MI, 2025

PRINTWORK, 2017

TAYLOR AT HIS TALKING DOLLS PRINT SHOP, DETROIT MI, 2024

PRINTWORK, 2011

TALKING DOLLS CO-DIRECTORS with Taylor, Ron Watters and Andrea Cardinal, DETROIT MI, 2023

TAYLOR’S THEATRE BUILDING, DETROIT MI, 2024

TALKING DOLLS DETROIT EXCHANGE AT ANIMAL FARM PRINTSHOP IN ZIMBABWE, 2024

TAYLOR’S PRINTWORK, DETROIT MI, 2024

Complex Movements: Beware of the Dandelions merch, 2017

Complex Movements: Beware of the Dandelions, one of Taylor’s collaborators, Waajeed, on his sound design, 2017

Complex Movements: Invincible-ill Weaver, L05, Sage Crump, Waajeed, Wesley Taylor installation, 2017

Complex Movements: Beware of The Dandelions, 400-square-foot polyhedron pod structure, 2017

Complex Movements: Beware of The Dandelions, ant iconography, 2017

Complex Movements: Beware of The Dandelions, starling flock iconography, 2017

Complex Movements: Beware of The Dandelions, dandelion iconography, 2017

Complex Movements: Beware of The Dandelions, iconocity installation, 2017

Complex Movements: Beware of The Dandelions, modalities of movement making and art exhibition, 2017

Complex Movements: Beware of The Dandelions, multi-planar screen space, 2017

Complex Movements: Beware of The Dandelions, this entire project is in dedication to Charity Hicks, to Sheddy Rollins Sanchez, to Grace Lee Boggs, 2017

Complex Movements: Beware of The Dandelions, when we are first invited to a city, we ask how can Complex Movements support local movement building here? We work with cohorts to co-curate a series of activities, 2017

Complex Movements: Beware of The Dandelions, dialectic narratives, 2017

Complex Movements: Beware of The Dandelions, in Dallas, black and indigenous organizers from the groups Mothers Against Police Brutality and American Indian Heritage Day in Texas committee met through our cohort and are now working in regular collaboration with each other, 2017

Complex Movements: Beware of The Dandelions, in Seattle, organizers from the group Ending the Prison Industrial Complex of EPIC and another group, Got Green, which is a people of color led environmental and economic justice organization, 2017

Complex Movements: Beware of The Dandelions, in New Mexico, we will also be working with community organizations such as Taywa Women United, 2017

Complex Movements: Beware of The Dandelions, with the lessons learned from this as our guide we are embarking on future work by hosting a series of creative community residencies, a text called Tower and Dungeon by Detroit elder, activist and author Dr. Gloria House, exploring spatial politics of Detroit through architecture by examining two structures: one as a Renaissance Center, the other in Jackson State Prison, 2017

Complex Movements: Beware of The Dandelions, we were fascinated by the way Grace Lee Boggs and Meg Wheatley were framing social justice movements as emerging complex systems, 2017

Intellectual Squatters: Sterling Toles, Wesley Taylor, Linda Zeb Hang, 2024

Intellectual Squatters: Sterling Toles, Wesley Taylor, Linda Zeb Hang, 2024

Intellectual Squatters: Sterling Toles, Wesley Taylor, Linda Zeb Hang, 2024

PRINTWORK, 2016

WESLEY TAYLOR
1978 Eynsham UK
Lives and works in Detroit MI

EDUCATION

2009–2011, Cranbrook Academy of Arts, Bloomfield Hills, MI Master in 2D Design
1996–2004, University of MI, Ann Arbor, MI
Bachelor of Fine Arts, General Arts Degree

ACADEMIC APPOINTMENTS

Wayne State University (2023-present) Detroit, MI
Associate Professor

Virginia Commonwealth University (2017-2023) Department of Graphic DesignAssociate Professor

BOARD APPOINTMENTS/LEADERSHIP

PROCESSING FOUNDATION
President
TALKING DOLLS
Co-Director, Co-Founder
DESIGN JUSTICE NETWORK
Steering Committee Member, Co-Founder

AWARDS, FELLOWSHIPS, GRANTS, & OTHER HONORS

2024
Flourish and Fund Grant
Culture Source, Detroit, MI
Artist In Residence
New Lab, Detroit MI
Fellow, OPI (Of Public Interest) Lab
Royal Institute of Art (Kungl. Konsthögskolan), Stockholm, Sweden
Print Media Department, Printer in Residence
Cranbrook Academy of Art, Print Media Department, Bloomfield Hills, MI

2023
Fellow, OPI (Of Public Interest) Lab
Royal Institute of Art (Kungl. Konsthögskolan), Stockholm, Sweden
Print Media Department, Printer in Residence
Cranbrook Academy of Art, Print Media Department, Bloomfield Hills, MI
Guest Designer
Cranbrook Academy of Art, 2D Department, Bloomfield Hills, MI

2022
National Philanthropic Trust (NPT)
OneProject, Boston, MA
Collective Awarded: Design Justice Network
Pioneering Ideas Grant
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Washington DC
Collective Awarded: Design Justice Network
Knight Arts + Tech Fellowship
United States Artists, Chicago, Il
Collective Awarded: Complex Movements
Artist of Practice Fellowship
Sundance Interdisciplinary Program, Los Angeles CA, Park City UT, New York NY

2021
Artist of Practice Fellowship
Sundance Interdisciplinary Program, Los Angeles CA, Park City UT, New York NY

2019
National Theater Project (NTP) Transition Grant
New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA), Boston MA
Collective Awarded: Complex Movements
Haas Fellowship Award
University of California Berkeley, Berkeley CA
Collective Awarded: Complex Movements
Thoreau Foundation
College of the Atlantic- Bar Harbor, ME
Collective Awarded: Complex Movements
USA Fellowship United States Artists
USA Fellowship, Chicago Il
Collective Awarded: Complex Movements

2017
Nina Tesla Ballen Visiting Professorship
New Mexico Highlands University, Las Vegas, NM
Collective Awarded: Complex Movements
VCUarts Diversity Grant
Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond, VA
VCUarts Dean’s Faculty Exploratory Grant
Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond, VA
KADIST Artist Circle Award
KADIST Foundation Paris, France/San Francisco, CA
Collective Awarded: Complex Movements

2016
SEED Grant
The Robert Rauschenberg Foundation
Collective Awarded: Complex Movements

2015
Critical Practice Fellow
Lawrence Technological University, School of Architecture, Southfield, MI
Knight Arts Challenge Detroit
The Knight Foundation Miami, FL
Collective Awarded: Complex Movements
Meadows Prize Fellow
Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX

2014
Critical Practice Fellow
Lawrence Technological University, School of Architecture, Southfield, MI

2013
Knight Arts Challenge Detroit
The Knight Foundation Miami, FL
Collective Awarded: Complex Movements
National Theater Project Creation and Touring Fund
New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA), Boston, MA
Collective Awarded: Complex Movements
Works of Art Grant
National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), Washington, DC
Collective Awarded: Complex Movements
Creative Capital (Performing Arts)
Creative Capital, New York, NY
Collective Awarded: Complex Movements

EXHIBITIONS/PERFORMANCES

2025
Code Switch
MOCAD, Detroit, MI
A Suite for Malcolm
Talking Dolls, Detroit, MI

2024
MdW Sumit Exhibition
Charlotte Street, Kansas City, MO
Tiny Park Festival
OPI Lab, Stockholm Sweden
Sound Bridge
Sunshine Shrine, Gothenburg, Sweden

2022
Ann Arbor Summer Festival
Ann Arbor, MI
Dream Mega with WSG Johnson, All Faux Everythings, and Shawn Greenlee
Machines with Magnets, Pawtucket, RI

2021
Web Model Dot Space, Curated by Pamela Meadows
Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art, Boulder, CO
Brood, Curated by M. Pofahl
MOCAD, Detroit, MI
Story, Word, Sway, Sound, Curated by Jennifer Junkermeier-Khan, and Moteniola Ogundipe 
Stamps Gallery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI

2019
The 5th annual Sidewalk Festival, Curated by Ryan Johnson
Sidewalk Festival, Detroit, MI
Assemblage, Curated by Maori Carmel for the Blackstar Film Festival
Perlstein Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
I Throw My Body on This Hot Pile, Curated by Patrcik Harkin
Anderson Gallery, Richmond, VA
ICA Artist Choice
ICA, Richmond, VA

2018
Standing Still As If, Curated by Ouliana Ermolova
Museum of Contemporary Art and Design, Detroit, MI
Building Utopias, Curated by Lauren Kaulman
Elaine Jacobs Gallery, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI
Black Portals Project DJ Exchange
Chez Zandi- Harare, Zimbabwe
Black Portals Project Record Exchange
Post Post Studio, Johannesburg, South Africa
The Factory Studio Two Three Annual Auction
Studio Two Three, Richmond, VA

2017
Dlectricity. Detroit, MI
Manifest, Linden Row Gallery, Richmond, VA
Foot Work: The Choreography of Collaboration Curated by Public Design Trust
International Design Biennial Saint-Étienne, Saint-Étienne, France
Art+Science Project in collaboration with Bradley Foerster, MOCAD, Detroit, MI

2016
Beware of the Dandelions
Talking Dolls, Detroit, MI
Time+Space: Futures curated by, Ellie Kevorkian
BEMIS Center for contemporary Art, Omaha, NE

2015
Beware of the Dandelions
Tower Building, Fair Park, Dallas, TX
Techno Yurt
Marygrove College, Detroit, MI
Storefront TV curated by Carlos Carrasco
Storefront For Art And Architecture, NYC, NY
H30-The Drift
Carnegie Mellon Center for Urban Intervention Research: Veterans Bridge, Pittsburgh, PA
Beware of the Dandelions
On the Boards, Seattle, WA
Movement Memory Maps Installation
On the Boards, Seattle, WA

SPEAKING/PANELIST

2025
Panelist; Chris Schanck Panel Discussion
MOCAD, Detroit, MI

2024
Speaker; ICC Conference
UCLA, Los Angeles, CA
Panelist; MdW Convening 
Charlotte Street, Kansas City, MO
Guest Artist/Critic; Vermont Studio Center
Vermont Studio Center, Johnson, VT
Speaker; Design Justice AI Conference
University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
Panelist; The Potluck
Talking Dolls, Detroit, MI
Guest Artist; Community, Art and Placekeeping
University of Applied Sciences Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany

2023
Keynote Speaker; RETHINK! Festival
Spaces Porta Nuova, Milan, Italy
Speaker; Visiting Artist Program at the School of Art
California State University Long Beach, Long Beach, CA
Speaker; Paul Rand Lecture Series
Yale School of Art, Graphic Design, New Haven, CT
Cranbrook Academy of Art Lecture Series
Cranbrook Academy of Art, Bloomfield, MI

2022
Panelist; Alumni Panel 
Cranbrook Academy of Art, Bloomfield, MI
Keynote Speaker; MIT Design Justice Symposium 
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
Speaker; RISD Foundations Visiting Artist Talk 
Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, RI 
Guest Speaker; Models of Practice
Otis College of Art and Design, Los Angeles, LA

2021
Speaker; City of Design Challenge 
Design Core City of Design, Detroit, MI
Speaker; Web Model Dot Space 
Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art
Speaker; Creative Imperative Program 
Vermont Studio Center, Johnson, VT
Panelist; Design Justice Roundtable
Glendon College at York University, Toronto, ON 
Panelist; Virtual Stamps Alumni & Student Networking Panel
Penny Stamps School of Art and Design, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Panelist; Building New Futures at the Intersection of Design + Social Justice
MICA, Baltimore MD
Guest Speaker; Cranbrook 2D Department|
Cranbrook Academy of Arts, Bloomfield, MI
Guest Speaker; Pam Lawton’s course
MICA, Center for Art Education, Baltimore, MD
Panelist; Conversation with Artists from the Exhibition Story, Word, Sound, Sway
University of Michigan, Stamps School of Art & Design, Ann Arbor, MI
Guest Speaker; Spring 21 Graphic Design Guest Speaker Series
School of Art and Design at San Diego State University, San Diego, CA

2020
Panelist; 2020 AIA Arizona Virtual State Conference: Change
University of Arizona College of Architecture, Planning, & Landscape Architecture, Tucson, AZ 
Panelist; Adaptive Platforms for Artist Resilience, invited by Isaac Pool
Creative Capital, New York, NY 
Panelist; Sense-Making for Sharing Sensibilities: Art, Design and Social Change
Royal College of Art, School of Humanities, London, UK
Speaker; Creative Capital for Kresge Fellows and Gilda Awardees in Detroit 
Creative Capital, New York, NY
Speaker; Design Justice and Crisis Response, Guest Designer Presentation
Vermont College of Fine Arts VCFA
Facilitator; Space Jam organized by Janani Balasubramanian
Complex Movements, Virtual (National, Invitational)


2019

Guest Speaker: Esperanza Spalding's Art Lab course

Harvard University Department of Music, Boston, MA


Speaker; Livable Futures Presentation, invited by, Norah Zuniga-Shaw

The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH


Guest Speaker: Ian Gerson’s, Sci-fi and the Power of the Imaginary course

Wake Forest University, Wake Forest NC


Speaker; CultureLabs (Recipes for Social Innovation) invited by Elena Silvestrini

Internet Festival, Pisa Italy


Speaker; College of the Atlantic Presentation

College of the Atlantic, Bar Harbor, Maine


Speaker; Complex Systems Summer School 

Santa Fe Institute, Santa Fe, NM


Panelist: Digital + Performance Convening and foldA Festival 

HowlRound Theatre Commons and SpiderWebShow Performance 

Isabel Bader Performing Arts Centre, Kingston, Ontario, Canada


Speaker; United States Artists Artist Crawl 

Scarab Club, Detroit, MI


Speaker; Artist Choice Presentation 

ICA, Richmond, VA


2018

Speaker; Collective Wisdom Symposium 

Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA


Speaker; Complex Systems Summer School 

Santa Fe Institute, Santa Fe, NM


Speaker; Building Utopias Presentation 

Wayne State University, Detroit, MI


Speaker; sssppppaaaccceee 

Cranbrook Academy of Art, Bloomfield, MI


2017

Speaker; EYEO Festival 

Walker Museum, Minneapolis, MN


Speaker; INST-INT 

Jazz Market, New Orleans, LA


Panelist; Equité + Inclusion

Shiftspace / Café Détroit, Site Cité du design Saint-Étienne, France


2015

Speaker; Multidisciplinary Arts with Social Justice Focus Round Table

On the Boards, Seattle, WA


Panelist; Hand in Glove, Aesthetics, Relevancy, and Social Context 

Soap Factory, Minneapolis, MN


Speaker; Creative Capital Retreat Presentation

EMPAC, Troy, NY


2014

Speaker; Under the Radar

Public Theater, New York, NY


Panelist; Artist-Run Michigan

ArtPrize, Grand Rapids, MI


Speaker; Creative Capital Retreat

Williams College, Williamstown, MA


CSSSA Presentation

CalArts, Valencia, CA

RESIDENCIES/VISITING ARTIST/CONVENINGS


2024

New Lab Artist in Resident

New Lab, Detroit, MI


Visiting Artist

Vermont Studio Center


Cranbrook 2D Design Artist Residency

Cranbrook Academy of Art, Bloomfield, MI


2023

Cranbrook 2D Design Artist Residency

Cranbrook Academy of Art, Bloomfield, MI


2022

Sundance Labs Residency

Mass MoCA, Williams MA


2020

Athletic Mic League Retreat LA

Los Angeles, CA


Athletic Mic League Retreat, Richmond

My House, Richmond, VA


Design Justice Network Steering Committee Retreat

Virtual


2019

Haas Institute Residency

University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA


College of the Atlantic Residency

College of the Atlantic, Bar Harbor, ME


2019

Design Justice Steering Committee Retreat

Vermont Studio Center, Burlington, VT


Livable Futures Residency

The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH


Design Justice Network Mediterranean Retreat

Pisa, Italy


Complexity Systems Summer School Artist In Residence 

Santa Fe Institute, Santa Fe, NM

USA Assembly Chicago

United States Artists, Chicago, IL


Design Justice Steering Committee Retreat

Glendon College, York University,Toronto, ON


2018

Black Portals Travel Residency facilitated by Black Chalk & Co.

Johannesburg, Harare, Addis Ababa


Complexity Systems Summer School Artist In Residence

Santa Fe Institute, Santa Fe, NM


2017

August Wilson Center + VIA, Visiting Artist Residency

August Wilson Center, Pittsburgh, PA


Ballen Artist Teaching Residency

New Mexico Highlands University, Las Vegas, NM


New Museum IdeasCity Arles Residency with support from the LUMA Foundation

Luma Arles, Arles, France


2016

New Museum IdeasCity Detroit Residency (Mentor)

Herman Kiefer Complex, Detroit, MI


Tribeca Film Institute Co/Lab

Civilla, Detroit,MI


2015

Meadows Fellowship Visiting Artist

Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX


Creative Capital Retreat

EMPAC, Troy, NY


Artist Residency

On The Boards, Seattle, WA


2014

Facing Race Conference Artist Residency

Dallas, TX


California State Summer School for the Arts

CalArts, Valencia, CA

MAP Fund Artist Info Exchange

Creative Capital Headquarters, New York, NY


Kennedy Center Artist Residency

Anacostia Art Center, Washington DC


2013

Creative Capital Retreat

Williams College, Williamstown, MA

WORKSHOPS/COMMUNITY EVENTS/COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENTS

2023

Design Justice Workshop

Harvard School of Design, Cambridge, MA


2022

Gathering Workshop

Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, RI


2021

Willow Tree DEI Design Justice Workshop

Virginia Commonwealth University Brandcenter BCX, Richmond, VA 


Design Justice in Philanthropy

MacArthur Foundation, Chicago, IL


2019

Mycelium and Movements

College of the Atlantic, Bar Harbor, ME 


Metaphors and Complex Science

Complexity Science Summer School, Santa Fe Institute, Santa Fe, NM


Philly/Detroit Conversation, Kites on Kites: Shadow to Sky

URBN Center, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA


Juneteenth Collective Projection Workshop

Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, Detroit, MI


Smart Cities Workshop

Trinity Square Video, Toronto, ON


2018

Metaphors and Complex Science

Complexity Science Summer School, Santa Fe Institute, Santa Fe, NM


Design Justice and Monument Ave Workshop

The Depot, Richmond, VA


2017

Movement Memory Seed Saving Circle

Tewa Women United, NM


Design Justice Network Planning Session

Allied Media Conference, Detroit, MI


2016

#Sheddyforever Mural

Talking Dolls, Detroit, MI


Detroit Narrative Agency Public Forum

First Unitarian,Universalist Church of Detroit


Get Ready Stay Ready Skillshare

Red Door Gallery, Detroit, MI


Community Button Making Workshop

Sidewalk Festival, Detroit, MI


Design Justice Network Network Gathering

Allied Media Conference, Detroit, MI


2015

Resisting Displacement/Building Community

Oak Cliff Cultural Center, Dallas, TX


Movement Memory Maps Seed Saving Circle

St. Phillips, Dallas, TX


Movement Memory Seed Saving Circle

Hiawatha Loft, Seattle, WA


Seatroit Solidarity: Exchanging Strategies Between Seattle and Detroit at the Intersections of State Violence and Ecological Justice

Got Green, Seattle, WA


Connecting Social Movements, Creative Expression and Science

Venue, Seattle, WA


Generating Shared Principles for Design Justice

Allied Media Conference, Detroit, MI


Cooperative/3D/Immersive/Interactive Storytelling

Allied Media Conference, Detroit, MI


Rendering the Future: What Place is this Time? (Re)building the Past/Future Home

Allied Media Conference, Detroit, MI


Complex Movements Creative Collaboration Skillshare

South Dallas Cultural Center, Dallas, TX


2014

The What, Why and How

Anacostia Art Center, Washington DC


Interconnectedness

Honfleur Gallery, Washington, DC


Seeds of resistance and Resilience Lessons from the Dandelion

Anacostia Art Center, Washington DC


California State Summer School for the Arts Immersive Interactive Installation Workshop

CalArts, Valencia, CA


MAP Fund Artist Info Exchange

Creative Capital Headquarters, New York, NY

CURATORIAL

2022

Inlight 2021, co-curated with Tiffany Barber

Bryan Park, Richmond, VA


Full Circle, Ruben Telushkin solo exhibition

Talking Dolls, Detroit, MI


2021

Inlight 2021, co-curated with Park Meyers and Tiffany Barber

Shiplock Park, Richmond, VA


Talking Dolls Incubator Residency Retrospective Show

Talking Dolls, Detroit, MI


2020

Safety and Accountability, Inlight 2020, co-curated with Park Myers

Various locations, Richmond, VA


2019

Inlight 2019, co-curated with Park Myers and Emily Smith

Chimborazo Park, Richmond VA


2017

Surface Expression, solo exhibition Maria Simon

Big Models LA, Los Angeles, CA


Hypostyle Toile, exhibition Design w/Co

Big Models LA, Los Angeles, California


WAY TOO BEYOND BIG SATS’ TOP 30 solo exhibition Satoru Nihei

Big Models LA, Los Angeles, California


Journey With Water: New Mexico Highlands University Student Exhibition

Espanola YMCA Teen Center, Espanola, NM


Guest Curator; BFA Graduation Show

Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO


Design Justice Exhibition

Allied Media Conference, Detroit, MI

CONSULTATION

2021

Vance Wellenstein, MoMA PS1

Institutional Rebranding 


Kresge Foundation Mentorship

Bree Gant, Theodore Dorsette III


2017

Rachel Bers, Andy Warhol Foundation

Equitable granting practices


2016

Vere Van Gool, New Museum

IdeasCity Community engagement

INTERVIEWS/PODCASTS

2022 

Season 7 Episode 4

DevDiscuss


2019

3. You gon be my new best friend: Chaz Antione & Wes Taylor

Black Matter


008. A Conversation with Wesley Taylor

Shockoe Artspeak

MEDIA PLATFORMS

2021

Mic League TV


Design Justice Network YouTube Channel

MUSIC RELEASES

2022

Athletic Mic League, Playground Legends Vol 2


2020

Athletic Mic League, Playground Legends (digital)


Athletic Mic LeagueHold My Hand (7” single white label) b/w Winners Win


2016

Complex Movements, Beware of the Dandelions Soundtrack

BIBLIOGRAPHY


PUBLISHING PRACTICE

2022

Taylor, Wesley, Talking Dolls, et al.  “A Letter From Detroit” MDWfair, June 2022, https://www.mdwfair.com/atlas/talkingdolls


2021

Dr. E Gaynel Sherrod, Dance Griots:Reading the Invisible Script

By E Gaynel Sherrod

Edwin Mellen Press, NY, New York

September 2021


Barnett, Victoria, Taylor, Wesley, et al. “Design Justice: Local Nodes.” Design Justice Network Zine, July 2020, pp. 6–29.

static1.squarespace.com/static/5d5d34e927fded000105ccc4/t/5f18ead87884c24ae12e58f0/1595468506794/DJN-LocalNodesZine_Booklet.pdf


Taylor, Wesley, et al. “A Complex and Beautiful Year in Review.” Design Justice Network: 2020 Membership Report, 2020, pp. 3–16.

static1.squarespace.com/static/5d5d34e927fded000105ccc4/t/6079b0e44727544100c10a6e/1618587877607/2020+Membership+Report+Web+%28without+Financials%29.pdf

 

2017

DWCo, et al. “Hypostyle Toile.” Limited RISOprint, Big Models LA, 2017, www.bigmodels.la/zines. 2016


Taylor, Wesley, and Aaron Jones. “Surface Expression.” Maria Simon “Surface Expression” Captioned by Perry Kulper “Some Things ‘I LIKE’, a Double Dozen,” 2016, www.bigmodels.la/zines.


Taylor, Wesley, Taylor Stewart, et al. “Issue #3: Design Justice for Action.” Design Justice Network Zine, Allied Media Projects, 2016, static1.squarespace.com/static/56a3ad187086d771d66d920d/t/597b2d20cf81e057708841eb/1501244715717/DJ_2017_Issue3_SM.pdf.


2015         

Taylor, Wesley, Lee, Una , et al. “Issue #2: An Exhibit of Emerging Practices.” Design Justice Network Zine, Allied Media Projects, 2015, static1.squarespace.com/static/56a3ad187086d771d66d920d/t/5840b272f7e0abc08500560/1518579771327/DESIGN+JUSTICE+ZINE_ISSUE2.pdf.


2014

Taylor, Wesley, Carlos Garcia, et al. “Principles for Design Justice.” Design Justice Zine, 2016, static1.squarespace.com/static/56a3ad187086d771d66d920d/t/574f1c96cf80a12ba2bb5818/1464805120051/DESIGN+JUSTICE+ZINE_ISSUE1.pdf.

ARTICLES & REVIEWS

2023

Ackerman, Rebecca, Design thinking was supposed to fix the world. Where did we go wrong? MIT Technology Review, Feb. 2023 https://www.technologyreview.com/2023/02/09/1067821/design-thinking-retrospective-what-went-wrong/


2022

Kelly, Robin DG, Back to the Future: Complex Movements Make Revolution, Feb. 2022 https://www.shiftspace.pub/back-to-the-future-complex-movements-make-revolution

 

2021

Letts, K.A. Review of "STORY WORD SOUND SWAY" EXHIBIT AT STAMPS GALLERY, Review of Story Word Sound Sway Pulp, , pulp.aadl.org/node/576125


2020

Porter, Christopher “Athletic Mic League Returns after a 15-Year Hiatus to Confirm Its Status as Ann Arbor’s ‘Playground Legends’ | Ann Arbor District Library.” Ann Arbor District Library, 29 Sept. 2020, aadl.org/node/573795.


2019

Movements, Complex. “Narrative Sharing and Narrative Shifting with Digital Technology.” HowlRound Theatre Commons, 27 Jan. 2020, howlround.com/narrative-sharing-and-narrative-shifting-digital-technology.


Oliphint, Joel, and Complex Movements. “Livable Futures Meets Complex Movements.” Columbus Alive [Columbus, OH], 14 May 2021, eu.columbusalive.com.


Complex Movements. “Complex Movements, Installation & Performance Collective.” 2019 Anthology, A Slow Unfolding, edited by 2019 USA Fellows et al., Chicago, Lowitz & Sons, 2019, pp. 12–13, www.unitedstatesartists.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/USA_Anthology.layout.4.web_.pdf.


Arts & living, lifestyle (Author not listed), Performance collective to discuss work, Desert Islander September 23, 2019

https://www.mdislander.com/living/performance-collective-to-discuss-work


VCU ARTS (Author not listed), VCUarts Offers Interdisciplinary Course on Dance, Design, and Community Justice, Hyperallergic September 6, 2019,

https://hyperallergic.com/515004/vcuarts-faculty-members-wes-taylor-and-mk-abadoo-teach-course-dance-design-and-community-justice/


Emily Storz. Assemblage: An Exhibition on Collective Creativity Opens in   

Drexel’s Pearlstein Gallery, Drexel Now April 2, 2019, https://drexel.edu/now/archive/2019/April/Pearlstein-Gallery-Spring-Exhibition-Assemblage/   


Farrah Rahaman, On Assemblage, Assemblage Guide, Drexel University April 10, 2019


VCU ARTS (Author not listed), Wes Taylor and collective win $50,000    

Fellowship, VCUARTS February 4, 2019


VCU ARTS (Author not listed), Sharing Practices, VCUARTS September 

6th, 2019


2018

Art at Wayne (Author not listed), On display: Building Utopia / THIS MUST NOT BE THE PLACE YOU THOUGHT IT WOULD BE, Art & Art History November 9th, 2018, http://art.wayne.edu/news/on-display-building-utopia-this-must-not-be-the-place-you-thought-it-would-be-33353


Jennifer Hamra, MOCAD Presents: Standing Still, Lying Down, As If, Good Life Detroit October 1, 2018, https://mocadetroit.org/rl_gallery/standing-still-lying-down-as-if/

Metro Times Staff, Detroit 2018 fall arts guide, Metro Times September 19, 2018, https://www.metrotimes.com/detroit/detroit-2018-fall-arts-guide/Content?oid=15711942


2017

Western Bonime, The Next Art + Tech Movement is Happening at the Eyeo Festival, Forbes July 17, 2017

https://www.forbes.com/sites/westernbonime/2017/07/12/the-next-art-movement-is-happening-at-the-eyeo-festival/?sh=725d270f5b69

Today at Wayne, DLECTRICITY outdoor festival of art and light returns to WSU, Midtown, Today @ Wayne September 14, 2017, https://today.wayne.edu//news/2017/09/14/dlectricity-outdoor-festival-of-art-and-light-returns-to-wsu-midtown-6570

Dlectricity, Underground Creative Spaces Highlighted by Aaron Jones + Wes Taylor, Dlectricity August 22, 2017, https://dlectricity.com/underground-creative-spaces-highlighted-aaron-jones-wes-taylor/

Rosie Sharp, DETROIT DEMONSTRATES THE POWER OF DEMOCRATIC DESIGN ON AN INTERNATIONAL STAGE, Knight Foundation March 23, 2017, https://knightfoundation.org/articles/detroit-demonstrates-the-power-of-democratic-design-on-an-international-stage/


Vanessa Quirk, Could Detroit Show Us the Way to a New Future of Work?, Metropolis March 9, 2017, https://www.metropolismag.com/ideas/detroit-show-us-way-new-future-work/


VCU Arts Research Institute, VCUarts 2017-18 Faculty Research and Exploratory Grant Recipients, VCUARTS November 13, 2017, https://go.arts.vcu.edu/ari/news/vcuarts-2017-18-faculty-research-and-exploratory-grant-recipients/

VCU ARTS (Author not listed), 2017-18 Independent and Departmental Inclusion Grant Winners, VCUARTS 2017-2018

https://arts.vcu.edu/community/news/vcuarts-2017-18-faculty-research-and-exploratory-grant-recipients/

Taylor Renee Aldridge, Building Better Futures: Complex Movements Brings ‘Beware of the Dandelions’ to Detroit, ARTnews January 10, 2017,

https://www.artnews.com/art-news/artists/building-better-futures-complex-movements-brings-beware-of-the-dandelions-to-detroit-7579/

Zach Frydenlund, Waajeed Speaks on Complex Movements' 'Beware of the Dandelions' Art Installation, Complex January 04, 2017, https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/waajeed-speaks-complex-movements-beware-160238454.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAEqPLJoJbAg0ueEnIQVT-dH5r3GGwGDw1mnonwSJlhemQqlZZSGwduW5M_NsprXEguMTdTe90W6gloyAg2I_vV7uOr3nA333_QkPDZ_hkTL9VH4vor5odHlbOHGDVztIJfK_bSiWsDav7GEcyX-1nLTEbxQF9_Ie0BACDP9jm-ng

2016         

Rosie Sharp, 'BEWARE OF THE DANDELIONS' STOPS IN DETROIT FOR   

A RUN OF HOMETOWN SHOWS AND COMMUNITY STORYTELLING, Knight Arts Foundation October 28, 2016, 

https://knightfoundation.org/articles/complex-movements-beware-of-the-dandelions/

Allied Media Projects, Complex Movements’ “Beware of the Dandelions” Opens in Detroit, October 6-31, Allied Media September 8, 2016 


Sarah Rose Sharp, Seeds of Resistance: Complex Movements in Detroit, Arts in America, November 7, 2016 

https://www.artnews.com/art-in-america/features/seeds-of-resistance-complex-movements-in-detroit-60022/


Laurent Fintoni, Complex Movements Is The Detroit Collective Using Sci-Fi Storyteling To Empower It’s Community, Fader, November 2, 2016, http://www.thefader.com/2016/11/02/complex-movements-detroit-interview?fbclid=IwAR0h9SeSpVZKO0AD8XloS4ctyVpo4-_yUMGzWRCZ6urAl22VaneRXs3q7ys


Michele Meek, 10 Filmmakers to Watch: Complex Movements, The Independent, March 22, 2016

https://independent-magazine.org/2016/03/22/10-filmmakers-to-watch-complex-movements/


Complex Movements. “Complex Movements Honor Decentralized Networks and Resilience.” Creative Capital, 6 Oct. 2016, creative-capital.org/2016/10/06/complex-movements-premiere-complex-project.


2015

Zach Frydenlund, Complex Movements Is a Detroit Artist Collective That You Need to Know, Complex, November 16, 2015

https://www.complex.com/music/2015/11/complex-movements-is-a-detroit-art-collective-you-need-to-know?utm_campaign=musicfb&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&sr_share=facebook&fbclid=IwAR1zUsh4CrJNgFwVRIGjk3Wyo_eh17YEYbZ6NDO5Lc8_WJ0aI8Eh0IDT21Q


Erin from On the Boards, PEOPLE OF COMPLEX MOVEMENTS: WESLEY TAYLOR, On the Boards Journal Apr 10, 2015 

SMU Meadows School of the Arts, Start a Movement: Meadows Prize, SMU Meadows School of the Arts 2015, https://www.smu.edu/Meadows/TheMovement/MeadowsPrize

Jerome Weeks, Traveling To The 25th Century – At Fair Park, Art + Seek November 26th, 2015, https://artandseek.org/2015/11/26/traveling-to-the-25th-century-at-fair-park/

Jeff Chang, Complex Movements’ Beware of the Dandelions, Howlround November 19. 2015, https://howlround.com/complex-movements-beware-dandelions

Paula Newton, Detroit Collective Brings Post-Apocalyptic, Sci-Fi, Interactive, Social Justice, Music and Light Show to Dallas. Inside a Pod., Glasstire November 18, 2015


Jenna Crowder, What is our Common Field? notes from Hand in Glove 2015, The Chart October 2015, https://thechart.me/what-is-our-common-field-notes-from-hand-in-glove-2015/


SMU Blog, Artist collective Complex Movements, Public Theater’s Lear deBessonet win 2015 Meadows Prize, Southern Methodist University  February 11, 2015, https://www.smu.edu/News/2015/meadows-prize-03jan-2015

Janice L. Franklin, The Memory of Dandelions, Theater Jones November 22, 2015

2014

Jamilah King, Facing Race Spotlight: Detroit Artist Collective Complex Movements, Colorlines November 12, 2014, https://www.colorlines.com/articles/facing-race-spotlight-detroit-artist-collective-complex-movements

2013

Creative Capital, Meet Our 2013 Grantees in Emerging Fields, Literature and Performing Arts!, Creative Capital January 10,  2013, https://creative-capital.org/2013/01/10/meet-our-2013-grantees-in-emerging-fields-literature-and-performing-arts/


Steve Dollar, Where Good Ideas Go to Live: Getting Creative with a Local Venture-Capital Fund for the Avant Garde, The Wall Street Journal, January 11, 2013, https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424127887323442804578234031871723490


2012

NET/TEN Shareback: Invincible- How Do We Make Work That’s Healing Rather Than Retraumatizing

https://www.ensembletheaters.net/news/Invincible_Fall2012?fbclid=IwAR2Vjdgoyb9Q8Pxg8azB5kt0l9N1NWAtjdcFpPRL1MzJyFiVGdVBtBe3blg

COMMISSIONS

2025

Detroit Pistons Basketball Association, Detroit Red Clothing Capsule

Detroit Pistons Organization, Detroit, MI


2021

Chris Schanck, Off World clothing line 2022 exhibition

Museum of Art and Design, New York, NY


Allied Media Projects, Love Building Elevator Shaft Design and Signage


Sector 7-G Recordings, Manger on McNichols merch


Dr. E Gaynel Sherrod, Dance Griots:Reading the Invisible Script, chapter images


2020

Patrisse Cullors, A Prayer for the Runner, typesetting


Sterling Toles, Manger on McNichols, LP album art


Carrie Morris Art Productions (CMAP), McPherson Fence Project design


2019

Carrie Morris Art Productions (CMAP), McPherson Fence Project


2018

Carrie Morris Art Productions (CMAP), McPherson Fence Project


Chris Schanck, Unhomley, show signage


Sidewalk Festival, Shoe Store Facade Redesign


2016

Sterling Toles, Resurget Cineribus, LP album art


Sterling Toles, Archival Arteries of Sterling Toles, LP album art


Sector 7 logo design

ADMINISTRATIVE/INFRASTRUCTURE SUPPORT

2021

School/Residency, Exodus: School of Expression

Airport Studio, Richmond, VA


Residency, Summer Incubator Residency 2021

Talking Dolls, Detroit, MI


Residency, Winter/Spring Incubator Residency 2021

Talking Dolls, Detroit, MI


Exhibition, Cloister by Rachel Deboard

Talking Dolls, Detroit, MI


Speaker Series, DJN Members Spotlight Pierce Gordon


Exhibition, Emerge by Ciaran McQuiston


Design Justice Network Care Session w Carolyn Jones


Design Justice Network Node Meetings

Los Angeles, Scotland, London, Dallas, Chicago, Philadelphia, New York, Seattle, Boston, Vancouver, Toronto, Bay Area, Singapore, Mediterranea 


Design Justice Network Reading Groups

Los Angeles, Scotland, London, Dallas, Chicago, Philadelphia, New York, Seattle, Boston, Vancouver, Toronto, Bay Area, Singapore, Mediterranea 


Speaker Series, DJN Members Spotlight Sarah Fathallah

Virtual


Speaker Series, DJN Members Spotlight Lesley-Ann Noel 

Virtual


Exhibition, An Udder Disaster: A Selection of Work by Violet Luczak

Talking Dolls, Detroit, MI


2020

Performance/Exhibition, Scenes from The Weight of Air

CMAP Detroit

Talking Dolls, Detroit, MI


Presentation, Principles ot Work in Civic Tech: Book talk with Cyd Harrel

Virtual


Design Justice Network Node Meetings

Los Angeles, Scotland, London, Dallas, Chicago, Philadelphia, New York, Seattle, Boston, Vancouver, Toronto, Bay Area, Singapore, Mediterranea 


Speaker Series, DJN Members Spotlight Leila Sidi

Virtual


Exhibition, Amorpha work by Rebekah Sweda

Talking Dolls, Detroit, MI


Exhibition, Where you can find her, Scenes of home: Works by Laura D. Gibson

Talking Dolls, Detroit, MI


Conference, Design Justice Network: Network Gathering

Allied Media Conference, Virtual (Detroit, MI)


Residency, Summer Incubator Residency 2020

Talking Dolls, Detroit, MI


Presentation, Design Justice 101- Unpack and Interact with the 10 principles of Design Justice

Virtual


2019

Action/Gathering, The Great Sankofa, Juneteenth Celebration 

NO New Jails Coalition, Detroit, MI


Residency, Poetic Computation: Detroit

School for Poetic Computation

Talking Dolls, Detroit, MI


Design Justice Network Node Meetings

Los Angeles, Scotland, London, Dallas, Chicago, Philadelphia, New York, Seattle, Boston, Vancouver, Toronto, Bay Area, Singapore, Mediterranea 


Residency, Summer Incubator Residency 2019

Talking Dolls, Detroit, MI


Workshop, The People’s Paper Co-op: Collage Workshop 

Detroit Justice Center

Talking Dolls, Detroit, MI


2018

Residency, Summer Incubator Residency 2018

Talking Dolls, Detroit, MI


Conference Planning, Design Justice Network Track

Allied Media Conference, Detroit, MI


2017

Performance/Exhibition, Beware of the Dandelions

Talking Dolls, Detroit, MI


Conference Planning, Design Justice Network Track

Allied Media Conference, Detroit, MI


Residency, Summer Incubator Residency 2017

Talking Dolls, Detroit, MI


Workshop, Creative Many Resonant Detroit Workshop Part 2

Talking Dolls, Detroit, MI


2016

Residency, Summer Incubator Residency 2016

Talking Dolls, Detroit, MI


Convening, “Outside the XY” Detroit Book Release

The Baltimore Gallery, Detroit, MI


Educational Tour, Explore the Northeast Detroit Tour

Two Way Inn, Detroit, MI


Conference Planning, Design Justice Network Gathering 

Allied Media Conference, Detroit, MI


Conference Planning, Complex Movements Translocal  Network Gathering 

Allied Media Conference, Detroit, MI


Curatorial Support, Design Justice: An Exhibit of Emerging Design Practices

Allied Media Conference, Detroit, MI


2015

Event Planning and Support, Stolen Birthdays: In support of the Mothers Against Police Brutality

Sandaga 813, Dallas, TX


Summit, Cross Pollinating Youth Movements

Roots Young Adult Shelter, Seattle, WA


Residency, Summer Incubator Residency 2015

Talking Dolls, Detroit, MI


Conference Planning, Complex Movements Translocal  Network Gathering 

Allied Media Conference, Detroit, MI


Conference Planning, Future Design Lab

Allied Media Conference, Detroit, MI


Event Hosting, Perform Midwest: Incubating Interdisciplinary Research

Talking Dolls, Detroit, MI


2014

Residency, Summer Incubator Residency 2014

Talking Dolls, Detroit, MI


Conference Planning, Complex Movements Translocal  Network Gathering 

Allied Media Conference, Detroit, MI


2013

Residency, Summer Incubator Residency 2013

Talking Dolls, Detroit, MI


2012

Residency, Summer Incubator Residency 2012

Talking Dolls, Detroit, MI

COMMITTEES


2020 Committee Member, Foundation in Art: Theory and Education

2019 Nominator, USA Fellowship 


2018 Nominator, USA Fellowship 

USA Fellowship


2018 Guest Juror, Penny Stamps Undergraduate Show

University of Michigan


2017 Committee Member, MFA Advisory Board Committee 

New Mexico Highlands University


2017 Advisory Council 

Johnny Carson Center for Emerging Media Arts







 


All images, works and text copyright Wesley Taylor.