Author: Ezra Dickinson

We Love This (2019)

(2019) Commissioned choreography. North Star Ballet, Fairbanks AK

 

In collaboration with long time friend Oscar Gutierrez, commissioned by North Star Ballet, Oscar and I created a twenty minute duet about friends seeing each other after a long absence.

 

Tech reh

 

Artville Residency (2019)

(2019) Leadville Colorado residency

 

The month of October, high in the mountains, served as a time for allowing space. My time was spent walking, seeing mountain tops, movement researching/choreographing, environment sketches, mural painting, all while living with dear friends.

 

 

I was able to create the movement framework used for the choreographic commission at North Star Ballet in Fairbanks Alaska following my residency. My environment sketches serve as a personal photograph for my eyes, a drawn memory of any location that captures my attention.

 

 

My friends like to walk. While at Artville I was invited to go for a three-day walk along a section of the Continental Divide Trail. I have for quite a long time fantasized about long distance walking. This served as a beautiful introduction to this revealing and healing path.

 

 

I visited the peaks of five mountain tops over 14,000 feet while at Artville. I have a long standing practice of planting a handstand at the top of high points. I aim to try and pretend that while in the handstand, I’m actually rightside up and holding up the mountain and world in my hands. As a student of my own body, I love the reality of walking up a steep mountain, the physical strength and stamina needed to listen to and work through rapid altitude shifts is humbling to say the least.

 

XEIGAA LATSEEN (2019)

(2019) poster collaboration

 

Created with my best friend Nahaan. This poster speaks to the sad reality that indigenous women continue to be murdered and go missing. Inadequately investigated, this heartbreaking reality pulls at the backbone of culture and strength in native families, communities, and ceremonies. The words XEIGAA LATSEEN in Tlingit  translate to “TRUE POWER”, true power and wealth come from strong women.

 

Ol’Burgdishy (2018)

(2018) Commissioned public art mural, Seattle Center Sculpture Walk, Seattle WA.

 

For this mural I received a public art grant from the Office of Arts and Culture and Seattle Center Art Interruptions. Initially I wanted to work with a rain activated clear coating that would break down over the course of four months to a year and is biodegradable in the Seattle center fountain. I could not get clearance for the location, which kicked off a lengthy back and forth regarding what location could be used. Ultimately, we settled on the steps of the Key Arena and I got to work on a draft. The final design took into consideration the shape of space and how color would cascade down and direct the eye of the observer while traveling over the massive work. I painted the whole mural using rollers over the course of two days with the help of Taylor and Natan.

 

 

Natural Movement (2018)

(2018) New Mystics public installation located in Seattle’s Pioneer Square’s Nord alley.

 

Eight individually designed disks replaced the worn and in some cases damaged disks that have weathered summer and winter in the northwest for the last four years. Disk reads “THE BALD MAN IS WATCHING YOU”. Adhesive vinyl and acrylic paint, dimension 25” circle.

 

BASIC HUMAN NEEDS (2018)

(2018) Visual art poster, Seattle WA

 

In an effort to voice what to some might be viewed as overly idealistic. One must press ahead and put actions, thoughts and intentions into public space that support what we all understand as goals that can not be forgotten, let alone actually brought into reality for the survival and betterment of all humanity.

 

Drinking with destructo (2018)

(2018) video

 

My second music video for the Seattle band the Corespondents. I have a long standing collaboration with band member Douglas Arney. Working together we came up with the concept for this video. Shot in one day in an abandoned bowling alley. This video plays with time as we progress through a chaotic environment of play and destruction.

 

 

Daniel Covarrubias (2018)

(2018) designed and hand painted poster

 

The family of Daniel gave their blessings for No Touching Ground and I to create this portrait. De Escalate Washington acted as an intermediary between us and the family as we worked to create this memorial. NTG painted the portrait and I the text. Daniel, the proud father of seven, had been dealing with mental health issues and drug use before being murdered by Tacoma police. Daniel was unarmed when police shot him. This is another example of police killing a person experiencing mental distress. Death could have been avoided if a properly experienced social health response team could have responded instead of unprepared police. No officers have been charged in the murder of Daniel.

 

Photo NTG

Charleena Lyles (2018)

(2018) designed and hand painted poster

 

With the blessings of the family, and working with De Escalate Washington, No Touching Ground and I painted this portrait of Charleena Lyles. NTG painted the portrait and I the text. Charleena was murdered by Seattle police officers during a call made by Charleena regarding a burglary in her home. Although Charleena had dealt with mental instability there is no excuse for this loss of life. Police responses with death and excessive force to routine calls happen far too often. Defund the police and divert those funds to humain social/community based services that are better equipped to respond to the needs of vulnerable communities.

 

Photo NTG

Jackie Sayers (2018)

(2018) designed and hand painted poster

 

This portrait of Jackie Sayers was painted for family and loved ones. Jackie was a member of the Puyallup Tribe. No Touching Ground painted the portrait and I the text, working through De Escalate Washington, were honored to be asked to create this memorial for the Puyallup Tribe. Jackie and her unborn child were shot and killed by Tacoma police officers during a response to a domestic abuse call. To this day no justice has been served to the family of Jackie Sayers, the officers involved are still on duty, and no one has been charged with murder.