The “Penny Stamps Speaker Series” is a weekly series of art and design talks that are free, non-ticketed, and open to the public. It is presented by the University of Michigan Stamps School of Art and Design and has other sponsors. All events are at the Michigan Theater except the very last one, which is virtual. Each event will be from 5:30-7pm.
October 3
Liz Collins: “Feedback Loops”
Collins is known primarily for her experimental textile work in fabric, yarn and other materials. Her style has been characterized by the use of bold colors, patterns and symbols that are often analyzed according to feminist, queer or environmental energies. Collins’ exhibitions include the 60th International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia, Foreigners Everywhere, curated by Adriano Pedrosa, and Woven Histories: Textiles and Modern Abstraction, curated by Lynne Cooke, at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles.
October 10
Pablo Helguera, Jenna Bednar, Philippa Hughes & Lexa Walsh: “Radical Conversations”
Artists from different perspectives and mediums present a discussion on how to celebrate diverse perspectives and work together for meaningful change. U‑M Professor Jenna Bednar, artists Pablo Helguera, Philippa Hughes and Lexa Walsh will try to find common ground focused on the ideas of community, sustainability, dignity and more. Another focus of the collaborative discussion is to confront important topics in an honest and still caring manner. What does it mean for us all to be called Americans and also plan for a flourishing future together?
October 17
Elevator Repair Service: “Ulysses”
John Collins, the founder of the Elevator Repair Service (ERS) and Scott Shepherd a member of ERS will discuss the roots of ERS, its reach over the years, and the importance of literature to cultural development. ERS is a New York City based company that creates unique works with an existing ensemble. The event will be conducted by writer and professor Tom Sellar of Yale’s Theater department. ERS is performing James Joyce’s Ulysses at the Power Center on October 19 at 7:30pm and October 20 at 2pm.
October 24
Irma Boom: “Boom Books”
Irma Boom has been called the “Queen of Books.” Boom is a bookmaker based in Amsterdam. She has pushed the boundaries and conventions of book design with her cutting-edge and strong approaches. She has created over 500 books and, within them, pushes boundaries of usual physical form as well as their content. Her works are part of the permanent collection at New Work’s MoMa, the Art Institute of Chicago and the Centre Pompidou in Paris.
October 31
Emil Ferris: “If Your Favorite Thing is Monsters”
Emil Paris discusses her graphic novel “My Favorite Thing Is Monsters.” The novel intertwines a coming of age story with a who done it mystery as well as a historical recounting of the Holocaust. Ferris herself embodies remarkable strength and fortitude overcoming West Nile virus, leaving her paralyzed in part. Ferris’ work examines internal and external monsters and reveals truths about the human condition.
November 7
Guadalupe Maravilla: “Sound As Medicine”
Activism and healing are at the forefront of the artwork by Guadlupe Maravilla that intertwines traditional art forms like painting and sculpture with more modern techniques of performative acts and installation. Maravilla’s work is highly autobiographical as well, with strong references to his undocumented migration, unaccompanied, to the United States as a result of the Salvadoran Civil War. Maravilla’s work is in the permanent collections of the Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY; the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, NY; the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, NY; Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, Madrid, Spain, and many others.
November 14
Fernando Laposse: “Design for Rural Reality”
Laposse’s specialty is taking everyday and environmentally friendly materials and applying them to artistic expressions. Certain plant fibers he has utilized include sisal, loofah and corn leaves. He is also interested in using materials with significant historical and cultural ties. Some of the concepts that connect to his work include biodiversity, community, and the effects of global trade. Laposse’s projects have been displayed in the Triennale di Milano, the Cooper Hewitt Design Museum, the Design Museum in London, the Victoria and Albert Museum and the World Economic Forum, among others.
November 21
Nayland Blake: “Tear Down Our Walls”
Blake has worked as an educator, artist, and curator. His talk will focus on the instrumentality of the creative process in thinking about envisioning and constructing new pathways for us all individually and in our communities. Blake’s inspirations are reportedly from feminist theory, queer theory and various subcultures. Bake lives in New York and their work has shown in the 1991 Whitney Biennial, the 1993 Venice Biennale, and the landmark exhibition “Black Male: Representations of Masculinity in Contemporary American Art” at the Whitney Museum of American Art in 1994.
December 5
Ty Jeffries (virtual)
Ty Jeffreis is a composer, lyricist, musician and comedian. Ty Jeffries is the son of the now deceased British actor, director, and screenwriter Lionel Jeffries, whose major claim to fame is staring in “Camelot” and “Chetty Chetty Bang Bang.” Ty Jeffries is currently best known for the onstage persona of Miss Hope Spring. Spring is an ex-Vagas performer who sings cabaret songs and plays piano. Jeffires has toured throughout the United States, such as Miss Hope Spring in New York, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco and many other places. In 20222, Miss Hope Springs celebrated 10 years of residency at Crazy Coqs.
Donna Marie Iadipaolo is a writer, journalist, and State of Michigan certified teacher, since 1990. She has written for national publications like The Village Voice, Ear Magazine of New Music, Insurance & Technology, and TheStreet.
She is now writing locally for many publications, including Current Magazine, Ann Arbor Family, and the Ann Arbor Independent. Her undergraduate degree is from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, where she graduated with an honors bachelor’s degree and three teacher certificate majors: mathematics, social sciences, English. She also earned three graduate degrees in Master of Science, Master of Arts, and Education Specialist Degree.