Thick Solidarity

Thick Solidarity is a project in Related Tactics’s (Michele Carlson, Weston Teruya, and Nate Watson) ongoing Who Else But Americans series that explores the liberatory potential of relationships between communities of color as we navigate the extractive and violent systems of nation-building, power, and American exceptionalism.

Thick Solidarity was commissioned by the Lucas Artists Program at Montalvo Arts Center and took the form of an artist-in-residence in which we invited two cohorts of multidisciplinary artists to join together in building community, resting, and carving out space for each artist to conduct research. The ongoing work as a collective focused on racial justice and solidarity is an exploration of creating connections and dialogue between artists & cultural organizers of color who are also committed to exploring these issues in their work and life within their communities.

This project was inspired by the conceptual framework of “thick solidarity” that Roseann Liu and Savannah Shange describe as the process of deep community building and mobilization that comes from nurturing shared empathy without conflating racialized experiences between communities of color. This thematic framework is offered to allow space for conversation and reflection with the hope of planting seeds for the future.

Related Tactics created and installed a series of banners on the grounds of the residency during our time to serve as a framework for our conversations in conjunction with readings, facilitated share outs, and casual discussion over meals. The banners feature texts created by Related Tactics drawing on a variety of sources, including references to xenophobic policy statements by former California State Senator and founder of the Montalvo estate, James Phelan; a speech by Leland Stanford at the Transcontinental Railroad golden spike ceremony celebrating American exceptionalism; essays by Liu and Shange reflecting on thick solidarity and debt; and June Jordan’s poem, “Calling on All Silent Minorities.”

Artists joining Related Tactics for the residency were:

Session 1:
Erina Alejo
Holly Bass
Alexa Burrell
Sonia Guiñansaca
Nicole Marroquin
Qianjin Montoya
Terisa Siagatonu
Charisse Pearlina Weston

Session 2:
Gisela Insuaste
Mia Nakano
Raissa Simpson
Astria Suparak
Helen Shewolfe Tseng

Project history:
Thick Solidarity, Lucas Artists Program at Montalvo Arts Center (2022)

banners:
Related Tactics
42″ x 50″ each
inkjet print on silk organza
2022