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THEY LAID DOWN THEIR HAMMERS AND CRIED
02023 
Comissioned by the Museum of Contemporary Art of Chicago for the 2022-23 New Works Comission. Curated by Tara Aisha Willis.
“SHAWNÉ MICHAELAIN HOLLOWAY's latest project, THEY LAID DOWN THEIR HAMMERS AND CRIED is a black cyberqueer reimagining of the classic tale of american folk legend John Henry with a nod to Palmer Hayden’s painting by a similar name. Using a system of sculptures embedded with electronic triggers, Holloway plots a minefield of reactive sound and video artifacts about endurance, pain, and strength produced through physical labor and its spectacle.
Vocal artifacts from interviews collected from black queer community reflecting on these themes are used directly in the work. All collected story will be remixed into a 15m generative audio piece that will conclude the performance resulting in a different version of sound each night. The outcome is influenced by whether the performers reach a designated set of goals within an allotted time frame, ensuring that each re-performance of the work is different and specific to the context of its creation.
In rehersal and during the performance, the two performers in the work are directed by an AI model trained on materials collected for the show. Instruction provided includes but is not limited to dictating the usage of sledgehammers to activate the signals sent by the trigger field to screens and synthesizers across the 45-minute performance and generating choreographic possibilities.”
THEY LAID DOWN THEIR HAMMERS AND CRIED is part of the TOTALRESISTANCE() series.
CREW
STUDIO COORDINATOR
Camille G. Bacon
PERFORMER II
AJ McClenon
SOUND DESIGNER
Anthony A. Dunn / Terran Wretch
HARDWARE
Molasses Industries
PRODUCTION ADVISOR
Letitia S. Holloway
CODE/SOFTWARE/REALISATEUR
SHAWNÉ MICHAELAIN HOLLOWAY
Vocal artifacts from interviews collected from black queer community reflecting on these themes are used directly in the work. All collected story will be remixed into a 15m generative audio piece that will conclude the performance resulting in a different version of sound each night. The outcome is influenced by whether the performers reach a designated set of goals within an allotted time frame, ensuring that each re-performance of the work is different and specific to the context of its creation.
In rehersal and during the performance, the two performers in the work are directed by an AI model trained on materials collected for the show. Instruction provided includes but is not limited to dictating the usage of sledgehammers to activate the signals sent by the trigger field to screens and synthesizers across the 45-minute performance and generating choreographic possibilities.”
THEY LAID DOWN THEIR HAMMERS AND CRIED is part of the TOTALRESISTANCE() series.
CREW
STUDIO COORDINATOR
Camille G. Bacon
PERFORMER II
AJ McClenon
SOUND DESIGNER
Anthony A. Dunn / Terran Wretch
HARDWARE
Molasses Industries
PRODUCTION ADVISOR
Letitia S. Holloway
CODE/SOFTWARE/REALISATEUR
SHAWNÉ MICHAELAIN HOLLOWAY