Deaf Artists Residency Capstone Presentation & Discussion

The Anderson Center’s Deaf Artists Residency (DAR) program, the only residency opportunity in the world devoted exclusively to Deaf artists, is currently underway at Tower View in Red Wing. Supported by the National Endowment for Arts, Gallaudet University, and Deaf Spotlight, 2022 is the fifth iteration of the program, which fosters artistic and organizational networks that support the development of the Deaf Arts as a distinct cultural area within the larger context of American Culture.  

Writer Ross Showalter, visual artists Yiqiao Wang & Rosane Volchan O’Conor, and theatre artists Tarique Sylvester & Nikolya Sereda were selected through a competitive review process by a national panel of juror-curators. Each artist is spending the month of June living in community at the Anderson Center, sharing ideas and conversing in American Sign Language (ASL), and making substantial progress on their individual artistic works. 

Don’t miss the opportunity to meet the artists and learn more about the rapidly evolving field of Deaf arts at the Deaf Artists Residency Capstone Presentation & Discussion on Saturday, June 25 at 6:30 p.m. at the Anderson Center. Each artist offers a brief presentation on their creative practice before participating in a moderated discussion panel with the full residency cohort.  

The DAR Capstone event is presented in ASL, with voice interpretation provided for non-signers. Admission is free. Registration is encouraged but not required unless additional accommodations are being requested. Tactile interpretation requests to be submitted at least 2-weeks in advance through the registration form or by emailing stephanie@andersoncenter.org.  

About the Artists

Rosane Volchan O’Conor, Printmaker / Mixed Media Visual Artist, Boulder, CO 

A Brazilian-American printmaker and installation artist based in Boulder, Rosane’s work reflects her interest in natural science – from the microbiological to the macrocosmic. Her multilayered monoprints are the foundation for her site-specific installations, composed of ceramic and glass sculptures, neon lights, drawings, video, etc. Her work has been shown at museums and galleries in the US and abroad. 

Nikolya Sereda, Playwright / Performing Artist, Washington, D.C. 

Nikolya is a playwright, costume designer, and graphic artist who works in various mediums.  She most recently led the main stage production of Deafenstein with National Theatre of the Deaf and is setting her sights on developing an original ASL musical set in a high school, that will create a large impact on the deaf and hard of hearing community and send valuable messages to society as a whole about the value and role of deaf people in our modern world. 

Ross Showalter, Fiction Writer, Mercer Island, WA 

Ross writes stories about Deaf and disabled people, about being disabled in our capitalist society, and what it’s like to live under those ableist expectations; most of these stories are influenced by science-fiction, fantasy, or horror. His short stories, personal essays, and critical pieces have published in The New York Times, Electric Literature, The Rumpus, Strange Horizons, Catapult, Black Warrior Review, and elsewhere. 

Tarique Sylvester, Playwright, Austin, TX  

Originally from Texas, Tarique is a writer and director currently studying at Rochester Institute of Technology. He serves on the board of Deaf Austin Theatre and was involved in their production of Next to Normal as Deaf Henry. He recently wrote, directed, and acted in the Deaf Austin Theatre's Murder Mystery, a four-part virtual mystery series. He is currently writing a comedic ASL musical.  

Yiqiao Wang, Painter & Visual Artist, Alexandria, VA 

Originally from Beijing, Yiqiao is a senior artist and coordinator of creative design with the Center for Visual Language and Visual Learning at Gallaudet University. She takes a variety of approaches to explore her illustrative visions, both using hand drawing and digital work. Her creative principle is based on a theme of vivid color. She has also created several prominent mural designs, including the Loon Mural currently installed in downtown Minneapolis.