By Joel Grimsley, Arts Editor
Entrance to the Exhibition – Photo by Joel Grimsley
Grand Rapids Art Museum (GRAM) opened Christopher Myers, a Brooklyn-based artist, new exhibition that addresses migration from a mythological perspective. Titled Each Year This Blood Shall Change and Blossom: Christopher Myers on Myth and Migration, the show will run till April 27. The exhibit explores the intricate stories of migration through immense textile tapestries and sculptures created by Myers.
Opening on Feb. 8, the exhibit is a commentary on the ways in which myths shape our understanding of migration. Myers , who often uses his art to challenge dominant narratives and give voice to marginalized groups, drew inspiration from the Greek myths such as the story of Persephone — the Greek goddess of spring. Persephone’s journey to the underworld and her return to the surface has typically been viewed as a metaphor for the changing of seasons but for Myer he reinterprets it as the cyclical nature of human migration.
“My work as a storyteller and as an artist centers on pulling mythologies apart from official records,” Myers said. “Especially for African Americans and other marginalized folks, we must learn to read these records for our unwritten histories, to see ourselves in the empty spaces on the page.”
Myers challenges the viewer to look beyond traditional historical records and to reframe the myths that have been passed down through generations. He believes that by re-examining these myths, people can better understand their personal and collective migrations.
“Thesmophoria” tells the story of both an ancient festival and a tragic account of three migrant workers getting sprayed with pesticide while picking blueberries – Photo by Joel Grimsley
The exhibit reflects Myers’ own experiences listening to the stories of migrant workers in Michigan’s Kent and Ottawa counties. Through the support of Migrant Legal Aid, Myers visited housing sites where seasonal farmworkers (an essential part of the state’s agricultural production) have shared their personal stories. Through his art, he shines a light on these workers who are often unseen and unheard.
The largest piece in the exhibition is part of a series retelling the Homeric Epic of the Odyssey – Photo by Joel Grimsley
While Myers’ work focuses on the plight of migrant communities, the exhibit also serves as a larger commentary on the human condition. “I live in this world in which there are stories around me, there are stories that can change the world,” Myers said. “My job is to find the form, and to usher these stories into the world.”
The exhibit is supported by the National Endowment for the Arts and is free to the public on Tuesdays and Thursday evenings, with students encouraged to take advantage of these opportunities.
The GRAM exhibition offers a timely and poignant exploration of migration, myth, and human resilience; providing a space for reflection on how art can give voice to the silenced and shed light on forgotten histories.
The Saint 