A Collaborative Storytelling and Printing Workshop by Avery Youngblood
On December 19th, G.A.S. Lagos hosted Primitive Hypertext, an engaging presentation and hands-on workshop led by then-resident Avery Youngblood. The evening began with an introduction to the Riso machine, a printing tool primarily used for high-volume printing that operates similarly to screen printing, producing vibrant, textured, and slightly imperfect prints. Attendees observed the intricate process of testing and refining prints, providing a fascinating prelude to the evening's discussions on communal language-making.
A brief presentation followed, where Avery delved into her residency research, which investigated how obsolete technologies shape contemporary creative practices. Central to her work is the concept of “primitive hypertext,” inspired by Octavia E. Butler (1947–2006), a trailblazing African American science fiction author renowned for works such as the Parable series, Kindred, and the Patternist series. Butler’s themes of identity, hierarchy, and survival informed Avery’s exploration of interconnected thinking, memory, and archives. By navigating seamlessly between diverse references—much like digital tabs and links—“primitive hypertext” fosters innovation and creates unexpected narrative connections. Attendees reflected on how this approach reshapes storytelling and deepens our understanding of history and identity.
The event concluded with a collaborative printing workshop, where participants had the chance to put Avery’s concepts into action. Guided by her expertise, they experimented with creating Riso-printed works that embodied the principles of primitive hypertext, engaging in a collective process of storytelling through print. This hands-on experience provided a meaningful opportunity for attendees to explore the intersections of creativity, technology, and communal narratives.
EVENT DETAILS
Date: 19th December 2024
Time: 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Location: 9B, Hakeem Dickson Drive, off TF Kuboye Road, Oniru, Lagos
ABOUT THE ARTIST
AVERY YOUNGBLOOD is a video-artist and designer from Dallas, Texas. She has a background in linguistics and comparative studies in race and ethnicity from Stanford University (BA), and works alongside the moving image to explore themes of science fiction, myth, language, identity, and race. She is also a Yale School of Art MFA graduate in Graphic Design where she collaborated across disciplines of sculpture, performance, filmmaking, and design. Her work is both metaphorical, sensorial and multi-dimensional, using techniques such as layering, collage, repetition, the moving image, audio, and the body to create a visual language that reflects the decentralized and interconnected nature of her thinking.
Avery's residency is generously supported by the Yale School of Art.
