Virtual Artist Salon: Queen Gabby and Deidre D.S.SENSE Smith

We invite you to join us in this virtual gathering space for discovery, dialogue and the exchange of ideas.

This unique series focuses on the 2022 Kresge Artist Fellows and Gilda Awardees, featuring artists Queen Gabby and Deidre D.S.SENSE Smith. A presentation about their practices will be followed by a Q&A based conversation moderated by Bridge Detroit’s Orlando P. Bailey.

This program is a collaboration between Kresge Arts in Detroit and WDET and is part of Kresge Arts in Detroit’s mission to advance and showcase the work of Kresge Artist Fellows and Gilda Awardees, provide space for growth and discovery, and further the connection between Kresge artists and the wider arts community.

[accessibility note: ASL interpretation will be provided during this event]

Queen Gabby is the Queen of Detroit Jit. In her journey to push the development of Jit culture, Queen Gabby has performed in the opera Blue with the Detroit Opera and with Slippage at the Detroit Institute of Arts; showcased Jit in Paris, France; taught at universities across the country, including Wayne State University and the University of Michigan; choreographed for the Detroit Pistons; and has been featured on platforms such as Red Bull and Forbes Magazine. Queen Gabby’s mission is to shine a light on this city’s hidden gem and educate future generations about Detroit Jit.

Deidre D.S.SENSE Smith is a Detroit native who has always shown great pride in her city. Raised on the eastside, she was surrounded by culture and art. Although Smith has seen the struggles, despair, and chaos that has afflicted the city’s once flourishing neighborhoods, she reflects the hope and beauty she sees in her hometown through her artistry. Smith has performed on various stages in support of equal rights, education, art, and in protest of the many socio-economic woes plaguing our world.