First Friday Art Walk & The Giving Tree Was Black Performance

Join The Reser for an engaging and participatory performance during First Friday. Featuring the sculptural and performative works of Sadé DuBoise, guests will enjoy sharing the story of The Giving Tree Was Black. Reimagining a familiar story through the lens of Black motherhood and generational endurance, Sadé DuBoise stands in silence, her body becoming a living form—rooted and adorned with paper charms, seed pouches, and crochet fragments. Viewers of all ages are invited to approach and gently remove these offerings from her form. Expanding DuBoise’s self-portraiture into a ritual of reclamation and reciprocity, centering the labor of Black women who have long been asked to give everything. Here, the tree gives—but on her own terms.

Each seed pouch contains wildflower seeds and instructions to scatter in barren places, extending this moment of care into the world beyond the Gallery. Alongside the performance, a branch shelf with a wooden bowl remains as a space for continued interaction. Individuals are invited to write reflections—on grief, growth, or personal offerings—and place them in the bowl, completing a quiet cycle of exchange.

First Friday October 3, 2025 | 6:00 – 9:00 pm (performance at 6:45) | Art Gallery
Free and open to the public, no ticket required.

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Photo Credit: Sadé Duboise