The arts were alive and well on campus this year! Whether through the Writers’ Workshop, The Grum Project visiting artists series, or the Photographers’ Lecture Series, there were ample opportunities for students to learn from professionals at the top of their fields. Take a look at seven visiting artists who inspired us on campus during the 2022-23 school year.
1. Massamba Diop One of the standout moments of the entire school year came on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, when award-winning Senegalese artist Massamba Diop, backed by two musicians, performed during assembly. Showcasing his tama—or talking drum—Diop brought the house down with amazing rhythms and a message of cross-cultural understanding.
2. Gabriel Chiu As part of the Photographers’ Lecture Series, the school welcomed Gabriel Chiu (at left, in photo) to campus for
a hands-on demonstration in December 2022. Chiu, a photographer and art director living in New York City, talked with students about his work capturing portraits of Asian American youth. As part of Chiu’s visit, he toured campus with students and talked about shot composition.
3. Miguel Bregante Bregante and his theater company La Mona Ilustre visited multiple parts of campus on their visit. During their stay, they hosted workshops in the theater, attended Spanish classes for discussions, and put on a riveting performance of their play, Juan Salvador Tramoya.
4. Iquail Shaheed Shaheed, the founder and director of Dance Iquail (danceiquail.org), brought his creative talents to the Dance Studio in September. Using the art of dance as a conduit for combating issues of social injustice, Shaheed shared his creative process with Williston dancers by hosting a master class. Afterward, the dance company put on a performance for the whole campus to enjoy.
5. Elizabeth Duffy In January, Duffy, a multidisciplinary artist, worked with students on creating masks that shrouded their visual perception, but highlighted the depth and details of the creator’s personalities.
6. Ekow Nimako Visiting artists challenge students to look into their futures when discussing their works and inspirations. Nimako took that idea and brought it further forward than anyone usually thinks about—1,000 years into the future. Nimako challenged students and faculty members to think deeply about what they want Williston to look like for their descendant’s descendants. Then, using thousands of white Lego blocks, the community built Williston’s campus of the future. See more of Nimako’s amazing work at ekownimako.com.
7. Joe Dulude II: For the Winter Musical, the Performing Arts Department staged a showing of SpongeBob: The Musical. In advance of opening night, the school welcomed Joe Dulude II, a famed makeup designer who created the original makeup design for the Broadway showing of SpongeBob, to campus for a makeup demonstration.