Artwork copyright Storme Webber. Photo courtesy of the artist, 2024.

Ancestors Know, 2017

Storme Webber
(Black | Sugpiaq, born 1959)

Location: Star Lake Elementary, Kent

ABOUT THE ARTWORK

Storme Webber's Ancestors Know and other artworks explore liminal identities, survivance, and decolonization.

ANCESTORS

KNOW

WHO

WE

ARE

This artwork is part of a curated collection by Asia Tail in April 2024 for three Federal Way Public Schools in South King County. Asia chose graphic works that are as bold and diverse as the students, by artists with ties to South Puget Sound. Images of language, people, and the natural world create a poem for this place where students live and learn. She notes, "School is a place where we can connect with new families. And families are always strongest when working together."

This artwork was acquired for the State Art Collection in partnership with Federal Way Public Schools.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Storme Webber is a Two Spirit, Black and Sugpiaq (Native Alaskan) poet and interdisciplinary artist. Her work combines text, performance, audio and altar installation, archival photographs, and collaboration to engage with ideas of history, lineage, gender, race, class, and sexuality. Her art practice explores identities, survivance, and decolonization in a blues/jazz-based experimental format, often incorporating acapella vocals.

Webber holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from The New School in New York City and a Master of Fine Arts degree from Goddard University in Vermont. She has devoted years to foregrounding marginalized voices, most recently via "Voices Rising: LGBTQ of Color Arts & Culture (2007-present)". She's second generation Two Spirit and lesbian.