Experiments in Joy: A Workbook

by Gabrielle Civil (Author, Contributor), Duriel E. Harris (Contributor), Kenyatta A. C. Hinkle (Contributor)

Created by black women artists, this dynamic workbook can help you shift joy from a feeling to a practice. Engage its prompts, reflections, and resources for personal and creative transformation!

Compiled by Gabrielle Civil with contributions by Call & Response Artists Gabrielle Civil, Duriel E. Harris, Kenyatta A. C. Hinkle, Rosamond S. King, Wura-Natasha Ogunji, Miré Regulus and Awilda Rodríguez Lora.

Genres: Poetry, Nonfiction, Art

49 pages, ebook

First published February 15, 2019

Reviews

[Ilana · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a brilliant, brilliant book. I felt so much reading this: awe, tenderness, recognition, love, anger, sadness, grief, hope, excitement, elation, inspiration inspiration inspiration.

[Cru · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this woman and I love her work, especially taking in consideration that what we see archived in this book is taking place in a totally different era (like 2000-2010). It was different back then to talk about certain things and DO certain things. They became sort of pillars for performance-making and for any text-based practice and maybe we take them for granted. This book shows you you shouldn't take them for granted
I just had a bit of a hard time reading it -- so as a reading experience it was challenging and a lot I skimmed. It's hard for me in general to read things that are meant to be performed, but I still see the charm and importance of it all.
I would recommend it to someone who has writer's block and needs to witness someone writing freely and passionately.

[Marisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first book of performance texts, and I’m floored by how affected I am by the experience of reading it. I think more than anything else I’ve seen lately, seeing how Civil engages with performance, art, writing, dance, and music all simultaneously — and frequently within the same project — makes me want to push my own boundaries as an artist and writer. One of my favorite aspects of my book is how she and her collaborators revisit the texts, years after they originally created a performance together. They all comment on the experience, creating an almost concentric-circle effect... there are so many layers of creation here.

[Traci Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

A mix of memoir, letters, criticism, performance notes, and poetry this book is unlike anything I’ve read. I felt a strong connection to Civil though I didn’t always “get it”. Some parts were amazing and some didn’t resonate with me. Overall very unique and thought provoking. It’s a total artist book for artists who believe in making space for others and of course, for joy.