Center for Documentary Expression and Art

Congratulations to CDEA board member Dr. Amos Guiora for being selected as a University of Utah Presidential Societal Impact Scholar for 2026-2027. Well done, Amos!

Meet our new Assistant Director, Dr. Masha Shukovich! 

Masha will lead our interrelated Arts-and Environmental-Education programs, leveraging her nonprofit management experience and commitment to equity, transparency, and community-based collaborations. 

Please join us in officially welcoming Masha to her new role! 🙂

IN MEMORIAM: GILBERTO “GIL” VIRGINIO SCHAEFER
(1947-2025)

Early on Friday morning, October 31, 2025, Gilberto “Gil” Schaefer, a daring, versatile, and richly accomplished graphic designer, died in the LDS Hospital Intensive Care Unit. His unexpected death was a terrible loss to the Salt Lake City arts community!

Gil was a dear friend and a wonderful colleague. We worked together for more than twenty years, and Gil contributed to every one of CDEA’s major 21st-century projects. Gil designed the visual identity for “Exodus,” the 300-image photography display by the great Brazilian-born photographer, Sebastião Salgado. “Exodus” appeared in SLC in 2005, to introduce a human rights gallery in what was hoped to become The Leonardo. The internationally-traveling display was the culmination of Salgado’s ten-year quest to photograph the movement of refugees and immigrants across the globe, in the final decade of the 20th century.

The revelatory black-and-white images depicted the collapse of the former Yugoslavia and the terrifying flight of Bosnians and others to preserve their lives. The exhibit captured the Rwandan genocide and its impact on nearby countries like Uganda and the Congo; and the exhibit showed the urgent and chaotic movement of people from villages and rural areas in India and Latin America, where minimal economic and social opportunities drove people into the slums of Bombay, Sao Paulo, and Mexico City. Gil’s deep appreciation of Salgado’s vision and visual acuity drove the design of exhibit posters, educational handouts, and program brochures.

Six years later, in 2011, Gil designed the layout of the CDEA developed and curated exhibit, “This Light of Ours: Activist Photographers of the Civil Rights Movement.” Unlike “Exodus,” which was curated by Salgado’s wife Lelia Wanick Salgado, and came to CDEA with detailed hanging instructions and display suggestions, “This Light of Ours” was about to enter the museum world for the first time. Gil selected the imagery and style that characterized the display’s introductory photos and interpretive text, and he designed the exhibit’s brochure and the handouts that were used in the accompanying symposia held, respectively, at Westminster College, the University of Utah, and the Salt Lake Community College.

Gil was direct and bold in his selection and use of project images. He wanted the cover of “This Light’s” brochure and symposia handout to deliver one of the exhibit’s central messages; as a result, he selected Matt Herron’s photo of Bobby Simmons, a young man, who walked the full 54-mile Selma to Montgomery march with the word “VOTE” written across his forehead. The march was instrumental in the passages of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, which was the key, legal instrument that dismantled second-class citizenship for Black Americans and others in the Deep South and across the U.S. Gil wanted to make sure that the march’s (and the exhibit’s) central “message” was clear and unmistakable.

Born in Basel, Switzerland, Gilberto “Gil” Schaefer trained at the Basel School of Art and Design, and apprenticed at the “Rheinbrucke” department store, where he began his design career by creating three-dimensional displays. In 1968, he and Doris Schwarz, his wife and (sometime) co-designer, immigrated to Salt Lake City to participate in the wave of creative expression that was sweeping the country. He came to Salt Lake because Doris’ family was already settled in the city, and because her family members painted a rosy picture of Utah’s possibilities.

Gil founded the graphic design and advertising studio “INNOVATION” in downtown Salt Lake City in 1979 with his partner Peter Pigott, and a talented roster of collaborators and freelancers (including Fausto Annoni & Cathy Behrens) from all artistic, photographic, writing, and visual backgrounds. The formidable team was responsible for creating identities and campaigns for local, national, and international clients. A chance connection with Robert Redford led Gil to create the first visual identities for the Sundance Institute and the inaugural US Film Festival, presented by the Sundance Institute in 1985. Awards and accolades piled up during his career, too numerous to list. But Gil cared little about plaques on the wall. He was always ready for— and craving— the next creative challenge. We were awfully blessed to have him!

Leslie Kelen
Director
Center for Documentary Expression and Art

Please read Genevieve Vahl's excellent review of "I'm Walkin' For My Freedom" in 15 Bytes. The exhibit can be seen at the Downtown SLC Library until Dec. 5, 2025.

Through Matt Herron’s Lens: The March That Changed America In March of 1965, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. led a group of what started as 4,000 Black, working-class people and allies from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, in a march that swelled to 22,000 and spu…

We're delighted to announce that "I'm Walkin' For My Freedom"--one of our traveling exhibits--opened on Saturday, October 25, at the downtown Salt Lake City Public Library https://events.slcpl.org/event/14650796 . The exhibit will be on display at the library until December 5, 2025 (see NPU: https://nowplayingutah.com/event/im-walkin-for-my-freedom/ .

"I'm Walkin..." presents forty black-and-white photos by the nationally-celebrated Civil Rights photographer Matt Herron (1931-2020), who also was the curator of our major traveling exhibit: "This Light of Ours: Activist Photographers of the Civil Rights Movement."

"I'm Walkin'..." depicts the critically important 1965 Selma to Montgomery March, which led to the passage of the 1965 Voting Rights Act. The VRA is currently being re-examined (and further weakened many fear) by the U.S. Supreme Court.

I'm Walkin' For My Freedom “I’ve Walkin’ For My Freedom” is a traveling exhibit of forty black-and-white photos and...

Leslie Kelen, CDEA director, and six other Utah poets (see below) will be reading on Monday, October 6, between 6:30-8:30pm at the downtown Salt Lake City library. Come listen and cheer them on. Poetry is especially important during times when our political exchanges are filled with lies and misinformation. Moon in the Rye Press is the creation of Utah poet laureate Lisa Bickmore. The Press has recently enabled many Utah writers to have their work appear in attractive chapbooks. Many of these will be available for purchase at the reading.

Center for Documentary Expression and Art is delighted to announce the successful culmination of its month-long "We Are Telling Our Stories (WATOS)" residency, featuring visiting New York poet and storyteller Dr. David Gonzalez and 28 Salt Lake County high school and college-age youth. This year's residency took place at the Utah Cultural Celebration Center from June 2-June 26, 2025.

David Gonzalez was joined by Dr. Masha Shukovich, CDEA Arts-Education Coordinator; J.R. Martinez, UNP Education Partnership Manager; and Samantha Briggs, Assistant Prof., University of Utah Department of Theater. Together this talented foursome guided participants to bravely explore their stories, connect to what they care about in the world, and learn how to share and amplify their creative gifts.

WATOS participants drew upon their varied lives, challenges, and imaginations; discovered messages and meanings embedded in their narratives; and shaped their stories through a range of tools that use voice, song/music, props, movement, video, visual art, and other theatrical tools.

The residency poster below was prepared and designed by CDEA photographer-in-residence Kent Miles and lovingly portrays this year's participants.

“We Are Telling Our Stories” is a free, 90-min. performance of poetry and prose that will be presented at the Utah Cultural Celebration Center by SL County youth, ages 14-22. The event runs from 7:00pm-8:30pm on Wed. June 25, 2025

Developed by the Center for Documentary Expression and Art and University Neighborhood Partners, “We Are Telling Our Stories” is a four-week, summer writing/poetry/performance residency/retreat for Salt Lake County youth ages 14-22, that took place this year at the Utah Cultural Celebration Center.

Dr. David Gonzalez, a celebrated NYC-based poet, storyteller, playwright, and musician, was the 2025 WATOS artist-in-residence. Dr. Gonzalez is a Joseph Campbell Foundation Fellow and the recipient of the International Performing Arts for Youth “Lifetime Achievement Award for Sustained Excellence.” His writing has been featured at Lincoln Center’s “Out-of-Doors Festival”; Bill Moyers’ documentary “Fooling with Words”; and NPR’s “All Things Considered.”

Joined by award-winning Utah writers Dr. Masha Shukovich, CDEA Arts-Education Coordinator, and J.R. Martinez, UNP Education Partnership Manager, Dr. Gonzalez helped participants explore their own stories, connect to what they care about, and strategize how to share and amplify their creative gifts. WATOS participants drew upon their lives and imaginations; discovered messages and meanings embedded in their narratives; and shaped their stories through a range of performances that use voice, song/music, props, movement, and theatrical tools.

The residency culminates in a FINAL PERFORMANCE on Wednesday evening, June 25, 2025, from 7:00pm-8:30pm., at the Utah Cultural Celebration Center in West Valley City.

WATOS involved up to 35 high school and college age youth (ages 14-22) from Salt Lake County. Each successful participant received up-to-three University of Utah Elective Credits, a cash stipend of $200, and an opportunity to have their writing published in the “We Are Telling Our Stories” 2024 chapbook (a part of the Salt Lake Community College’s annual publication series).

https://nhalliance.org/federal-funding/savetheneh/

Save the NEH! – National Humanities Alliance On Monday, March 31, 2025 we learned that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is targeting the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) with the aim of substantially reducing its staff, cutting the agency’s grant programs, and rescinding grants that have already been awarded. Learn w...

CDEA urges you to pay attention to this and protest this useless plan by the current administration. Please reach out to your representatives and senators and tell them the Utah Humanities program provides valuable educational resources to Utah.

SAVE UTAH HUMANITIES AND ALL HUMANITIES COUNCILS!

We need your help to preserve the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the local humanities work we have loved and valued for 50 years.

TAKE ACTION HERE: https://www.statehumanities.org/action-alert-neh-targeted-by-doge/

On Monday, March 31, we learned that DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) is targeting NEH with the aim of substantially reducing its staff, cutting the agency’s grant programs, and rescinding grants that have already been awarded. The National Endowment for the Humanities is the only federal agency that funds our nation’s 56 state and jurisdictional humanities councils, including Utah Humanities.

The loss of NEH funding to UH will decimate our ability to serve Utah communities, eliminating programs and partnerships that are essential to our cultural infrastructure.

Thank you for your help and action!



National Endowment for the Humanities

”MY NAME IS LILY HAVEY...AND SOMETIMES I USE YURIKO NAKAI"

The Center for Documentary Expression and Art (CDEA) is delighted to announce the opening of “My Name is Lily Havey, …and Sometimes I use Yuriko Nakai," a retrospective exhibit of watercolors and stained glass by Utah artist and author Lily Havey that will be on display at the Crescent Gallery, Utah Cultural Celebration Center, 1355 West 3100 South, West Valley City, from June 7-July 8, 2024. Admission is Free. The exhibit can be viewed Monday-Thursday 9:00am - 7:00pm, and Friday-Saturday 9:00am-4:00pm.

Lily Havey, 92, was almost ten years old on December 7, 1941, when the Imperial Japanese Navy attacked Pearl Harbor, and the United States government deemed that its national safety required it to uproot more than 100,000 first and second-generation Japanese Americans, living on the West Coast, and move them into ten relocation camps inside the country. President Roosevelt’s Executive Order 9066 compelled Lily’s Los Angeles-based family to leave their home, sell what they could not physically transport, and relocate to Amache, a hastily built concentration camp in southeastern Colorado, where they would spend the next four years.

After the war ended, the Nakai family settled in Salt Lake City. Lily and her parents, like the vast majority of Japanese-Americans, sought to return to “normal” life and forget their unlawful incarceration. Most people distanced themselves from the emotional impact of wartime experiences in order to resume the task of daily living. Lily never took that course. In the 1980s, when Viet Nam veterans began publicly addressing their Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms, she began painting a series of watercolors that depicted life in the Amache camp. The watercolors led her to write the award-winning memoir, "Gasa Gasa Girl Goes to Camp: A Nisei Youth Behind A World War Two Fence," which is illustrated by her art, and was published by the University of Utah Press. Lily Havey has had many exhibits of her camp watercolors. “My Name is Lily Havey, …and Sometimes I use Yuriko Nakai" is her first major retrospective.