Elizabeth Tobias

Survivor! Share Your 98 Second Story
Short Film Screening

Thursday, April 25, 2019 630-930pm

We Choose Art: A Feminist Perspective
Closing Reception and Panel

The Montalban Theatre
1615 Vine St LA CA 90028

elizabethtobiasarts.com

Artists who have been victimized by violence often lack the support and resources needed to come forward. For artists who have been affected by the trauma of sexual assault, there are rarely adequate opportunities to create work that addresses their stories within and beyond the larger art community.

Performance artist and expressive arts therapist, Elizabeth Tobias, has amplified her fusion of social practice, performance and film making to debut Survivor! Share your 98 Second Story, a short film blending art and documentary that shares the stories of 20 contemporary artists who have survived sexual assault and who participated in a workshop and performance project created by Tobias for The LA Art Show.

The Survivor! Project brings much needed awareness and advocacy to the sexual assault epidemic, one of the greatest human rights violations in the world. The screening of the 15-minute film will be part of the closing reception for We Chose Art, Feminist Perspective 2019, curated by Baha Danesh.

This immersive performance addresses the sexual assault epidemic, one of the most pervasive, yet most under reported crimes. Survivor! addresses the staggering statistic that every 98 seconds, there is a sexual assault in America.

Dr Jennifer Freyd, expert in the field of interpersonal violence has identified that the act of speaking out has a measurable impact on decreasing violence. Consequently, the performance and ongoing project have the potential to directly reduce the statistics. Survivor! Share Your 98 Second Story is a groundbreaking new project that addresses trauma, courage and continuance.

Elizabeth Tobias, MA, is an Expressive Arts Therapist, Interdisciplinary Artist, Feminist, Educator and Community Organizer. As an Expressive Arts Therapist, she works in private practice and in clinical settings. As an artist and community organizer, Elizabeth creates immersive works of art and public events that address timely social issues such as interpersonal violence, trauma, discrimination, food scarcity and climate change. Her multi-media projects leverage art to engage the community in cultural, economic and social advancement. Elizabeth earned her MA in Spiritual Psychology from The University of Santa Monica and her Professional Diploma from The Expressive Arts Institute in San Diego in accordance with standards set forth by The International Expressive Arts Therapy Training Network and in compliance with The European Graduate School in Saas Fe, Switzerland.

This project was made possible by The Los Angeles Art Association and DIVERSEartLA. Special thanks to Peter Mays, Kristine Schomaker, Steven Adams, Wes Chester and Judith Essex.

Participating artists to date:
Elizabeth Tobias
Dawniel Carlock Stewart
Naomi Tara
Jen Snoeyink
Robyn Alatorre
Tara Graviss
Felis Stella
Jennifer Korsen
Jessica
Joi Cole
Kayla Cloonan
Aliza Bejarano
Kellie Gillespie
Catherine Singer
Alexandria Yalj
Ryan Freeze
Ciana Lee
Yolie
Coco
Smile Garcia
Supporting Artists: Anna Cirronis, Danica Teyssier, Jared, Jennifer, Skandar Rassas
Choreography: Madison Hayes
Featured Cellist: Tara J. Atkinson
Photo by Dawniel Carlock Stewart
Video Production by LA Art Documents