Humphrey Gets His Flowers

Members of the performance collective Mute-N-Heard, organized by artist Michael Coppage in 2005, traveled the world and walked silently through the streets as painted-green characters personifying their struggles: be it insecurities, racism, sexism, beauty standards, and/or mental health issues. The performance series sought to unburden members of the external pressures they had internalized.

Humphrey Gets His Flowers is a combination of archival video, large-scale projection, mixed media collages, and photography. Returning to the tribe of mutes—Xelfer, Savage Gurl and Humphrey Humpkick—Michael Coppage analyzes how this practice led to a meaningful method to create impactful images and objects. Coppage revives Humphrey, who nearly 20 years ago became the embodiment of how he felt he was perceived, to pay homage to the integral role he played during the artist’s formative years. Acknowledging Humphrey’s vital role provides insight into the artist’s practice, visual archive, and personal backstory, while also highlighting how ideas never really die but are reimagined. 

Artists: Michael Coppage and Wendy Yu