From Ally To Accomplice explores the importance of being more than an ally in revolution and social struggle. The film presents the words of abolitionist John Brown and Marxist revolutionary and poet Marilyn Buck, sharing the histories of these committed accomplices and others. It also explores the history of the former prairie landscape on which Brown’s militants trained before their raid on Harper’s Ferry in 1859. The term accomplice is used in social justice work to describe someone who surpasses advocacy and allyship, and uses their privilege to challenge and dismantle the structures that exploit and marginalize people.

Kelly Gallagher is an experimental filmmaker and animator, whose work is informed by her personal identity as a woman, Irish-American, and activist. Gallagher tells stories rooted in acts of resistance and overlooked histories using handcrafted animations that make the labor behind her work visible.

Location: Security Credit Union Gallery at Flint Institute of Arts Museum