Michael Sylvan Robinson

“…I have thought hard about that view of autocracy as fundamentally a fake, sham, a distorting mirror. It has helped me to understand ancient Roman political culture better - and has opened my own eyes to the politics of the modern world too.” ~ Mary Beard

“I am more interested in how those stories of madness arose, in how the business of empire was really conducted, and in Roman fears that the rule of the emperors was not so much bloodstained (they expected that), but was a strange and unsettling dystopia built on deception and fakery.” ~ Mary Beard

“There are fewer psychopaths in Emperor of Rome than you might expect from the movie image of imperial Rome. This is not to deny that the Roman world was, in our terms, an almost unimaginably cruel place of premature death…” ~ Mary Beard

“It is an uncomfortable fact that, throughout history, autocracy- tyranny, dictatorship or whatever we call it - has depended on people at all levels who accept it, who adjust to it, or even find it a comfortable system under which to live…” ~ Mary Beard

Finished this great (and timely) exploration of all things (including downfalls) of the Roman emperors by Mary Beard. Discussed not chronological but in chapters grouped by different categories very effectively - with her trademark wit and abundance of historical narratives it is fascinating read

I’m just about finished this great (and timely) exploration of all things (including downfalls) of the Roman Emperors by Mary Beard. Not chronological but chapters grouped by different categories very effectively - with her trademark wit and abundance of historical narratives it is fascinating read

“No beards without dresses; no dresses without beards.” 🌈❤️🧙‍♂️ ~ Sylvan

Here Are Some Things You Should Be Furious About From ICE Barbie To Erasing Eleanor

I wrote about some things making me furious

open.substack.com/pub/mollyjon...

Letter to a Curator Who is Not into my Work (or, Pascal's Silence)

open.substack.com/pub/pablohel...

End gun violence

I got my “not accepted” email from a show that was so niche regionally and media-wise that seemed like the most likely of recent applications (I was included in two less likely others) as we know, it is all so subjective - and easy to share the successes without naming the rejections 🪡🧵🙏❤️

“This is not just how authoritarianism happens. This is authoritarianism happening.”

“The 2026 midterms are 14 months away. The machinery of the state is being organized to entrench Republican power through redistricting, to control information, to punish and harass enemies, to create a masked paramilitary force roaming the streets and carrying out Trump’s commands.”

Opinion | Stop Acting Like This Is Normal

www.nytimes.com/2025/09/07/o...

This one is sold and heading off to Denmark! “Ocean Eyes” by Michael Sylvan Robinson (2024) textile collage on fabric with hand-beading, sequins, and embroidery. No glass, framed 11 1/4” x 9 1/4” x 1 1/4” 🌈🪩🧜‍♂️🧜‍♂️🌊🪡🧵❤️⭐️👏~ Sylvan

Oh no! Hope you are okay!!! (((healing healing healing)))

Today was the first day of school for my 36th academic year, my 8th since returning back to Brooklyn to my original campuses after 18 years in Baltimore; I’ve taught ages 3 through seniors in college in a wide range of disciplines! Now in my 16th year of service in senior administration 🙏❤️

These works reexamine gender and art histories found in the fragments of history and consider the role of the artist navigating the tensions of societies under duress. This collection of fiber art sculptures embody protective talismans as structures of support for community-engaged rebuilding.

Shipped 6 of my oracle sculptures for Artist/Fabricator Sept 12-Dec 5, 2025 at University Museum of Contemporary Art, UMass Fine Arts Center, Amherst Curator: Kristina L. Durocher, Director of Visual Arts Fine Arts Center

“Gun Violence 2023 in U.S. someone was killed by a gun every 11 minutes…” 💔

These memorial garments have been worn in direct actions and memorial vigils, featured in art exhibitions, and include the names of a small representation of those killed by guns in the US in one year.

I’ve been working on “We Honor and Remember the 43,310 Killed by Gun Violence in the U.S. in 2023” - (back and front views). This is the fourth memorial garment annual memorial garments arising from my ongoing research and gathering of names and histories for Gays Against Guns

Every once and a while I go back to her FB to see what kinda crazy made me unfriend, and I’m amazed more of our folks still follow

I really liked the mix of elements, and it is gorgeously designed with the different settings and converging stories

I soooooo remember going to see this gorgeous, haunting film at the Angelika in NYC with some besties from Queer Nation / ACT UP and then going again at least once or twice by myself 🌈🪩🙏❤️ ~ Sylvan

Also GREAT photo ❤️

“ACT UP built a new countercultural social space, one in which people and their relationships were transformed.. Communities inside ACT UP then saw values emerging from their practice… ACT UP was part of a nexus of people defiantly creating their own realities.” ~Sarah Schulman, Let The Record Show