spring 2023 studio update
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Hey fam!
Things have been busy in the studio. I’m trying to take time to rest and enjoy the longer days and hope you have been too. Today’s the equinox, so from this point on, each day has more light than darkness. And I’m so excited about all the events that are coming up, in the Bay and beyond— hope to catch y’all out there in the wild enjoying some art.
upcoming shows and performances: Córdoba, New York, Berkeley
In just a few weeks, I’ll be hopping on a plane to Córdoba, Spain to perform and show work at C3A’s upcoming show, Remedios: Where new land might grow. “Remedios stands for healing, reparation, restitution, recuperation, and the longing to transform the world into what it might become. With contributions from over forty artists that include Amazonian, Pacific, Indigenous American, Afro-diasporic, and European perspectives, the exhibition… invites the public to engage with works of art for solace, respite, and replenishment. The works… echo the curative paths of healers and elders who have politically, culturally, and spiritually guided communities through the remembrance of past wrongs toward reconciliation and the celebration of renewed worlding.”
I’ll be debuting a new piece, Bendición, alongside my partner and collaborator Martín Perna. For the past four months we’ve been working with dancers, choirs, and other local performers in Spain to bring this healing ritual to life, and I can’t wait to share our vision with you and with the audience in Córdoba. You can learn more about the show here. And as always, look out for photos and updates on my socials, site, and newsletter.
I’m excited to spend some real time in New York this summer, starting with Beth Stephens and Annie Sprinkle’s sure-to-be-stunning, four-day ecosex symposium, Exploring the Earth as Lover: Assuming the Ecosexual Position. I’ll be performing alongside a star-studded group of artists, writers, and other creatives working “to forge new relationships with the environment, engage in human/ non-human collaboration, critique calcified ideologies, and engage in new sexualities—all through the lens of environmentalism that is feminist, queer, sensual, sexual, posthuman, exuberant, and steeped in humor and play.” You won’t want to miss it— get your tickets here!
As an AIR Gallery national member, I’ll also be participating in a group show at their NYC space this summer! The show will be up from June 30th to July 30th. New York community— keep an eye out for more info on the opening reception. I’d love to catch you there.
Back on the west coast, I’ll be participating in the Berkeley Art Center’s upcoming show, Rabbit Hole, curated by Adrianne Ramsey. I can’t say much more now, but please save the date for my debut performance of Oñí Ocan/The Heart of Sweetness at the BAC on September 8th, 2023. A tribute to the Orisha Oshun, this piece asks the questions: What is the relationship between pleasure and being well? Can the force of desire make us whole? Can sweetness heal our bodies as well as our hearts?
recent performances, talks, and shows
In January, I staged a spontaneous public performance in San Francisco following the assault on an unhoused Black elder by art dealer and gallery owner Collier Gwin. For over an hour, I cleaned the sidewalk outside the gallery, channeling my grandmother and choosing an ethics of care in the face of violence. I’m grateful that this piece (now titled we are a long-memoried people \ a prayer for Q) resonated with so many, and hope that it continues to provide catharsis to those who may need it. You can check out Hyperallergic’s coverage of the performance here, and view more images on my site.
I’m endlessly grateful to the SOMArts team and to curators Bushmama Africa and Isha Rosemond for their beautiful show The Indigo Project, which ran from December 10th, 2022 to February 5th, 2023. The show’s closed, but you can still check out the virtual gallery and keep up with all the exhibiting artists (including the curators): Bushmama Africa, Abayomi Anli, Nikesha Breeze, Ashara Ekundayo, Stephen Hamilton, Sasha Kelley, Rachel Parrish, Isha Rosemond, and Bryan Keith Thomas.
I’ve been lucky to partner with my friend and colleague Bakari Kitwana for a series of talks on Black and Jewish solidarity, hosted in San Francisco and Los Angeles. And in February, I was invited to give a talk to MFA students at CCA and was able to conduct a wonderful series of studio visits with the students.
And just a few weeks ago, I performed alongside dear friends Beth Stephens and Annie Sprinkle at San Francisco’s Night of Ideas as Dr. Mama Feelgood in a new piece Ask a Black Public Intellectual. It’s a performance I’ve been thinking about for years and it felt so good to finally bring her to life. I’m sure you’ll all be seeing more of her soon… the doctor is IN!
To Defend this Sunrise launch party!
I was finally able to host a live book launch event on UC Berkeley’s campus in early March, and it was so dreamy to see folks come out to support the book! If you’re interested in getting a copy of To Defend This Sunrise: Black Women’s Activism and the Authoritarian Turn in Nicaragua, you can order one here! I really do appreciate the support.
As always, feel free to send this newsletter around to any art friends who may be interested. You can also keep up with me on IG @creolemaroon.
More soon
C.