Diasporic Alchemy

SOMArts presents Diasporic Alchemy: Transforming Ancestral Traditions into Ritual Futurisms co-curated by Louis Chinn and missTANGQ. The third exhibition in the 2017–2018 season of the SOMArts Curatorial Residency, this group exhibition centers artists whose identities as immigrants, activists, LGBTQ, and people of color inform their experience of diaspora.

Opening with a free public reception on Thursday, March 8, 6–9 pm, Disaporic Alchemy will engage audience members in performative and interactive installations that invoke communal celebration and collective ritual-making through storytelling, movement, music and dance.

“Art content which bridges ancient and contemporary tools to address systemic and internalized oppression, intergenerational trauma, illness and alienation from nature is of critical relevance at this time. We believe that activating multi-sensory perception can open portals and pathways to new realities and healing. In an era of divisive social and political forces, co-creative ritual and the communal celebration of new narratives is paramount,” Chinn and missTANGQ assert in regard to their curatorial debut for Diasporic Alchemy.

The opening reception on March 8 will feature performance activations by Kaley Isabella, India Sky and SAMMAY. In addition, audience members will be invited to engage with five interactive installations, co-creating new rituals for collective expression.

Additional public programs in conjunction with the exhibition include a SOMArts Social happy hour plus performative lecture and magic show by Dr. Meilin Chinn and Dan Doohan plus site-specific performance by Dohee Lee on Thursday, March 15, 5–9pm and a closing reception with performances by LEXAGON, Gabriel Christian, Majo y la Esotérica Tropical and The ANiMA Show on Thursday, April 5, 6–9pm.

PERFORMING ARTISTS
Dohee Lee
Gabriel Christian
India Sky
Kaley Isabella
LEXAGON
Majo y la Esotérica Tropical
SAMMAY
The ANiMA Show
Void Sailing

Related Events
Exhibition
March 8–April 5, 2018
Gallery hours: Tuesday–Friday 12–7pm & Saturday 12–5pm

Opening Reception
Thursday, March 8, 6–9pm
The opening night celebration features performances by Kaley Isabella, India Sky and Sammay Dizon.

SOMArts Social: Talk & Performances by Dr. Meilin Chinn and Dan Doohan aka Void Sailing
Thursday, March 15, 5–9pm
Professor of Chinese philosophy Dr. Meilin Chinn and collaborator Dan Doohan will present a performance lecture and magic show, followed by a site-specific performance by Dohee Lee. Come early for SOMArts Social happy hour with food by La Cocina culinary incubator.

Closing Reception & Performances
Thursday, April 5, 6–9pm
Featuring multi-media music, dance, video and spoken word by LEXAGON, Gabriel Christian, Majo y la Esotérica Tropical and The ANiMA Show, the closing reception will be the final chance to experience the interactive installations in the gallery.

Image credit: Diasporic Alchemy, photo by Laetitia Jacquart.