piecemeal (earthen works in progress) – June 14- July 28
piecemeal (earthen works in progress) is a gathering of artists and makers exploring what it means to build joyful kinship with the Land. Centering the perspectives of Black folks engaging in these kinship practices, these creatives are learning to heal with the land and arrive at belonging with/in the ecosystem. piecemeal is an experiment in radical honesty and risky play. On this journey, the artists are collaborating with the Land – they are farmers, gardeners, earthkeepers, herbalists, foragers, healers, chefs – turning to ancestral practices, plant wisdom, (re)memory, and more to seek solutions and respite from the violence of environmental racism.
We each look to the Land around us – its soils that nurture life, the plants that nourish us, the waters that make life possible, the air that moves us, and the fire that sustains us – with reverence and intention to be responsible stewards of life.
piecemeal includes works by alexandra antoine, Bryana Bibbs, Courtney Morrison (in collaboration with Atoi Glennette & Evéa), darien hunter golston, Forrest Parks, and saylem mississippi celeste. Each artist offers works in gratitude to our kinship journeys with the land. We honor what we have survived and celebrate the lessons from these experiences. These exaltations take the form of quilts, film, weavings, earthen sculptures, papers, and scents. piecemeal intends to uplift the means and miracles, both the extraordinary and mundane actions, making our continued existence possible beyond violence to our bodies, communities, and ecosystems. Join us in gathering, piece by piece, the means we need to birth worlds beyond the one existing now.
The exhibition is curated by darien hunter golston
Exhibition Programs
Ecstatic Dance Party (piecemeal after party)
July 27, 1-3P
we dance to honor the earth. we dance to honor our ancestors. we dance to give thanks to all the land gives us. we dance to nourish the soil and our souls.
this ecstatic dance party is an invitation to move in however you need and in whatever way makes you feel free. help us celebrate the closing of piecemeal (earthen works in progress) and the Contra Corriente festival by stomping the grounds at El Paseo in joy and gratitude!
DJs Nick2bomb and SABETYE will be serving up sounds to get us moving freely. Come as you are and let the music move you.
All ages, bodies, and abilities welcome! Free & open to the public. Masks highly encouraged.
ABOUT THE DJs:
Nick Davis aka DJ Nick2bomb is a DJ, producer, curator, party host, and land and food justice organizer with roots in LA and Chicago. His sound includes heavy house, salsa, punk, funk, disco and freestyle elements but be ready for anything–as long as its a groove. His most recent party series Groove Salon creates space for connection, joy and mutuality, paying up-and-coming artists and fundraising for local causes with a spirit of radical abundance. You can usually find him foraging and farming, doing some experimental alchemy in the kitchen, dancing his way through Chicagos nightlife, and shazaming anywhere and everywhere.
SABETYE (Suh-Bet-Tea) is a electronic musician and disc jockey in Detroit, MI. When performing, they position themselves as a ‘Sonic Reverend’, offering an experiential listening environment that provides an intentional space for healing and freedom.
Access Notes: This event is outdoors and on grass. There are paved pathways on site that are wheelchair accessible. One portapotty is available onside but is not ADA accessible. An ADA accessible bathroom will be available at Chicago Art Department which will be open for one last viewing of the show. Chicago Art Department is about 2.5 blocks or .3 miles away from El Paseo Community Garden. We encourage people to wear masks at this event and test for covid prior to attending. If you’re not feeling well, please stay home and take care.