Reflections on Exile

reflections on exile

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reflections on exile

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exhibiting exhibiting artists artists Najah Najah Alboushi Alboushi Stephanie Stephanie Andrews Andrews and and Fabián Fabián Leyva-Barragán Leyva-Barragán EllenEllen BeppBepp Paola Paola de ladeCalle la Calle RoyaRoya Ebtehaj Ebtehaj Uli Golub Uli Golub Alexander Alexander Hernandez Hernandez stephanie stephanie mei mei huang huang Amanda Amanda Lee Lee LydiaLydia Nakashima Nakashima Degarrod Degarrod

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ElisaElisa Ortega Ortega Montilla Montilla Mehregan Mehregan Pezeshki Pezeshki Melanie Melanie Piech Piech Ghazal Rahimi Ghazal Rahimi Cenorina Ramirez Cenorina Ramirez Zoe Zoe Sandoval Sandoval AnnaAnna Talhami Talhami Angélica Angélica Turner Turner RupyRupy Tut Tut Rochelle Rochelle YoukYouk

performance artists Alexander Hernandez Kiana Honarmand Reyes Segura //MALA MALA Courtney Desiree Morris Beril Or Karen Rodríguez Anna Talhami with a guest guestaltar altarby byVictoria VictoriaHom Hom

exhibition dates: January January 9–February 9–February 8, 2020 exhibition opening: Saturday, Saturday,January January11, 11,2020 2020 || 7–9 7–9 pm evening of performances: Saturday, Saturday,February February8,8,2020 2020 || 7–9 7–9 pm

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The terrain for Reflections Reflections On On Exile Exile isisglobal globalininits itsscale scaleasasitithighlights highlightschallenging challenging elements between between humans humansand andland landseparation. separation.This Thisexhibition exhibitionguides guides usus through through an on-going on-goingcrisis crisisthat thathas hasreached reachedall allspectrums spectrumsofoflocality; locality;especially especially inin the the Bay Bay Area. Artists residing here harness the the power powerof ofabstract abstractand andfigurative figurativeart artdrawing drawing exile. attention to man-made man-madeborders, borders,displacement, displacement,or oron oncommunities communitiesliving livinginin exile.

Each work was was inspired inspired by bypersonal personalcontent contentofofpresent presentday daydisplacement displacementchallenges, challenges, restrictions between the and persecution, restrictions the land landand andpeople, people,and andafter aftereffects effectsofofwar war and persecution, These recurring dynamics which have have forced forcedmassive massivegroups groupstotoflee fleeand andseek seekrefuge. refuge.

These recurring dynamics a sense cause disastrous disastrous divisions against against the theland landand andits itspeople, people,while whilecreating creating a sense is is where of hopelessness hopelessness for forhumanity. humanity.Being Beingininthis thisjourney journeyattracts attractssupport; support;this this where strengthen Reflections on Exile can can inspire inspire change, change,ignite igniteactivism, activism,heal healxenophobia, xenophobia,and and strengthen community in in order order to to potentially potentiallyopen openborders. borders. forms ofof forced human In its broadest context context this thistheme themeisisfocused focusedon onallallexisting existing forms forced human issue, the artists of of thisthis separation from the the land. land.As Asaaresponse responseand andreflection reflectionononthis this issue, the artists and exhibition created created works works about abouthow howexile exilehas haspersonally personallyaffected affectedtheir theirlives, lives,family, family, and the world. Politically, Politically, these thesedestabilizations destabilizationsremain remainpresent presentininthe thehistoric historicUnited UnitedStates States occupancy over occupancy over Native Nativeland landto tothe thenew newwall wallconstruction constructiondesigned designed toto prevent prevent migration migration from Mexico, Mexico, Central Central and andSouth SouthAmerica, America,and andthe theCaribbean.

Caribbean.Wall Walland and border border issues issues do not not only onlyexist existininthe theAmericas Americasbut butininother othercountries, countries, asas can can bebe seen seen in the in the conflict conflict between Israel Israel and and Palestine.

Palestine.Meanwhile, Meanwhile,cultural culturalpersecution persecutionforced forcedmany manyTibetans Tibetans to leave their their Chinese Chineseoccupied occupiedcountry countryfor forIndia.

India.Then, Then,there thereare arethe therefugees refugees who who escaped the the war wartorn torncountries countriesof ofIraq, Iraq,Syria, Syria,and andYemen.

Yemen.

Reflections On Exile takes its its reference reference and and inspiration inspirationfrom froman anessay essayby byEdward EdwardSaid.

Said.This This work eloquently voiced voiced Said’s Said’sown ownstate stateofofexile exileasas“the “the unhealable unhealable riftrift forced forced between between a human human being beingand andaanative nativeplace, place,between between the the self self and and itsits true true home. home.” ” In relation In relation to to this, the theme themeof ofthis thisexhibition exhibitiondeveloped developedmore moreheavily heavily from from having having witnessed witnessed many many the border deportees from South SouthAmerica Americaand andHaitian Haitianrefugees refugeesinintheir theirstate stateofoflimbo limboatat the border that migrants areare town of of Tijuana.

Tijuana.Further Furtherdevelopment developmentcame camefrom fromthe thedogmatic dogmaticnews news that migrants ofof the root of of all all worldly worldlyproblems. problems.However, However,ininthis thisexhibit exhibitartists artistsreveal revealthat thatinstead instead planted seed of of that blaming these groups, groups, why whynot notconsider considerlooking lookinginto intothe thepurposely purposely planted seed that and search forfor a tangible future. root? The seed seed that thatled ledthese thesecommunities communitiestotoescape escape and search a tangible future. when it should have only Exile became became aastate stateof ofexistence existencefor forthese theseartists artistsand andsubjects subjects when it should have only facing works represent been aa temporary temporaryjourney. journey.As Asthey theyremain remainininexile, exile,their theirpublic public facing works represent satisfied in in a new place butbut a daily healing and hope hopebecause becauseititwas wasnever neverabout aboutbeing being satisfied a new place a daily battle of resilience. resilience.

jeanette alanis

Curator, Reflections on Exile

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najah alboushi

Futile Building, 2019 2019 Blown glass glass 14 xx 28 28xx28 28in. in.

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stephanie andrews fabiรกn leyva-barragรกn Peering Through, Through, 2020 2020 Peering Multimedia installation installation Multimedia variable dimensions dimensions variable

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Left 2015 My Will, 2015 Handcut paper paper 24xx22in. in.

26 xx 24 Right La Venganza de Los Milagros, 2017 2017 paper Handcut paper 26 xx 24 24xx22in. in.

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ellen bepp

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Untitled Map (Triptych), 2019 Digital print, mixed media mediacollage collage 28 x 22 22in. in.

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paola de la calle

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Motherland Motherland Lullaby, Lullaby, 20192019 Multimedia Multimedia installation installation variable variable dimensions dimensions

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roya ebtehaj

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uli golub

Room of Freedom, 2015 HD video performance documentation 10 minutes 37 seconds

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alexander hernandez

Left 2016-present, Soft Softsculpture, sculpture,variable variabledimensions dimensions Surrogates, 2016-present, Right 2020, Participatory Participatory action actionat atCreative CreativeStation Stationtable tablewith withsoft softsculptures sculpturesand andpaint paint markers,120 120 minutes Surrogates, 2020, markers, minutes

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victoria hom

Altar, 2020 Participatory altar with plant essences, flowers, salt, and notecards dimensions variable

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kiana honarmand

Mending Unhealing Wounds, 2019 Performance, embroidered dress 120 minutes

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amanda lee

Guangdong: Against All Odds, 2019 Porcelain, cobalt, and 22 karat gold glaze 2 x 12 x 8 in.

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stephanie mei huang

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2018 the border is a private space, 2018 16mmfifilm lm transferred transferredto to HD HD video video 16mm minutes 47 47 seconds seconds 22minutes

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courtney desiree morris

i a ceremonial, 2019 Performance, installation with HD HD video videoprojection projectionand and40 40candles candlesand andcups cups salt water ofof salt water 60 minutes

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lydia nakashima degarrod Mending the Past I, 2019 Handmade paper paper with mulberry and Handmade yerbabuena buenafibers, fibers, boro boro stitching, stitching, and yerba photo image transfers photo 80xx49 49xx 66 in.

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beril or

yurt, 2020 Performance, embroidered comforter 120 minutes

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ÂżAmericana ÂżAmericana Yo?, 2018 Yo?, 2018 Wood, Wood, reclaimed reclaimed fiber fiber 100 x100 16 x 16 8 in. x 8 in.

Acculturation Acculturation so Far,so2018 Far, 2018 Wood, Wood, reclaimed reclaimed textiles, textiles, and beads and beads 60 x 20 60 x 20 10 xin.

10 in.

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elisa ortega montilla

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mehregan pezeshki

EVERY DAY PEOPLE, 2019 Photography 7 x 55in. in.

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melanie piech

16 Squares : Government-Assisted Family Separation from a Mother’s Perspective, 2019 Steel, urethane plastic, plastic, atomized atomizedbronze, bronze,and andcork cork 72 x 72 72xx5/8 5/8in.in.

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ghazal ghazalrahimi rahimi

Cut Her CutChains, Her Chains, Endless Endless Becoming, Becoming, Untitled, Untitled, Turquoise, Turquoise, Reconstruction, Reconstruction, 20192019 Ceramics Ceramics variable variable dimensions dimensions

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cenorina ramirez Cocoon Cocoon -- an an Altar, Altar, 2018-2019 Paper, Paper, mixed mixed media 56 56xx25 25xx 20 20 in.

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karen rodrĂ­guez

Mi narrativa, 2019 2019 Performance altar and and Performance with with altar recorded recorded poem, poem, 5 minutes 40 40 seconds seconds 5 minutes

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{ remnants { remnants } of a }{ of ritual a { ritual }, 2019 }, 2019 MixedMixed media, media, vellum, vellum, currency, currency, crystallization, crystallization, HD video HD video projection, projection, variable variable dimensions dimensions 45 minutes 45 minutes

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zoe sandoval

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reyes segura / MALA

MALA, 2020 Drag performance 4 minutes

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anna talhami

We Put Our Bodies on the Altar, 2020 Wood, aluminum, aluminum, textile, textile,video video 144 x 144 144xx96 96in. in.

We Put Our Bodies on the Altar: The Poems, 2020 Performance, poetry, altar altar installation installation 20 minutes

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angĂŠlica turner

Amarillo, Rosado y Naranja, 2019 Oil on canvas 64 x 64 x 1 in.

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rupy tut Left Machinery of Oppression, 2019 Naturalpigments, pigments,shell shell gold gold on Natural handmade hemp paper handmade 31.5xx41 41xx3/4 3/4 in.

31.5 Right Memory of the Divine, 2019 Naturalpigments, pigments,shell shellgold, gold, and tea Natural stainon onhandmade handmade hemp paper stain 27xx25 25xx1/2 1/2 in.

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rochelle youk Left Changho no.3 (cigarettes), 2019 Marlboro Marlboro cigarettes cigarettes 17 17xx18 18xx 44 in.

Right Changho no.1 (acrylic), 2019 Plexiglas 24 24x x24 24xx221/2 1/2 in.

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