Biomythography: Secret Poetry and Hidden Angers

“I am a reflection of my mother’s secret poetry and hidden angers.” –Audre Lorde, Zami: A New Spelling of My Name

As defined by Audre Lorde in her seminal piece Zami: A New Spelling of My Name, biomythography combines “elements of history, biography and myth” to highlight the idea of multiple internal and external selves. This exhibition features video, performance, installation, sculpture, photography and two-dimensional mixed media works. It investigates biomythography as a practice in the visual arts. Works by the featured artists juxtapose historical facts, life experiences, pop culture, ritual, mythology, anthropological conjectures and notions of identity.

Exhibiting artists include Zenia Baltagi, Crystal Z. Campbell, Chris Christion, Kenyatta A.C. Hinkle, Abdul Mazid, Dan Taulapapa McMullin, Thinh Nguyen, Juliana Paciulli, Glynnis Reed, Rachelle Rojany, Yoshie Sakai, Monica Sandoval and Jessica Wimbley.

Guest curators are Chris Christion and Jessica Wimbley.

Related events:
Reception/performance: "White Out History"
Saturday, Aug. 29, 6-8 p.m.
William Rolland Gallery
Performance by Los Angeles-based artist Thinh Nguyen.

Curators' walk-through
Saturday, Sept. 5, 1 p.m.
William Rolland Gallery
Chris Christion and Jessica Wimbley give an in-depth tour of the exhibition.

Panel: "Biomythography and Identity"
Thursday, Oct. 1, 6 p.m.
Lundring Events Center
The curators will be joined by Cal Lutheran faculty members and Valorie Thomas, associate professor of English and Africana studies at Pomona College.

Screening: 100 Tikis
Wednesday, Oct. 14, 7 p.m.
Preus-Brandt Forum
Cal Lutheran presents the premiere of 100 Tikis, an appropriation art piece about colonialism and the Pacific Islands by New York–based artist Dan Taulapapa McMullin, who will be on hand to discuss his work.

Admission is free. The gallery, located in William Rolland Stadium, is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.

Image: Glynnis Reed, No One Else, digital photo collage archival pigment print, 24 x 36 inches, 2011. Courtesy of the artist.