Sensory Overload

This morning I walked into the gallery and saw the new exhibition for the first time. It's called The Space Between The Pit and The Peak, Incarnate Two. It was put together by Lillian Harden and curated by our own Setheyny Pen, and it's simply.... well... fabulous...

It's a multimedia installation meant to challenge the way we think about human interaction. Among several other pieces, there's a life sized sculpture of a person, its over sized head slumping onto the floor. Next to that is a two bodied baby. On the other side of a partition a figure lies hidden under black velvet in front of a wooden television.

On the far wall a video plays in an endless loop. It's three of the sculptures, each toiling under the pressure of some unseen inner conflict. They interact with each other on occasion, but for the most part all seem lost in their own world.

"I'm hoping that [the audience] will be thinking about themselves and their relationships," said Lillian in a phone interview last week, "I want them to have an otherworldly experience. It's going to really encompass the senses. It's got sounds, the lights will be dimmed and there will be little mirrors and lights. It's going to definitely have a theatrical element. It's a slightly allegorical other world."

Everyone around here is very excited about the show and even more excited about all of the great press and events we have been having.

Tonight we will be hosting the first monthly installment of Artbeat. The hip hop event will feature an open table format- giving anybody who's brought needles and records a chance to sign up and spin a set. In case that isn't enough, there will also be some live art, a VJ, and breakdancers. How much for all this, you ask? Nothing. That's right. It's free.

This Valentine's Day we will hold our second Dinner & A Movie. We want to keep things spicy by serving up some delicious Indian food made by RebelChef Y Woodward. We're also bringing in the world jazz of Spiral7 (complete with sitar). After that we'll be screening a sultry Bollywood classic film. Should be a good night.

We've got a ton of other things planned too, but if I go on anymore about them this might start to sound waaaaay too much like a commercial. I guess I am in charge of marketing, but I'm sure it's starting to get obnoxious. Haha.

For now, I'm just trying to keep up. I just signed on to be a correspondent for the Boston Cyber Arts Festival which will be great, because I'm itching to do some reporting. It's been WAY too long. I'm also on the planning committee for this year's NAMAC conference in Boston (National Alliance For Media Arts and Culture) and am organizing (and acting in ) next month's production of The Vagina Monologues (I'm doing the "Reclaiming Cunt" monologue. I can't wait). To top it off, I'm about to be promoted to assistant director and have yet to start writing my "how-to" manuals for marketing.

As you all probably know, my contract here is up in July, and that seems right around the corner. Nate and I will be road tripping it back to Oregon, heading south and then west. After that it's Maui and then Central America for some nice chill out time on the Caribbean. I've got a writing job lined up that will pay nicely while I sip aguardiente and mescal on the beach. And after this winter you know I'm going to need that. I'm a tropical girl at heart. This place is a tad on the chilly side for me. I've got a few people along the way that I'm long overdue in visiting. Now I just need to find a car... Any ideas?

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