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Opening Reception for American Artist: Shaper of God
Shaper of God is an exhibition by American Artist (they/them) that culminates a multi-year and multidisciplinary project inspired by the life and work of science fiction writer Octavia E. Butler (b. 1947, Pasadena, CA). Building upon previous exhibitions of this project at REDCAT, Kadist and LACMA, this presentation will be the most comprehensive to date, and be accompanied by a monograph published by Pioneer Works Press, providing a new vantage point into an expansive project rooted equally in biography and fiction.
Shaper of God derives its title from an epitaph found in a religious text written by Lauren Oya Olamina, the protagonist of Butler’s Parable of the Sower (1993)—a novel set in a post-apocalyptic America. Threatened by dire instability caused by climate change, corporate greed and wealth inequality, Olamina and her community flee their breached city of Robledo and trek across a dystopian California, eventually starting a new religion that calls on its followers to depart Earth in the pursuit of a new beginning. As Artist notes in their monograph, “[Butler] continues to influence artists—especially Black, feminist, queer, and politically engaged speculative artists—who are drawn to her empathetic yet stark narratives about humanity’s perilous patterns and blindspots… The Parable series, set in Los Angeles in 2024, suggests that building community is [our] best chance for survival. It warns that when demagogues and oligarchs hold power and oppose everything you value, you’d better have an escape plan.”
Venue: Pioneer Works
159 Pioneer St
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718-596-3001
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