Taproot
March 30, 2019 - May 4, 2019
Artists’ Catherine Khammouane and Samiha Alam work with concepts of colonialism and consumption as they relate to religion, ecology, and perception. TAPROOT synthesizes two polarizing experiences of being both brown and Asian in a country that historically neglects racial nuance. Suspended between their parents’ culture and US mainstream culture, the two artists embody distinct perspectives: one of assimilation and one of frequent migration between continents. The artists on view argue that what is manmade is natural.
The artists see their work as a conduit of various natural systems such as UV radiation, projections, and insect life cycles. Khammouane and Alam discuss transplantation, consumption, and geographical boundedness. We are excited to host such a sculpture heavy show at the gallery. The exhibition was co curated by Joy Davis and Anthony Nguyen and will be open until May 4th.
Bios
Catherine Khamnouane is a second generation Asian American. Her work is very personal and charged by cultural issues. She explores how technology can be used to reframe human inequalities and build a more empathetic world. Challenging a society built upon imbalance, her machines and “performative objects” are a visualization of tender compassion despite futility.
Samiha Alam is an Asian American artist who is working with digital methods, drawings, and installation. Like Catherine, her work is also very personal and is rooted in culture, technology, and theory. Samiha explores digital networks and uses symbolism to create pieces that connect broader ideas of race, gender, and communication into simpler terms. You can contact Samiha [email protected] and find her work at samihaalam.com.