chimæra/project was a small trans(ient) collective making work together
about what it means to be ﾟ･:*✧:+˚chimaera˚+:✧*:･ﾟ
: incongruous, grafted, mutating, illusory beings, giving form to the (im)possible.
the chimaera/project collective was a small, temporary collective, made up of artists who are trans, nonbinary, gender-nonconforming (gnc), and/or who do not relate to gender as it is defined and employed under colonization.
the 2024 Oregon Contemporary Artists’ Biennial was focused on themes of networks, community, care, and support. rather than making work that was about these themes, our collective centered these themes in our practice. pushing against the common narrative (and lived practice, for many of us) of the isolated artist alone in their studio, we showed up together to create and play.
we searched for and dove into the echoes and resonance amongst one another’s creative interests; spiders, webs, ploceidae, weaving, mending, wrecking, interference, transmission, transforming, monstrousness, bodies, materiality, craft, magic, mourning, honoring...
chimaera/project was:
Carter Silago, they/them @cartersilago
Chuck Farts, they/them fartingchuck.bigcartel.com/
daelyn lambi, they/them daelynlambi.com
Evan Amrine, they/them @attack.enby
Francis Dot, he/they francisdot.com + @francis.dot.studio
Iram Asghar, they/them iramasghar.com
jesse narens, they/them jessenarens.com
Korbin Reder, He/They/Xe @witheringiris
MAHMA JAGUAR, she/her/ella linktr.ee/MahmaJaguar
স্নেহা mei, they/them @cosmeicart
Pablo V. Cazares, he/him pablovcazares.com + @pablovcazares + @Thet4tArtCollective
Stacia Aguilar, they/them @hello_stacia
Xiinii Bee, they/them @xiiniibee_tattoo + @zenietreecosplay
ziven, they/them/theirs & z/z/z's
our installation was on view in the front windows of I♡Youth2 in the Lloyd Center Mall in April-August 2024, as an offsite element of the Oregon Contemporary Artists Biennial.
we also hosted four activations of the site to encourage folks to view our work, and to build connections:
*
chimæra/project opening celebration
Saturday, May 4th, 3-6pm
the launch of our installation, with interactive arts activities, performances, and live music.
*
Love That Sustains: Art Market
Saturday, June 1st, 3-7pm
&
Webs for Holding: Art Market
Saturday, August 3rd, 3-7pm
arts markets featuring work by chimæra/project collective members, artists from previous chimæra iterations, and members of our larger network.
*
OFF SITE: Drag Show
Saturday, July 6th, 4pm doors, 5-7pm show
drag performances exploring what it means to be incongruous, mutating, illusory beings, existing on the margins.
*
this project was generously hosted by ILY2, in the windows of their youth arts space, I♡Youth2.
this project was as much about the portal we built together in these windows, as about simply being together. it resisted documentation and capture. you had to be there. <3
together we have lots of thoughts about how this biennial unfolded. we may share them some day.
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