Surel's Place

First Friday Art & Studio Stroll
2024-08-02 17:30 - 20:30, 2024-10-04 17:30 - 20:30 (America/Boise)
Garden City’s Surel L. Mitchell Live-Work-Create District is bustling with artists, artisans, and creative, artisanal businesses. Come to our neighborhood on the river as much as you can, but especially during our First Friday Art & Studio Stroll. You’ll find many locations open during the event, including artist studios, restaurants, and businesses featuring art events. In addition, there will be special events at many locations, including exhibits, readings, and performances.

More information about the next First Friday, is available at The LWC District First Friday Event Page on Facebook.

See below to view an interactive Google map of the First Friday participating venues.

Bruhaha & the Big Topsy Turvy at the Green Box
2024-08-02 17:30 - 20:30
Bruhaha (a noisy and overexcited reaction or response to something)

Topsy-turvy (a state of utter confusion)

Bruhaha & the Big Topsy-Turvy is a visual response to the chaos and turmoil one might experience in a single day, as well as the accumulation of those experiences over time and how they may affect how we see ourselves, our future, and our place in the world.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Margaret Pope is a contemporary visual artist who lives and works in the Treasure Valley. She received her Master of Fine Arts from Boise State University and currently teaches at the College of Idaho.

Follow her on Instagram @margaretpopeworks

Alice Vinson is an interdisciplinary artist and Associate Professor of Art at the College of Idaho. Her work explores social issues and the complexities of the human condition, often using contrasting elements to create tension and challenge viewer expectations. http://alicevinson.com/

This collaboration is the first between Margaret Pope and Alice Vinson and a means to highlight their combined material practice.

Daren Kendall: Across the Threshold
2024-08-08 19:00 - 20:30 | Surel’s Place, 212 E. 33rd Street, Garden City, 83714, United States
EXHIBITION

Artist in Residence Daren Kendall will present Threshold, a sculptural exhibition and live event developed while in fellowship at Surel’s Place. Kendall’s artistic practice reflects the connection between sculpture, architecture, and place, as he gives form to the relationships and experiences cultivated while working on location. Often in collaboration with other artists, musicians, and dancers, his physical structures and instruments facilitate conversation and create a space to work and play. Drawings, models, and images provide interpretive scores and scripts to communicate the ineffable character and qualities of his experience. Recent artist residencies and collaborative events include, ArteSumapaz Artist Residency, Cundinamarca, Colombia; and Istituto Universitario Olandese di Storia dell’Arte, Florence, Italy.

Bruhaha & the Big Topsy Turvy at the GreenBox
2024-08-08 19:00 - 20:30 | Surel’s Place, 212 E. 33rd Street, Garden City, 83714, United States
Artist opening of this new GreenBox installation with Margaret Pope and Alice Vinxon.

Bruhaha (a noisy and overexcited reaction or response to something)

Topsy-turvy (a state of utter confusion)

Bruhaha & the Big Topsy-Turvy is a visual response to the chaos and turmoil one might experience in a single day, as well as the accumulation of those experiences over time and how they may affect how we see ourselves, our future, and our place in the world.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Margaret Pope is a contemporary visual artist who lives and works in the Treasure Valley. She received her Master of Fine Arts from Boise State University and currently teaches at the College of Idaho.

Follow her on Instagram @margaretpopeworks

Alice Vinson is an interdisciplinary artist and Associate Professor of Art at the College of Idaho. Her work explores social issues and the complexities of the human condition, often using contrasting elements to create tension and challenge viewer expectations. http://alicevinson.com/

This collaboration is the first between Margaret Pope and Alice Vinson and a means to highlight their combined material practice.

Weaving the Myth
2024-09-07 13:00 - 16:00
In this workshop, we’ll bring to life a character who carries a city in a bag full of memories. Starting with a line-art animation base, each participant will color at least three frames, transforming the story with their personal touch. We’ll use watercolors, ink, brushes, and markers to color this exciting project.

Journeying from the intimate confines of the studio to the bustling pulse of the city, we’ll delve into analog animation as a vehicle for self-expression and sharing. Together, we’ll craft a collaborative animated sequence, destined to become a vibrant street mural, extending our artistic reach beyond the workshop.

All materials will be provided.

BIOGRAPHY: Robinson Moreno

Robinson Moreno is a Venezuelan-Colombian artist based in Caracas that uses street art, engraving and moving images as tools for social denunciation, solidarity, and collective transformation. His first creative expression was through hundreds of graffiti and wallpaper interventions on Caracas and Bogota’s streets, often with images grounded on his working-class and peasant roots. Over the years, his artistic practice has been informed by his experiences with formal art training and social militancy.

His studies in Visual Arts and Visual Communication helped him to add new layers of reflection and control over his naturally naive, visceral, and grotesque visual style. His work also explores social practice and transformative action, collaborating with environmental and gender collectives from Caracas in the production of online and offline art interventions and campaigns.

His current work revolves around Venezuelan indigenous mythology, memories of his ancestors, and his experiences in Caracas’s underground, looking through the mirror of the unconscious and magical realism.

During his residency, he will produce some scenes of his first experimental short film, Galaxia

REGISTER HERE

Reflection in Process: Galaxia Short Film Experimental
2024-09-13 19:00 - 20:30
NOTE: Content may not be appropriate for all ages

Robinson Moreno (VE/CO) spent his time at Surel’s Place working on his animation project “GALAXIA”, which is his first animation short film. He explored and experimented with different media and techniques to achieve a fluid ink on paper visual and animation style.

“This story came from an encounter with the real Galaxia near my home. Me, a skinny teenager and a fan of underground street culture. She, a fat woman in a black dress with pale skin and red lips, always lurking in the dark Caracas nights. A kind soul in sorrow, whose signature move was to lift her dress and show potential clients her vagina. Hers was the first pussy I saw. Years later, I have been dealing with the residues of a toxic relationship and the feelings of loneliness in a country in crisis. With this short film I want to explore how this bizarre first experience influenced my ideas about sex and love,” writes Robinson describing his film.

Robinson’s sketchbooks and the prints that form the animation sequences created during his residency can be viewed. He will also give a short art talk.

BINGO! Fundraiser at The Shrine Social Club
2024-09-20 18:00 - 20:00 | The Shrine Social Club, 1118 W. Idaho St., Boise, Idaho, 83702, United States
Join us for an evening of classic bingo in the basement at the Shrine Social Club! All proceeds will go directly to Surel’s Place, so come purchase a board (or multiple boards) for a chance to win some great prizes, including an SP swag bag, tickets to upcoming Artist-in-Residence Rob Scheps‘s performance at The Sapphire Room on Oct. 23rd, or an original fine art print by alumna Willow Wells.

Workshop: Introduction to Screen Printing
2024-09-28 13:00 - 15:00 | Surel’s Place, 212 E. 33rd Street, Garden City, 83714, United States
Artist-in-Residence Laurie Shapiro will guide you through the process of screen printing from start to finish. Screen printing is a versatile and accessible technique that can be used to create a wide range of designs. Shapiro will guide us through the process of creating a silk screen. Using premade designs by the artist, you will also have the opportunity to print on both fabric and paper. Participants will also have the option to create their own designs using a cut paper technique. This will be a fun and interactive experience for participants from age 6 to adults. (Guardian must also register with participants under 14.) You will leave the workshop with your own unique creation. Participants are encouranged to bring their own fabrics or materials that they’d like to print on.

BIOGRAPHY

Laurie Shapiro (CA) creates immersive dreamscapes based on interconnectivity and oneness with nature. Being hard-of-hearing, her experience of the outer world is often muted, while her inner world is amplified. These internal emotional experiences manifest as vibrant and captivating visuals, enveloping viewers in a realm of color and wonder. Paintings are particularly expressive, with subjects often using exaggerated gestures to communicate. “I primarily understand the world through visual stimuli and internal feelings, and this, in turn, colors all of my work,” she adds. Central to her artistic practice are screen-printed floral patterns and imagery—drawings of plants that “speak” to her.

Her art has been commissioned and shown at various institutions, including the Dyer Arts Center, San Diego Museum of Art, and San Luis Obispo Museum of Art. Over the past decade, Shapiro has regularly exhibited solo and group exhibitions with galleries and museums across the country and is the recipient of multiple grants. She has completed artist residencies at the American Academy in Rome, the Kala Art Institute in Berkeley, and the San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles. Shapiro received her BFA from Carnegie Mellon University and studied abroad at Bilkent University.

REGISTER HERE

Embroidery Workshop
2024-10-03 19:00 - 21:00 | Surel’s Place, 212 E. 33rd Street, Garden City, 83714, United States
Join Artist-in-Residence Laurie Shapiro for a fun and easy embroidery workshop suitable for kids and adults. In this session, we’ll be creating embroidered designs of your choice. While materials are provided, feel free to bring your own, such as a jacket or shirt, and come with an idea of what you’d like to embroider, whether it’s a printout or a personal drawing. We look forward to seeing your creativity!

BIOGRAPHY

Laurie Shapiro (b.1990) creates immersive dreamscapes based on interconnectivity and oneness with nature. Being hard-of-hearing, her experience of the outer world is often muted, while her inner world is amplified. These internal emotional experiences manifest as vibrant and captivating visuals, enveloping viewers in a realm of color and wonder. Paintings are particularly expressive, with subjects often using exaggerated gestures to communicate. “I primarily understand the world through visual stimuli and internal feelings, and this, in turn, colors all of my work,” she adds. Central to her artistic practice are screen-printed floral patterns and imagery—drawings of plants that “speak” to her.

Her art has been commissioned and shown at various institutions, including the Dyer Arts Center, San Diego Museum of Art, and San Luis Obispo Museum of Art. Over the past decade, Shapiro has regularly exhibited solo and group exhibitions with galleries and museums across the country and is the recipient of multiple grants. She has completed artist residencies at the American Academy in Rome, the Kala Art Institute in Berkeley, and the San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles. Shapiro received her BFA from Carnegie Mellon University and studied abroad at Bilkent University.

Laurie is offering another workshop: Introduction to Screen Printing, on September 28

Also, be sure to attend her installation, Meditated Landscape, as part of the Boise Open Studios Tour October 12th & 13th from 10am-6pm.

REGISTER HERE

Laurie Shapiro: Meditated Landscape
2024-10-12 10:00 - 18:00, 2024-10-13 10:00 - 18:00 | Surel’s Place, 212 E. 33rd Street, Garden City, 83714, United States
Open Studio

Laurie Shapiro creates all-encompassing, visually stimulating installations using a layering technique that combines painting, screenprinting, sewing, and sculpture. The environments created transport viewers into psychedelic womb-like environments: handcrafted, vibrant, and filled with patterns and colors that invite interaction and meditation. While at Surel’s Place, Laurie created various pieces using mixed media textiles and painting techniques. As a hard-of-hearing artist, she used her own mediation techniques to engage with the landscape of Idaho, creating new pieces that reflects her experiences and observations. Laurie is eager to engage with the community and share her work reflecting the natural beauty and diversity of Idaho. Laurie will also have prints and other work available for purchase.

Free

OPENING RECEPTION: Tenacious Collage | DREWCO
2024-10-18 17:30 - 20:30 | Surel’s Place, 212 E. 33rd Street, Garden City, 83714, United States
FLASH EXHIBITION

Utilizing the best in synthetic adhesive technology, Tenacious Collage is a bold collection of two dimensional sculpture. Each piece is painstakingly created from layers of woven material, cut and carved into dynamic, colorful pieces. From the makers of the wildly popular Paint-O-Matic 2000, Tenacious Collage blends an urban vibe with a well crafted modern look.

DREWCO addresses the absurdities as Andrew Groth navigates the liminal spaces, yet resists the temptation to take anything too seriously. He is an artist, musician, avid cyclist, animal fan, and child of the 80s who enjoys poking fun at things, at life, at art, at his art, and especially at himself. He earned an AA in Liberal Arts and a BFA degree with an Emphasis on Painting. His work has been shown in several group exhibitions. He is one of the most recent members of Boise Open Studios and he continues to be an active member in the Treasure Valley arts community.

Free

Open Hours: Tenacious Collage | DREWCO
2024-10-19 13:00 - 16:00, 2024-10-20 13:00 - 16:00 | Surel’s Place, 212 E. 33rd Street, Garden City, 83714, United States

Mahjong & Mimosa Brunch
2024-10-20 10:00 - 13:00 | Surel’s Place, 212 E. 33rd Street, Garden City, 83714, United States
Come to Surel’s Place for mimosas, brunch, and to play (or learn how to play) mahjong! Surel Mitchell loved to play mahjong and had a group of friends who regularly gathered at her home to play. It’s only fitting that we play this timeless game at her home to bring those memories into the present together. Each ticket includes a light brunch, a mimosa, and mahjong instruction from some seasoned local mahjong players, Stacey Stewart & Rosa Urrutia. Plus, a command performance by renowned Jazz performer and Surel’s Place Artist-in-Residence Rob Scheps capping the morning with a rendition of Wayne Shorter’s “Mahjong” on soprano saxophone.

RESERVE A SPOT | surelsplace.ludus.com

Rob Scheps and Core-tet Idaho
2024-10-23 19:00 - 21:00 | The Sapphire Room at the Riverside Hotel, 2900 Chinden Blvd, Boise, Idaho, 83714, United States
Presented by Surel’s Place

World class tenor and soprano saxophonist Rob Scheps has a musical practice that is threefold: saxophonist, flutist, and composer. He’s had a long award-winning career playing with the great artists such as Ray Charles, Buddy Rich, Aretha Franklin, Gil Evans, John Abercrombie, Eartha Kitt, Lew Soloff and hundreds more. He features mainly jazz, but also other genres such as classical, funk, soul, Broadway, and chamber music. Rob published the book Rob Scheps: 30 Original Compositions in 2023. His writing is mainly for his own ensembles in Seattle, Kansas City, Portland, Denver, NYC and Honolulu. He composes with specific players in mind in the tradition started by Duke Ellington. Gil Evans, Lee Morgan, Carla Bley, Billy Strayhorn and Eayne Shorter are big influences in this area. He uses fresh creative approaches to rhythm, melody, meter, groove and timbre.He is the current artist-in-residence at Surel’s Place where he is working on a multi-movement original suite for jazz quintet comprised of pieces dedicated to some jazz icons who are his personal heroes. The piece is to be performed and recorded in NYC and Atlanta by his band, The Rob Scheps Core-tet.

Rob Scheps – Soprano sax and fluteMatt Cooper -PianoTim Green- BassLouis McFarland – Drums_____________________________________________________________________________________________Join us for dinner and drinks! The Sapphire Room features a full dinner and bar menu. The Sapphire Room is all-ages and family friendly. Every person that enters must have a ticket. No babes in arms.

REGISTER HERE

Jazz Night with Rob Scheps: The Music of John Coltrane and Wayne Shorter
2024-11-14 19:00 - 20:30 | Surel’s Place, 212 E. 33rd Street, Garden City, 83714, United States
Neophytes rejoice! Two iconic saxophonists / composers who are among the giants of recent jazz history revealed to you by world-class saxophonist/composer Rob Scheps. An overview survey of their recordings is an exciting window into their music that can work for attendees on any level of familiarity. Plus, Rob will discuss/demonstrate his work during the residency at Surel’s Place.

Free

Closing Night: Tenacious Collage
2024-11-14 19:00 - 20:30 | Surel’s Place, 212 E. 33rd Street, Garden City, 83714, United States
In addition to some wine and cheese to accompany the jazz at Jazz Night with Rob Scheps: The Music of John Coltrane and Wayne Shorter, we also have the artwork of Andrew Groth in the gallery. This will be the closing night.

Utilizing the best in synthetic adhesive technology, Tenacious Collage is a bold collection of two dimensional sculpture. Each piece is painstakingly created from layers of woven material, cut and carved into dynamic, colorful pieces.

DREWCO initially specialized in questioning artistic commodification, but has since expanded its product lines to include examples of moody ambivalence, moral ambiguity, societal contradictions and even challenging antiquated traditions. Andrew Groth navigates the liminal spaces, yet resists the temptation to take anything too seriously. He is an artist, musician, avid cyclist, animal fan, and child of the 80s who enjoys poking fun at things, at life, at art, at his art, and especially at himself.

First Friday Art & Studio Stroll
2024-12-06 17:30 - 20:30
Garden City’s Surel L. Mitchell Live-Work-Create District is bustling with artists, artisans, and creative, artisanal businesses. Come to our neighborhood on the river as much as you can, but especially during our First Friday Art & Studio Stroll.

More information is available on The Live-Work-Create GC Page on Facebook.

See below to view an interactive Google map of the First Friday participating venues.

Workshop: Choreographic Writing
2024-12-07 13:00 - 16:00 | Surel’s Place, 212 E. 33rd Street, Garden City, 83714, United States
Artist in residence Maxine Flasher-Düzgüneş will lead an introduction to using poetry scores in the creation of movement. It will consist of a physical and written improvisatory warm-up using the language aesthetics of erasure poetry technique, a form of found poetry where pre-existing text is blacked out to form new sequences of text. The warm-up will be followed by a composition exercise with poetry scores and an opportunity to share discoveries made within the creative process.

Workshop participants will have the opportunity to contribute their own poems as well as respond to the poems through movement. All poems by attendees will be displayed at Surel’s Place during open studio hours and during a culminating installation at the end of the month.

This workshop has been offered both online and in-person at NYU Tisch, University of Roehampton, Shawl Anderson Dance Center, Big Sky Workshop, The Writer’s Nest, The Collective SF, Ruth Asawa School of the Arts, Gallery Route One, CalPoets in the Schools, and more!

Date was changed from 11/23 to 12/7 to allow for increased participation.

REGISTER HERE

strikethrough 48: a performance installation
2024-12-13 19:00 - 20:30 | The Common Well, 110 W 31st St, Garden City, Idaho, 83714, United States
Artist-in-Residence Maxine Flasher-Düzgüneş presents an evening-length installation on the three-dimensionality of erasure poetry and its cross pollination with the disciplines of dance, animation, sound, and scenic design.

Original poems of Surel’s Place workshop participants will be displayed and opportunities will arise for attendees to strikethrough portions of text to create new ones. What remains of the poems will change the landscape of the space…

The installation will culminate with a solo performance in response to “strikethrough 48,” an erasure poem about ending one’s life in a country flooding with natural beauty but drought-ridden when it comes to services for the mentally ill. In collaboration with Taipei based animators Jade Lien & Irene Lin, whose “drawn-on-film” technique will be projected at intervals throughout the evening, along with ambient sound by Salt Lake City based composer Michael Wall.

A talk-back at 8pm will discuss the impact of interactive media and how both language and dance can be malleable and ephemeral in their attempts to touch the hearts and minds of those who encounter them.

REGISTER HERE

BLAC Water Rabbit Mural Opening & Dedication
2024-12-15 13:00 - 15:00 | Roots Zero Waste Market, 3308 W Chinden Blvd, Garden City, Idaho, 83714, United States
Celebrate the newest mural in the Surel Mitchell Live-Work-Create District during this opening celebration and dedication. Artist statements will be available inside with a dedication at 1:30pm.Created by artists from the Black Liberation Arts Collective @blac_boise: Carnessa Lynn @carnessalynn, Kiara Bell @_a.kiara, and Mungo Ligoya @mungowona. The mural is based on the Chinese Zodiac Water Rabbit, a symbol of rebirth and ambition. These first time muralists were mentored by Black Cat Sign Company @blackcatsignco. The project was made possible by the support of Together Treasure Valley, Surel’s Place, the Garden City Placemaking Fund, and Roots Zero Waste Market.

Opening Reception: Intimate Objects
2024-12-20 17:30 - 20:30 | Surel’s Place, 212 E. 33rd Street, Garden City, Idaho, 83714, United States
INTIMATE OBJECTSVEIKO VALENCIA

Opening Reception:Friday, December 20th | 5:30PM – 8:30PM

Open Hours:Saturday, December 21st | 1:00PM – 4:00PMSunday, December 22nd | 1:00PM – 4:00PM

free

The object is the subject. Physical reference points, receivers of light, generators of shadow- objects, though physical, define the positions we occupy in the world of ideas. An object is also a concept.

Veiko Valencia was born in Peru and has lived in Boise, Idaho, since 2007. He studied at a traditional Art School, Carlos Baca Flor, in Arequipa, Peru. Later, Valencia obtained his BFA in Painting and Drawing and his MFA in Visual Arts from Boise State University. He is a current recipient of the Alexa Rose residency.

Open Hours: Intimate Objects
2024-12-21 13:00 - 16:00, 2024-12-22 13:00 - 16:00 | Surel’s Place, 212 E. 33rd Street, Garden City, 83714, United States

Walk with Artificial Intelligence: Envisioning a Collaborative Future in Our Community
2025-01-25 13:00 - 16:00 | Surel’s Place, 212 E. 33rd Street, Garden City, 83714, United States
Artist-in-Residence Song Lu delves into the fascinating history and development of Artificial Intelligence (AI), with a particular focus on its intersection with the art field. She’ll lead participants in an exploration of how AI originated, its evolution over time, and its profound impact on various aspects of our lives. By examining the connections between AI and art, this workshop aims to uncover the underlying issues and ethical considerations associated with this cutting-edge technology. Through engaging discussions and interactive activities, participants will gain a deeper understanding of AI’s role in shaping our world and expand their imagination about this innovative tool while also critiquing the numerous issues behind it.

Ages 15 & up

$35

REGISTER HERE

Partial scholarships available upon request

Biography

Even during her childhood in her homeland of China, Song Lu knew she had a passion for making things no one had seen before. This inspired her to pursue a career as an artist and move to New York to obtain an MFA in Photography, Video, and Related Media from the School of Visual Arts, where she graduated in 2021.

“There is nothing else in the world that compares to the feeling of creating something from scratch and seeing it come to life before my very eyes,” she writes. Lu’s art explores the multiple dimensions of memory, emotion, and relationships, with a focus on personal consciousness in the context of social experience. Working across a variety of visual media, including photography, video, 3D animation, and artificial intelligence-generated images, Lu’s work breaks down the traditional boundaries of the familiar, while reinterpreting and redefining them in a playful way. By presenting the intricate connections between things, she provides the viewer with multiple perspectives on the world around them.

Song Lu’s work has been shown in various art exhibitions and screenings in different cities and regions, including ZAZ 10 TS in New York, Flatiron Project Space in New York, UNTITLED Art Fair in Miami, Breeze Art Fair in Seoul, PHOTOFAIR Shanghai in Shanghai, Advance Art Museum in Changsha, CICA Museum in South Korea, UNFOLD Art Book Fair in Shanghai, Unlimited Edition Seoul Art Book Fair in Seoul, and others. Song Lu is also one of the “20 exciting artists to watch,” as chosen by the editors of Art in America magazine in the 2024 Fall Talent Issue.

Lunar New Year Celebration
2025-02-01 10:00 - 16:00 | Jump Boise, 1000 W Myrtle St, Boise, Idaho, 83702, United States
SCALES OF CODESaturday, February 1st | 10:00am – 4:00pm

free

at JUMP: 1000 W. Myrtle Street in Boise

The year of the snake is upon us! Artist-in-Residence Song Lu connected with the Idaho Chinese Organization and will be participating in their Lunar New Year Celebration at JUMP on Feb 1st. The Idaho Chinese Organization is a local nonprofit that promotes cultural experiences and community unity in the Treasure Valley. In addition to helping with a calligraphy writing activity, Song will be featuring her latest collaborative AI-generated video art piece, Scales of Code, created with her artist friend Fan Yu as part of their collaborative art practice, OHuo.

This collaborative video art piece uses over 30 materials to explore the theme of a “snake.” The dynamic changes in snake scales symbolize the interplay of natural order and geometric aesthetics. Combining Chinese folk arts, Western fine arts, and everyday elements with AI-generated animations, the work blurs the boundaries between the virtual and real, giving traditional art contemporary significance and technological vitality.

hum-ai-n
2025-02-03 19:00 - 20:30 | Surel’s Place, 212 E. 33rd Street, Garden City, 83714, United States
EXHIBITION AND ART TALK

Art talk at 7:30 pm

What happens when AI gives you more (or less) than you asked for?Song Lu spent her residency deepening her exploration into the connections between what’s generated by Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the bias that comes along with that. At Surel’s Place she began a third stage in this work. In all these stages, Song Lu utilizes AI-generated imagery that changes based on different prompts, highlighting embedded biases. The first stage, titled Snow Drawing, challenged the occupational segregation perpetuated by AI algorithms. When she prompted the AI program to generate an image of an artist, it tended to picture an older white man, which began Song Lu’s investigation into exposing the narrow, Western-centric perspective perpetuated within the design.

As a result of this first exploration, Song Lu found “It’s clear that there’s a need for more diversity in the art world, and this extends to the language we use to describe artists and their work.” The second stage, Working Women, explored individual experiences influenced by both Western and Eastern cultures. This stage seeked to underscore the significance of women’s agency and power in society.

Now, in this third stage, “Hum-ai-n,” Song Lu has delved deeper into AI technology, referencing official data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Song Lu focuses particularly on two major advancements in their database: the AI chatbot ChatGPT and the AI image generator MidJourney. She uses these tools to dissect and critique the underlying data structures that shape our world, exploring aspects such as occupation, race and ethnicity, place of birth, cultural background, educational background, gender and gender identity, age, interests, and hobbies. Her aim is to discuss what distinguishes “hum-ai-n” from humans and their potential relationship. She also explores how historical data about humans can become biased, leading to stereotypes, and how to revise these aspects to create a more diverse representation of human beings. Through visual formats, Song Lu examines the implications of these technologies on our lived experiences and societal structures.

Embroidering Traditional Techniques and 2D Animation
2025-02-15 13:00 - 16:00 | Surel’s Place, 212 E. 33rd Street, Garden City, 83714, United States
Artist in residence Ainaz Alipour will introduce you to her traditional Iranian embroidery techniques and how this can be integrated with 2D animation, emphasizing cultural representation and self-expression. You will receive hands-on practice with basic stitches and patterns from northern Khorasan. Using these skills, you will create a small textile panel. Then, the participants will work together to create a small collaborative animation project integrating your embroidered piece.

$45 guest

$35 sustaining member

Register Here

BIOGRAPHY

Ainaz Alipour (b. Iran) is an interdisciplinary artist whose practice explores the interplay between textile traditions and contemporary artistic expression, emphasizing cultural representation in art and its potential to challenge power structures. Drawing from Iranian cultural imagery, she creates installations that integrate soft sculptures, utilizing local sewing crafts and embroidery techniques from northern Khorasan. Alipour’s work focuses on the dynamics and politics of bodies, engaging viewers through tactile fabric-based forms that challenge colonial representations and assert the presence and agency of marginalized bodies. Her multimedia installations have been recognized and awarded, with curated screenings at the Rochester Contemporary Art Center and exhibitions at the Ringling Museum of Art and the Mattie Kelly Art Center.

Ainaz Alipour received her MFA in Studio Arts from the University of South Florida; her MA in Animation and Film from Trabiat Modares University in Tehran, Iran; and a BFA in Printmaking from the Tehran University of Art.
