Re:Collect

Healing is restorative justice. And a key component of restorative justice is an accurate and honest account of what needs to be restored.

When we look at colonialism and its impacts on autochthonous and Indigenous people of the world, we see a consistent systematic process of theft and erasure; theft of land, wealth, community, sovereignty, language, and spiritual practice. An integral part of colonialism and genocide is the persecution of spiritual leaders and desecration of sacred locations and temples. So as we address the needs of the community to heal, it is important to acknowledge the necessity of safe places to engage in Indigenous spiritual practices and erect sacred spaces.

Re:Collect is a temple that invites its observers to be immersed in a space outside of time and English, to travel to a sacred place that exists before and after colonialism. The goal of the installation is to evoke the memories left by our ancestors encoded in our genetics, to create a container of safety and healing, and to stimulate the imagination via submersion in the unfamiliar.

This exhibition seeks to benefit and engage underrepresented communities in Santa Cruz County with a focus on Black / Indigenous populations; populations who have been historically persecuted and marginalized due to their spiritual practices; and community healers and spiritualists who have survived under the titles of artist, entertainers, birth workers, etc. Our definition of Indigenous is not limited to the Natives of Turtle Island, but encompasses all displaced Indigenous people.

Re:Collect is guest curated by Luna High-John Bey and features works by Oakland-based muralists Timothy B, Zoe Boston, and Shogun Shido.

Header image: Artwork by Shogun Shido.