Exorcism = Liberation is a public art project by Puerto Rican-born, Brooklyn-based artist Yanira Castro / a canary torsi and a team of collaborating artists. The project is taking place across multiple local organizations in citywide collective experiences in New York City, Chicago and the Connecticut River Valley of Western Massachusetts.
Exorcism = Liberation utilizes familiar forms of political media campaigns to immerse the public in collective sonic experiences, calling us to grieve, remember and act towards mutual liberation during this presidential election. The project is composed of three slogans and QR codes distributed through posters, ads, handmade banners, lawn signs, stickers and pins through participating community organizations.
The Invisible Dog Art Center is hosting the project’s sonic experiences, “What is your first memory of dirt?”, on its storefront window. Making the experience available to everyone on the street.
On Saturday, September 7 at 6pm, there will be a free activation of “What is your first memory of dirt?” in the Invisible Dog’s garden followed by Castro’s movement score, Clearing Practice, performed by devynn emory. There will be light refreshment served, prepared by Castro, a culinary response to migration, and her Boricua roots.
To find out about other activations and events in New York City, Chicago and Western Massachusetts, please visit exorcism-liberation.net/events.
Artistic Credits for Exorcism = Liberation
Conceived, Written and Directed by Yanira Castro
Audio Design by Erica Ricketts
Graphic Design by Alejandro Torres Viera and Luis Vázquez O’Neill
Voice Performances by Melissa DuPrey, josé alejandro rivera, Steph Reyes
Bomba performed by Michael Rodríguez
Creative Producer Ariel Lembeck
Live performer devynn emory
Funding Credits
Exorcism = Liberation is stewarded locally in Western MA by A.P.E. Ltd. in partnership with the UMass Fine Arts Center and by Experimental Sound Studio in Chicago. In NYC, the project is spearheaded by Castro’s collaborative team, a canary torsi, and made possible by the generous support of Creative Capital, a NYSCA/NYFA Interdisciplinary Artist fellowship, and the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council’s Arts Center Residency.
About a canary torsi
Yanira Castro is an interdisciplinary artist born in Borikén (Puerto Rico), living in Lenapehoking (Brooklyn), and working at the intersection of communal practices, performance, installation, and interactive technology. She forms iterative, multimodal projects that center collective action in works activated and performed by the public. Since 2009, she’s created and performed with a team of collaborators as a canary torsi. Her work has recently been supported by Creative Capital, The Alpert Award, NYSCA/NYFA Interdisciplinary Artist Fellowship, Maggie Allesee National Center for Choreography, LMCC, MacDowell, and Yaddo. Castro is the recipient of two New York Dance & Performance (aka Bessie) Awards for Outstanding Production.
Website: www.acanarytorsi.org
Instagram: @acanarytorsi
Admission
Free
Date + Time
Saturday September 7th
6:00 - 7:00pm
Location
51 Bergen St
The Garden