Taking its name from what was once considered the lowest rung of visual art, the still life, Naturaleza Muerta is an assortment of objects attempting to collaborate: a braid in a bottle of Nicaraguan Flor de Caña rum becomes a molotov cocktail; a set of bolt cutters remains the same while transforming into an ex voto in its place on an altar along with a gallon of purified water. Indigenous art materials, such as nochetzli ink, amate paper, and ayate fabric and thread, take their place alongside plexiglass, synthetic hair, lace, and images gleaned from settler colonialist publications such as National Geographic.
Naturaleza Muerta could be understood as a companion to La Movida, a collection of anti-fascist love poetry by Tatiana Luboviski-Acosta, published by Nightboat Books. A hybrid release for La Movida and opening for Naturaleza Muerta will take place on Thursday, July 14, 2022.
Tatiana Luboviski-Acosta is a nicaragüense jewish artist, poet, and anarchist living in the Mission District of Yelamu, in the unceded ancestral lands of the Ramaytush Ohlone.
Tatiana will be joined by fellow poets Laura Levin and Raul Ruiz. Special musical guest will be Grimas.
Lauren Levin is a poet and mixed-genre writer, author of Nightwork (Golias Books, 2021), Justice Piece // Transmission (Timeless, Infinite Light, 2018), and THE BRAID (Krupskaya, 2016), which won the 2016 SFSU Poetry Center Book Award. With Eric Sneathen they co-edited Honey Mine, Camille Roy's selected fiction (Nightboat Books, 2021). They live in Richmond, CA, and are committed to queer art, intersectional feminism, being a parent, and anxiety.
Raul Ruiz is a public health worker whose chapbook Mustard is coming out as soon as Drop Leap Press se ponen las pilas.
Grimas is tales from the perspective of an anticapitalist dog. Themes include solitude, being loyal to your pack, the desire to be unchained, pissing on private property, being unable to sleep due to fleas, y el perreo bien sucio. Grimas: Lyrics, vocals and Korg Kaossilator. Produced by Nanosaur using Ableton.