In 2023, with generous support from the Hewlett Foundation, BAAITS was able to provide financial support to local and regional Two-Spirit and IndigeQueer Artists and Cultural Bearers organizations and collectives. We are excited to highlight some of them and their amazing work!
Murmurations: a Queer Body of werQ
In 2023, Gaia WXYZ and I had the honor and pleasure of co-curating the National Queer Arts Festival visual art exhibition, Murmurations: a Queer Body of werQ at somArts Cultural Center. Murmurations featured several Two-Spirit and Indigequeer visual and performing artists with connections to the Bay Area, and whose work explores what it means to inhabit a Queer/Trans/Femme Indigenous body, being a survivor of continuously colonized lands, and witnessing one another’s resilience in community. As two curators of color, we sought to uplift the voices of Black and Indigenous artists, particularly those with deep roots and ties to the Bay Area.
The funding from BAAITS allowed us to offer an honorarium to each artist and performer that was more equitable and on par with our cost of living. One of our goals is to pay our BIPOC artists equitably and to support in creating sustainable models of collaboration. BAAITS's support not only underscores the value of artists and performers but also sets a significant benchmark for how they should be compensated, especially in light of living costs. It's particularly heartening that emerging performers experienced this level of acknowledgment and support for their work, many for the first time. This kind of support not only fosters a healthier, more sustainable arts community but also encourages continued innovation and participation in the cultural landscape. Furthermore, Murmurations brought in more young Trans and Queer BIPOC than ever before, and that is a reflection of our intention to include fresh and exciting emerging artists who are pushing the edges of contemporary queer and Two Spirit visual and performing art.
With Deep Appreciation,
Xtal Azul and Gaia WXYZ
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Pachacuti initially came from a desire to create a diasporic response to the mobilization of the 4 suyos (the 4 parts of Tawantinsuyo) called for by elders after the 2023 right-wing coup in Perú. Our collective Chuqui Chinchay had been in the process of gathering funds to support Quechua and Aymara organizing in Perú for a year and the opportunity given to us by BAAITS’s funding gave us the opportunity to actualize the event while also prioritizing reciprocity with our artists and sustainability in our organizing. The event came together as an Andean 2S cultural event, with 2 drag sets, one live set, 1 vinyl set, and 3 DJ sets. In total, we counted 140 attendees, in addition to 22 volunteers, 4 vendors, and 10 artists. The capacity of the space was kept to 100 people indoors at a time, masked for COVID safety.
We received very sweet feedback during and after the event about the homemade chicha, empanadas, and chimichurri that we sold. It was very special to see everyone sharing Andean foods and it was an introductory moment to many friends who had never tried chicha before. The chicha was made from maiz morado, a purple corn that grows in the Andes of Peru, Bolivia, and Ecuador. Maiz Morado is descended from a common ancestral variety termed "kʼculli" in Quechua. The vegan empanadas were a family recipe from one of our collective members. We were fortunate enough to bring in our blood & chosen family members to be a part of making food for the event, cousins and parents, and friends all came together to prepare our ancestral foods for 100+ people.
The event was more successful than we could have imagined possible. Plant knowledge, family recipes and 2S Andean medicines were passed on intergenerationally through the organization process of the event, creating 2S medicine legacies which will only continue to grow as our diaspora continues to connect. Members of the collective reflected that this was the first time in our lives we’d been able to share space with so many other Queer & 2S Andeans at one time. The context felt right; nightlife naturally functions as a queer space of encounter. We simply took the format most known to us and expanded it spiritually and ancestrally to allow it to materialize in a way that was specifically 2S. Jallalla BAAITS, jallalla Chuqui Chinchay! "
Yuspajara,
-Inèz + Grupo Chuqui Chinchay
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Weaving Spirits Festival of Two-Spirit Performance
Weaving Spirits Festival of Two-Spirit Performance features local and national Native American artists whose offerings range from traditional music to experimental performance and drag. Weaving Spirits curators Javier Stell-Fresquez & Miko Thomas/Landa Lakes joined forces with local Seattle artists/producers raktachu (Indigequeer Fest) and Timothy White Eagle in 2023. Javier & Brush Arbor Gurlz showcased September 7 at Western Arts Alliance Conference. We attracted attention to our touring plans from national & international presenters and offered a Festival on September 9, 2023 at On The Boards.
We are...Weaving the ways of the past into the loom of the present...Embracing sexuality and our full selves in performance…creating our own visibility!
For more information please visit: https://www.weavingspirits.com
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Divine Reflections: Sovereign Visions by Two Spirit and Indigequeer Artists
Curator Statement by Edgar Frias:
I had the honor of putting together a virtual exhibition featuring new artwork by three Two-Spirit or Indigiqueer artists. The goal was to highlight their voices and acknowledge their cultural and personal importance. As curator, my job was to give these artists a platform to share their vital work. I trusted their expertise in choosing mediums and messages. Their art impressed me deeply, and I felt privileged to curate it.
The artists—Demian DinéYazhi’, Kira Xonorika, and Yoli—each picked a piece that fit the
exhibition’s theme. I supported them in their selection process and organized brief
conversations where they discussed their creative process and themes. Additionally, I created a guided visualization titled;”Gifting Our Kin: Indigiqueer; Two-Spirit Healing Circle”; as my curatorial statement for the exhibition.
Their artwork and our discussions were showcased in a virtual gallery on the website on cyber, designed to look like the interior of a spaceship floating in space. This platform allows visitors worldwide to explore the exhibition together, engaging in voice and text conversations as they experience the art. I’ve also made a simpler version of the exhibition on my artist website for better accessibility.
The exhibition can be found here: https://www.edgarfabianfrias.org/divine-reflections
The virtual gallery can be found here: https://oncyber.io/spaces/f7OTVvcLIAjQehPodyXt