Join us for the Opening Ceremony of LIGHT BODIES, curated by Laura Stevenson and Melissa Lewis/ABG (Asian Babe Gang). LIGHT BODIES collides neon light artworks with live performances, and will be an interdisciplinary gallery show, pop-up performance series, and set of community social practices that put the moving body in conversation with neon and light.
During the opening night, performers will activate a vibrant collection of 20+ neon and light pieces by creating dynamic movement responses to each neon work.

Doors: 6:00PM
Performances: 8:00PM and 9:00PM

NEON ARTISTS:
Alleson Buchanan @radiantneon
Amy Palms @_neon_palms
Anika Chasuk @town.neon
M Camille MacRae @camillemakes
Dace Suna @_DACE
Karen Heisler @karenheisler
Laura Stevenson @riteguydesign
Lzrd Uzcangah @uzcangah
Shawna Peterson @petersonneon

PARTICIPATING PERFORMANCE/DANCE ARTISTS -
The performances of LIGHT BODIES is co-designed/performed by Melissa Lewis /
Asian Babe Gang (ABG). ABG is a horizontally-led collective of queer, Asian American-identifying womxn/femmes/non-binary artists. ABG’s founding core group is lead by:
Melissa Lewis (@lemelissa)
Malia Byrne (@maliabyr)
Rose Huey (@rosehuey)
Kim Ip (@krimmip)
Aiano Nakagawa (@aiano_)
Nina Wu (@ninawuwuwu)

The arrangement of neon works in B4BEL4B will toggle between domestic and forest, with a focus on works that emulate the human body, echo nature, and invite movement. LIGHT BODIES will feature neon works that can be picked up, stepped over and moved through by performers.

Performance responses will be curated and performed by Asian Babe Gang (ABG) - Performance events will spark new cross-pollination between the neon/light community and the contemporary performance/drag community—inviting audiences and attendees of this show into an interdisciplinary, immersive gallery experience in very close proximity to a diversity of dance, movement and performance forms.

This show asks: what happens when you put two forms rarely together, in scarily close proximity? Can we reimagine neon as a natural gas and organic form again? How have we both been harnessed for capitalism and entertainment? What do our bodies have in common with neon? What if neon were striving to be more human? How does neon make the body feel? Is neon electrical/industrial, or is it alive/feeling? What is the dialogue between the energy of neon and the tactile body? What is the function and meaning of contemporary neon and dance in Chinatown?