Introducing Madly Involved ✰✰✰
CURATED BY MUENI LOKO RUDD
Come through on February 16, for the opening night of “Madly Involved,” the newest art show at The Future Front House. Curated by Texas-based cultural producer Mueni Loko Rudd, this exhibition kicks off two months of events at The House for Black History Month and Women’s History Month.
Drinks by Tito’s Handmade Vodka and Topo Chico, with tunes by Austin-based performers DJ Fairy Aries and Intimacy Simulator. RSVPs encouraged. Scroll for more details on how to attend the opening.
ABOUT THE SHOW
Madly Involved, curated by Mueni Loko Rudd, shares an immersive group exhibition that explores the intricate relationship between artists and their creations through the lens of various sociological perspectives.
This collection showcases diverse works that reflect the dynamic interplay of identity, symbolic interactionism, and global influences within the contemporary art landscape.
Through the exhibition, witness how participating Black women and Black queer artists, deeply immersed in their creative process, draw inspiration from symbolic interactionism.
Symbolic elements, both personal and cultural, serve as the building blocks for their expressions, transcending conventional boundaries.
The exhibition delves into the impact of identity, social class, and cultural capital on artistic preferences, highlighting how individuals from different backgrounds engage with art uniquely. The spectrum of artistic choices mirrors the socialization processes that mold artistic identity.
about the artists
SACUGAR EDWARDS
SACUGAR EDWARDS is a lullaby to the black epic, a hum on a mission to reimagine paradise as one that understands our presence in the future. An ode to their school days in Jamaica, her inspiration begins at memories in the streets with the sun. As Isah Edwards, based in Texas; the (she/her) behind the iPad, they tackle the strenuous stares of anxiety that come with our unwavering radical fight for freedom. Paired with a passion for tech, cultural shifts in our environments, and furthering the conversation on afro-surrealism; she uses Procreate, paint, and any trash she can accumulate to create a militant merge of the dream and its reality. SACUGAR tells the story of the tender black smile and its gold-toothed zeal.
MELINDA GRIFFITH
Melinda Griffith is a left-handed folk artist from Bed Stuy that creates work inspired by Black Americana, and other representations of Blackness that were not created by, or necessarily for Black people. Her current practice involves sculpting with paper-mache, polymer, and epoxy clay. In her free time she can be found rummaging through the depths of Ebay, two-stepping to rocksteady & practicing jiu jitsu.
AUDREY LYALL
Audrey Lyall is a multi-media artist raised in Corte Madera, CA and currently residing in Brooklyn, NY. Lyall uses a variety of materials such as collaged paper, found objects, and beauty products within her practice. She uses this plethora of materials to create maximalist Afro-futurist paintings, sculptures, and installations. Within her artistic practice she navigates beauty standards, celebrity culture, surveillance, and social anxiety. Lyall graduated from Pratt Institute with a B.A. in Critical & Visual Studies, minoring in Museum & Gallery Practices. She has exhibited with 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair, New Image Art, and Superposition Gallery.
Photo by Carina Allen (@rlyhotcreative)
MOSES LEONARDO
Moses Leonardo is an artist born in New York City, New York and raised around the East Coast. They have a BFA in Painting from the Maryland Institute College of Art and their work focuses on sexuality, race, nightlife, music, spirituality, and gender.
MEET THE CURATOR, mueni loko rudd
Mueni Loko Rudd (she/her) is a Kenyan-American community champion, cultural preservationist, scholar advocate, and tastemaker based in Texas. Throughout her career, she has contributed to community and scholarly work that promotes reimagining liberation for historically oppressed communities. Mueni’s curatorial practice acts through intentionality and mindfulness, challenging the white centered colonial patriarchal art space. She has curated six visual arts and live music shows at Martha’s Contemporary, serves as a grant reviewer for the Texas Commission on the Arts, and is a member of The City of Austin African American Resource Advisory Commission. Deeply committed to her values she has pursued a path in the art space that is rooted in intentionality.
Photo by Justin Heron
“The rationale of this show is rooted in my prioritization of reshaping the art landscape by exploring themes related to race and identity. The relationship Black women and Black queer communities have in the art world is complex and multifaceted. Madly Involved is an exhibition that by practice and intention honors the intersectionality and representation observed in the works and lives of the participating artists. We know Black women and Black queer artists face challenges related to visibility, recognition, and the intersectionality of their identities. The show challenges art and creative non-profit spaces alike to engage in breaking down hierarchies and challenging the dominant narratives in art to create space for diverse voices. My invitation into this space and audience is instrumental in challenging traditional norms and fostering a more empathic and equitable art community.”
ABOUT THE NIGHT’S DJS
Intimacy Simulator blends Jungle, techno, house and dub in Austin's underground circuit, offering immersive sonic experiences born from the city's vibrant nightlife. His sets are hypnotic voyages through sounds of the African diaspora, promising transcendent evenings dotted with moments of ecstasy and reflection.
DJ FAIRY ARIES (she/they) is a DJ based in Austin, Texas. “Frolic with the last Austin Native. Let's keep Austin lit of our records.”
how to attend
The Future Front House is open to the public. Every donation made by purchasing goods, donating online or giving at the door will directly benefit our programs.
*If you are a Future Front member, this event is free for you and your guests. Please access your membership at members.futurefronttexas.org or futurefrontmembership.squarespace.com for more details.
Name your own ticket price at check-out to donate below:
PREPARE YOUR VISIT TO THE FUTURE FRONT HOUSE.
The Future Front House is located at 1900 E. 12th Street within the historic East 12th Street District.
WHERE TO PARK: The Future Front House has a large paid parking lot across the street and is directly accessible by bus line. There’s also free parking up and down the street and in surrounding neighborhoods. Carpool, if you can!
WHAT TO DO: The Future Front House is located within the historic East 12th Street District, which is home to many other creative spaces and businesses, as well as organizations like Six Square. Explore the District while you’re around.
AVAILABLE LANGUAGES — ASL interpreters can be provided upon request. Si necesita traducción al español para participar en este evento, envíenos un correo electrónico a hello@futurefronttexas.org.
IMPORTANT COMMUNITY NOTES + GUIDELINES —
All Future Front staff, volunteers and guests will be required to practice mutual respect, as well as demonstrate an alignment with Future Front’s guidelines and values: futurefronttexas.org/values.
All Future Front sessions are currently held online, outdoors or in open-air spaces where quality air flow is possible, ADA compliance is prioritized and assisted mobility devices can be utilized.
All Future Front sessions follow capacity limits to reduce crowding of any kind.
All guests are expected to follow local health and safety guidelines for gathering, as well as practice consideration with the consumption of tobacco, alcohol and any other legal, mind-altering substances.
GOT QUESTIONS? Shoot us a note at hello@futurefronttexas.org. We're happy to help and will get back to you!
behind FUTURE FRONT
Homegrown in Austin, Future Front is a community space and exhibition series—with women and LGBTQ+ creatives at the front.
As an arts and culture nonprofit, we’re mother to The Front Market, The Front Festival and The Work Conference. Beyond our flagship exhibitions, we host year-round shows, gatherings and workshops at our creative community space in East Austin. Everybody and every body are welcome.
You can learn more about how it all works, our team and what we do: futurefronttexas.org.
THIS PROJECT IS SUPPORTED IN PART BY THE CITY OF AUSTIN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, TITO’S HANDMADE VODKA, TOPO CHICO, AS WELL AS FUTURE FRONT’S DONORS AND MEMBERS. THANK YOU!