Transcendence at Performance Space New York

Artists: Dani Davis, Lexii Foxx, Kaiya, Kammy-Rae, Alethia Rael, Puppies Puppies (Jade Guanaro Kuriki-Olivo)

Exhibition title: Transcendence

Organized by: Puppies Puppies (Jade Guanaro Kuriki-Olivo)

Venue: Performance Space New York, New York, US

Date: March 11 – April 17, 2022

Photography: all images copyright and courtesy of the artists and Performance Space New York

Note: Full press release and program are available here and here

Performance Space New York Presents TGNC Resilience Gala and Awards (March 4) and Accompanying Group Exhibition, Transcendence (March 11-April 17), Organized by Puppies Puppies (Jade Guanaro Kuriki-Olivo), with Dani Davis, Lexii Foxx, Kaiya, Kammy-Rae, and Alethia Rael

Hosted by Dani Davis, Gala Honors Tahtianna Candy Fermin (CEO/Founder of Bridges4Life), Qween Jean (CEO/Founder of Black Trans Liberation), and Lexii Foxx (Founder of Stop Killing Us), and Fundraises for Their Organizations at the Heart of New York’s Black Trans Lives Matter Movement

Transcendence, the Group Exhibition of Sculpture, Painting, Video, and Installation Extending from the Award Ceremony, Serves as a Platform for a Series of Events, Including:

Octopus Event Organized by Puppies Puppies (Jade Guanaro Kuriki-Olivo), with Performances from Beaujangless and Chella Man (March 15 at 8 pm)
Multifaceted Healing Session with Alethia Rael (March 27 at 6 pm)
Trans Umbrella Art Healing Collective, a Sober Paint and Chat and Event Led by Lexii Foxx (April 1 at 6-8:30pm) and an Empowerment Runway Through Her Stop Killing Us Campaign (April 16, 7-9pm)
Concert Fundraiser Organized by Tahtianna Candy Fermin (Bridges4Life), with a 13-Instrument Band and Vocals from Qween Jean (April 9 at 8 pm)

Performance Space New York presents TGNC Resilience Gala and Awards (March 4), which unfolds into a group exhibition, Transcendence (March 11-April 17), both organized by Puppies Puppies (Jade Guanaro Kuriki-Olivo) with Dani Davis, Lexii Foxx, Kaiya, Kammy-Rae, and Alethia Rael (all of whom will perform at the March 4 ceremony) and set within the organization’s Keith Haring Theatre (150 1st Ave. 4th floor). These projects celebrate trans/GNC/2S+ Black, Brown, and Indigenous artists, creatives, musicians, and models—and their perseverance against the hardships they persistently face—as well as founders of organizations helping these communities near and far. Today, the group announces the interconnected events activating the exhibit with performance, music, and healing discussion and energy.

When Performance Space New York asked sculpture, installation, performance, and conceptual artist Puppies Puppies (Jade Guanaro Kuriki-Olivo) to do a commission, she extended the invitation to her community of collaborators, trans sisters and siblings. Through these projects, from March to mid-April, Performance Space New York will become a site of open creation for members of the community that grew from Black Trans Lives Matter protest groups that gathered every week for over a year at Stonewall—and continued to bond through Tahtianna Candy Fermin’s organization Bridges4Life, Qween Jean’s organization Black Trans Liberation, and Lexii Foxx’s organization Stop Killing Us.

Kuriki-Olivo has throughout her career declared unexpected objects, places, and actions art. Formerly known to obscure her identity within blunt costume shop reifications of pop-cultural icons (Voldemort, SpongeBob)—with her identity beyond Puppies Puppies unknown to the public until 2018—the artist now asserts art in the everyday of her own life as an Indigenous, Japanese, Mixed trans woman and two-spirit person, and within the community in which she’s become immersed.

She says, “When I started to transition I couldn’t stay anonymous anymore, it meant something different as a trans woman to stay hidden.” Kuriki-Olivo adds, “In protesting, I realized a whole other form of action: being out in the world. It was really invigorating and it relates to ballroom culture—but outside on the street. It was this beautiful environment where we could all express ourselves freely, dress how we would want to dress if we weren’t afraid someone would want to hurt us or kill us.”

Lexii Foxx, Visibility, 2022, UV Paint, Fabric, Fox Beauty Supply. Image courtesy of Performance Space New York and the artist. Photo: Da Ping Luo

Ameirah Neal, (From right to left) The Mother The Maiden The Crone (2021), The Guardian (2022), The Divine Output (2022), The Goddess Sisters (2021), Acrylic on Canvas. Image courtesy of Performance Space New York and the artist. Photo: Da Ping Luo

Chella Man, supporT, 2021, Shoes, discarded testosterone bottles, 10.5 x 5.5 inches. Image courtesy of Performance Space New York and the artist. Photo: Da Ping Luo

Puppies Puppies (Jade Guanaro Kuriki-Olivo), Trans Flag Monument Dress, 2022. Proposal For A Larger Live Performance On A Telescopic Boom Lift. Future Performance with the largest possible Trans Flag Dress. Telescopic Boom Lift, 30 foot Trans Flag, Mannequin, Belt, Pins, Dress. Image courtesy of Performance Space New York and the artist. Photo: Da Ping Luo

Pilar Adara, Transcendence, 2022. Digital Video, 27 minutes. Image courtesy of Performance Space New York and the artist. Photo: Da Ping Luo

Lexii Foxx, Body Type, 2022, Chalk, Paper , Caution Tape, Gun, Bullets, Flowers, Debris, Metal Grate, Mannequin, Fabric, Trash Can, Metal Chain, Rose Petals, Pink Candle, Caution Tape. Image courtesy of Performance Space New York and the artist. Photo: Da Ping Luo

Lexii Foxx, SW is L Blood and Tears, 2022, Red heels, Condoms, Bed, Umbrella, Sheets, Pillows, Caution Tape, AJAX, Tables, Water Bottle, Pink and Blue Candle, Fan, Iron, Ironing Table, Hanger, Chairs, Table, Wine Bottle, Wine, Water. Image courtesy of Performance Space New York and the artist. Photo: Da Ping Luo

Lexii Foxx, Broken, 2022, Metal Chain, Chalk. Image courtesy of Performance Space New York and the artist. Photo: Da Ping Luo

Lexii Foxx, Time Lost Timeline, 2022, “Our Time Is Too Short” in Vinyl, “Protect Black Trans Women” in Vinyl, Clocks. Image courtesy of Performance Space New York and the artist. Photo: Da Ping Luo

Lexii Foxx, The Past That Is Present, 2022, Tombstones, Pink Blue and White Candles, Barbie Dolls, Roses, Red Umbrella. Image courtesy of Performance Space New York and the artist. Photo: Da Ping Luo

Octopus feat Chella Man and Beaujangless-Maria Baranova, 2022, Performance Space New York

Puppies Puppies (Jade Guanaro Kuriki-Olivo), A Rose Is A Rose Is A Rose Is Roses For My Trans/ GNC/Non-Binary/Two-Spirt Sisters, Brothers & Siblings (Originally Installed For The First TGNC+ Gala and Award Show on March 4, 2022), 2022. Hundreds Of Live Roses In Vials of Water and Plant Food Hanging From The Ceiling (Appearing To Rain Down On The Viewer), Clear Fishing Line, Artificial Roses. Image courtesy of Performance Space New York and the artist. Photo: Santiago Felipe