Introducing: The Portal: Between The Everyday and The Sacred

This three-session workshop series explores the relationship between contemporary art-making and the sacred in everyday life (using Zadie Smith’s essay on photography, “Through the Portal,” as a point of departure). Through a range of multimedia practices—including video, literature, and photography—the series examines how artists document the present, engaging with media as a site of both artistic and spiritual inquiry. 

This series of workshops is inspired by online showings such as “Art in a Time Like This” by Barbara Pollack and Anne Verhallen, “Queer.Archive.Work” by Paul Soulellis, “Home Alone Survival Guide” by Max Siedentopf, and “The Free Black Woman’s Library” by OlaRonke Akinmowo, which all emphasize the act of preserving the ordinary while transforming it into a space of reflection. Participants will develop their own individual or collective digital exhibition, centering themes of transcendence and ritual.

Session 1 | January 15 at 7:15 PM | RSVP Link

Our first session will focus on determining our own roles in art-making, and on digital potentials for showing art; we will draw inspiration from pioneering artists who have successfully adapted their practices to virtual spaces. We will begin developing our virtual exhibition, participate in two discussion activities, and collaboratively create a class playlist.

Session 2 | February 5 at 7:15 PM | RSVP Link

Our second session will explore transforming nothing (silence or absence) into something (form). Participants will also develop a shared understanding of how art has intersected with social justice movements, with a particular focus on the work of local Massachusetts artists since 2020. 

We will engage in a discussion of assigned readings and highlight + celebrate the contributions of these artists. Additionally, participants will take time to define their personal goals for the future, setting a foundation for their artistic and professional growth.

Session 3 | March 12 at 7:15 PM | RSVP Link

In our final session, we will work on finalizing and publishing our collective virtual archive and exhibition, celebrating the culmination of our journey in bringing our shared vision to life.

Facilitator Bio:

Tyahra Symone Angus is a Boston-based photographer and artist dedicated to celebrating Queer and Black identities. She founded AfroCentered Media in 2015 to enhance the representation of Black and Brown individuals in media, with a focus on Black women and Queer women. Known for her vernacular portraits and event photography, Tyahra created an archive of event photography from Black-owned groups in 2018. She also organizes photo-booth pop-ups, film screenings, and workshops on documentary photography. A Smith College graduate with a concentration in Black Queer Literature and Art, Tyahra earned her MFA in Visual Arts from Lesley University and recently became an Art Therapy Practitioner. Her work has been featured in Black Futures (Penguin, Random House, 2021).