Invasive Species: Eco/Systems Land Based Initiatives (Gallery Exhibit)

*The gallery will be closed Saturday, October 7th for AAI's annual Block Party.

For information on the Invasive Species project, please visit here.

Asian Arts Initiative is pleased to present Invasive Species: Eco/Systems Land Based Initiatives, a series of projects and events that are the culmination of the two-year collaboration with Dr. Ashley Gripper (of Land Based Jawns) and Sonia Galiber (of Soil Generation), with Eto Otitigbe and eo Studio as the artistic director and production partner. The presentations in Fall 2023 will include an Outdoor Exhibition, Gallery Exhibition, Performances, AAI Block Party Community Day, and Workshops.

Invasive Species: Eco/Systems Land Based Initiatives invites you to consider The Cut, a sub-street level, open-air green space, currently being considered for transformation from an abandoned rail line into a beautiful public space for all in the heart of Philadelphia. Today, as a natural environment of an ignored patch of the city’s streetscape, this passive ecosystem is integral in creating critical resources for community residents and passersby. This narrative is not limited to plants and wildlife, as neighborhoods stewarded by people who have migrated are often neglected by institutional authority and seen as passive, when in reality they also generate richness for the community through land-based traditions.

On view in the gallery exhibition are sculptures, soundscapes, and immersive environments that continue the personal narratives and migration stories told by community members.

Please visit here to register for the opening celebration at Asian Arts Initiative on September 15th, 6-8pm. 

Invasive Species: Eco/Systems Land Based Initiatives is funded by:
Our Town Grant of the National Endowment for the Arts
William Penn Foundation

Our Town projects advance local economic, physical, or social outcomes in communities, ultimately laying the groundwork for systems change and centering equity. These projects require a partnership between a nonprofit organization and a local government entity, with one of the partners being a cultural organization.

Asian Arts Initiative is pleased to partner with The Rail Park, SEPTA and the City of Philadelphia to present Invasive Species: Eco/Systems Land Based Initiatives in 2023.