GHC Art Gallery
Curated Exhibits at Gig Harbor Campus
Current Exhibit
Calling the Ancestors
Art by Kalvin “Wovoka'' Satiacum and Kenya Shakoor
June 23, 2025 - Aug. 14, 2025
Reception: June 25, 2025, 6 - 8 p.m.
I continue to humanize myself and my community and model what it looks like to honor us.”
Calling the Ancestors
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Kalvin and I met about a year ago, when I was DJing my first-ever set at Parable Bookstore, at an event dedicated to the legacy of Octavia Butler, the store’s namesake. My set was an Afrofuturist jazz vinyl set. Kalvin had found out about the event through social media. I was deeply grateful that another photographer was there to document such a meaningful moment for me. Afterward, we stayed connected, bonding over our shared intentions: imagining liberated futures, dreaming of spaces where we could feel safe enough to honor our ancestors. We spoke about the grief that comes from living under capitalism and colonialism, a grief that often goes unacknowledged because of the constant demands to keep going, to survive, to pay the bills. We felt a deep longing for communal healing and recognized how rare it is to have space and time to grieve, so we reclaimed public space to grieve and honor our ancestors. This project was born out of our love for Afro-Indigenous Futurism. Calling the Ancestors is our way of making space for that connection, for that grief, and for the possibility of healing in community. |
Artist Statement
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Image courtesy of Kalvin "Wovoka" Satiacum.
Image courtesy of Kenya Shakoor. |
Kavlin "Wovoka" Satiacum Kalvin “Wovoka'' Satiacum is enrolled with the Puyallup Tribe, where they speak the twulshootseed language. He lives an authentic urban Indian life, and often has difficulties navigating modern society and balancing indigenous life. Kalvin’s art is filled with thoughtfulness, intention, and prayer. His work centers around the deconstruction and integration of ancestral medicines for future generations, for the love of the people.
since I was born, I been walking to my own drum raised to be free-thinking person I been connected to music since a young age Some of my youngest memories are playing with the family record player learning to just explore with physical media growing into a young elder, I have found my adult life has been spent homeless I intentionally root my art in traditional punk, post-punk, and indigenous values, thoughts, culture, and heritage My art is meant to be accessible in many ways, spreading the truth and the medicine to all who need it
Kenya Shakoor Kenya Shakoor is a photographer, writer, and art advocate born and raised in Tacoma, Washington. Her work is an extension of her love for herself and centers Black folks. She views her photographic practice as a visual exploration of bell hooks's love ethic, exhibiting pieces that prompt discussions about love and community care. In addition to showcasing her work, she teaches workshops that explore tenderness through portraiture. I explore imagination as a liberatory practice through photography and other mediums. Common themes in my work include vulnerability, love, care, and community. My primary medium is digital photography, and I typically print on photo paper, though I’ve recently begun experimenting with new presentation methods. To honor the natural beauty of the people I photograph, I do minimal beauty retouching. I often incorporate lightweight fabric, usually chiffon, to add visual interest and convey softness. My work is inspired by artists such as Kwame Brathwaite, Carrie Mae Weems, Gordon Parks, and many others. I also draw inspiration from music, particularly 1970s jazz. Listening to my favorite jazz musicians often sparks ideas for visual art. My favorites are Pharaoh Sanders and Alice Coltrane. Like any art form, photography has been and continues to be used to harm, stereotype, or erase marginalized people. Even today, we see disparities in how Black people are photographed and portrayed on the news compared to white people. Visual bias perpetuates harmful stereotypes that have a real and lasting impact on people’s lives. I approach photography with love defined by bell hooks as “a combination of care, commitment, knowledge, responsibility, respect, and trust.” I think of my photography as a visual application of bell hooks’ love ethic. Having an artistic practice has been transformative for me. My work centers Black femmes and is rooted in care. Amid the chaos of the world, I stay committed to my values. When I first began photography, I was focused more on external validation. Now, I center myself in my work, which means creating a loving, caring process and advocating for myself and the integrity of my art. I’ve experienced not being properly credited for my work many times, even after raising the issue. It’s exhausting, but it reaffirms the necessity of a practice that cultivates care for Black femmes, because many are getting it wrong. Despite the challenges and attempts to erase me, I keep going. I continue to humanize myself and my community and model what it looks like to honor us. |
