Curated by Jasmine Wahi, Vampire::Mother is an exhibition realized by Vortic Curated and Anat Ebgi. The latest iteration in Vortic Curated’s hybrid exhibition series, Vampire::Mother will open at Anat Ebgi’s Wilshire Boulevard gallery in Los Angeles.

The exhibition presents work by 15 contemporary artists responding to and pulling apart the imposed and oversimplified stereotypes affiliated with women/femmes. They are: Daphne Arthur, María Berrío, Tammi Campbell, Bhasha Chakrabarti, Saskia Colwell, Chantal Joffe, Jane Margarette, Marilyn Minter, Katherina Olschbaur, Paula Rego, Laurie Simmons, Jessica Taylor Bellamy, Mickalene Thomas, Nadia Waheed, Shoshanna Weinberger.

As explained by the curator, Jasmine Wahi:

Vampire::Mother attempts to disrupt linear and binary structures and impositions by presenting the idea that multiple realities (and selves) can exist simultaneously … and asks artists to consider the reductive nature of these roles and subvert them. It invites them to consider how we use our ‘wiles’ as a means of subterfuge.

The seductress can be a kitten, soft and cuddly; or she may be a vampire. It is a show that embraces the mainstream tendency to navigate the world through a rigid binary framework. But truly, it subverts this lens, and dismantles binary structures, mushing them into a gloop of indefinable and intersectional identities.

In curating the exhibition, Wahi guided the artists through a process using a set of evocations, including words, terms, feelings, and quotes. These elements were chosen to provide context and conjure visceral sensations associated with the broader themes of the show. Departing from the conventional approach, the curator collaborated closely with each artist, encouraging them to create new works inspired by their instinctive responses to these phrases and prompts.

In the curator’s words, the outcome is “an ooey-gooey smorgasbord that reflects the gushy messiness of our multiple selves”, which captures the complexity inherent in our existence, recognizing the coexistence of our capacity to nurture and destroy.

A digital and VR replica of the exhibition will be available to view throughout the physical show both at Anat Ebgi and on vortic.art. This virtual experience has been developed with curator Jasmine Wahi and three of the artists included in the physical exhibition: Bhasha Chakrabarti, Laurie Simmons, and Shoshanna Weinberger. It will present bespoke virtual environments for each artist, including a haunted castle and a doll’s house, aiming to offer visitors a heightened and immersive encounter with the featured artworks, enhancing the overall exhibition experience.