Graphics by @wkshps.
Saturday, February 8, 4PM
A.I.R. Gallery (155 Plymouth Street)
Held in conjunction with I woke up dreaming., the 16th A.I.R. Biennial, this reading features Aristilde Kirby , Funto Omojola, and Daisuke Shen. Reflecting on themes from the Biennial, the event explores the vulnerability of forming real-life intimacies amidst the tension between digital entanglements and analog experiences. With dreams serving as a metaphor for reconciling the real and imagined, the readings reflect on how language—written, spoken, or expressed through the body—navigates the delicate terrain of connection.
ABOUT THE SPEAKERS:
Aristilde Kirby is a Black poet and performance artist. She is the author of Daisy & Catherine² (Auric Press, 2022). Originally from the Bronx, New York, Kirby currently resides in Brooklyn, New York, also known as Lenapehoking.
Funto Omojola is a Nigerian-American writer, performer, and visual artist. They are the author of If I Gather Here and Shout (2024), winner of the Nightboat Poetry Prize, and founder of PrayerRoom, a virtual asynchronous prayer circle and participatory art project.
Daisuke Shen is the author of the short story collection Vague Predictions and Prophecies (CLASH Books 2024), and the novella Funeral (with Vi Khi Nao, KERNPUNKT Press 2023). They live in New York City.