An empty tire garage space on Dorchester Avenue will be transformed into an immersive art and performance space this weekend as a diverse team of Dorchester artists converge for a free, two-day event.
The installation – called Illuminus – will be open to the public between 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Fri., Oct. 18, and Sat., Oct. 19, at 1160 Dorchester Ave., the former Dorchester Tire property near Savin Hill.
Jeff Grantz, a Dorchester native, is the founder and director of the digital art event, which has been staged before in other neighborhoods. He has tapped Diane Dwyer to serve as the organization’s “experience director.” Together, they have booked four artists to represent Dorchester’s cultures through immersive exhibits.
The goal, Grantz said, is to “amplify some of the voices from within the neighborhoods in ways that are authentic and genuine. Doing that in the neighborhoods that they live in seems like the right choice.”
Malik Williams, a curator for Illumius, was tasked with finding the “unsung art heroes” of Dorchester “It was definitely kind of challenging for a lot of artists to think way outside of their normal box,” he said.
Makeda Wallace, a movement artist, was up for the challenge. Her previous work is a fusion of dance and spoken word, but she says she has never put together an installation like this.
She plans a “healing dance performance” inspired by the four elements. Visitors, she says, will be “stepping into a world within a world.”
Her inspiration comes from growing up in Dorchester’s Caribbean community, spending time in the city’s playgrounds and bonding with her neighbors. Illuminus has hosted community engagement events leading up to the installation where the visitors were able to choose a word that’ll appear on Wallace’s costume as she performs.
Wallace hopes viewers not only see themselves in her work, but also see “how you can transform your environment and healing through the four elements and pieces of Dorchester.”
Azia Carle, a painter, sought to represent the cultures she experienced growing up in Dorchester by using the digital skills the Illuminus team taught her this year. She has upscaled her graphics and created an animation for the event.
“We are all united under the goal of promoting how powerful art can be in creating pathways for people to relate to each other, but also just showcasing that there are certain aspects of life worth celebrating. That in itself builds community,” said Carle.
Also representing Dorchester are PeeJay Clarke, a storyteller and musician, and Sam Lê Shave, a painter and textiles artist. Clarke has created an immersive experience that will transport viewers to an African port city in 1000 AD. Lê Shave has utilized her embroidery skills to create a piece to promote community care.
Additionally, Illimunis will present The Dorchester Time Machine, an immersive journey through the neighborhood’s history in collaboration with Artists for Humanity.
“We’re aware there are big challenges on the horizon for us as a city. We want there to be celebratory opportunities for people to come together as a local community so that relationships are reinforced,” said Dwyer.
