Culture is an Initiation Ritual presents culture as a process of transformation, for both those deeply embedded in internet history and those encountering it for the first time. The exhibition fosters a space where language, technology, and the unknown blend into an evolving system of shared interaction. Drawing from Bataille’s concept that "the richest knowledge... is to honestly recognize that we know nothing and to talk about the unknown," the exhibition encourages audiences to embrace uncertainty and engage with the unfamiliar as a collective experience.

The works on display are dynamic, continuously evolving extensions of each artist’s practice. Recognizable internet motifs and memes are woven throughout the show, becoming part of our collective cultural memory.

In this exhibition, culture is positioned as an initiation—an ongoing ritual of discovery and exchange, one that mirrors the complexities and uncertainties of our digital age.
— Written by Dana Dawud, edited by M. Martinez

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Film Screening
Dana Dawud, Redactedcut, KIRAC, Sulaiman Majali, Poorspigga, Ali Reza, Elsie Lappoh, Carmen Llin,
Xafya Lovecraft, Marble Index, Onty, John-Robin Bold, Machine Yearning, Nina Maia, Linn Phyllis Seeger, Y7

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Painting, Sculpture, and Installation

Casey VanDyke, Anne-Joelle Tan, Anabelle Lee Dehm, Lorenzo Osterheim

Event Details
Date: Saturday, October 19th 2024
Time: Opens at 6 PM; Film screening from 8 PM to midnight
Location: Lot49, 2201 W Huron, Chicago, IL 60612

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