Maybe Magic Will Help features a series of astrological processional banners, tufted ritual monsters and photo tear-off flyers offering viewers the chance to interact with and contribute their energetic influences toward a spell for the world we want to build. We can all influence our space and make the cities we want by how we live our lives and through our choices. I think magic and intention and awareness of energy helps too. These banners, tear-off photos, tufted pieces and tufted tiles are a spell and call for the kind of cities and land I want to live on and exist within and tend to.

Visitors are welcome to tear off images they feel they want to direct their energy towards. The protective images are taken from Polaroids that I took and selected for the corresponding sigil. This project works with the ideas of folk magic and merging the “high art” of fine art darkroom photography with the “low art” of flyers found on telephone poles, bulletin boards and other community spaces.

I use ritual and magic as themes in my work. I’ve made a banner for each of my astrological placements, and they’re hung as if the viewer was standing inside my astrology chart. They’re an attempt to wake up and remind those parts of myself ruled by each planet. The colors and crystals were chosen based off what each planet rules. I see the banners as mobile altars, imbued with their own power, which to seek answers to the questions:

Can a piece of artwork cross the line between visually appealing and actually influencing the space or people around it? How can artwork be a talisman of protection? A tool for activism?  How can we use art as a spell for the world we want to see as artists?

The tufted ritual monsters are my version of Bulgarian Kukeri, and a way to be in lineage with my Macedonian/Bulgarian ancestors. Kukeri spread good energy and chase away evil. In the words of a kukeri dancer: “If you don’t believe in something, it can’t exist.” This show is about believing our magic, and knowing how much of it we each have. It’s a rebellion to stay connected to our heritage, especially one that occupiers wanted to erase.

While glueing, I was listening to: Kathleen Hanna read her audiobook Rebel Girl, Anthony Bourdain read his audiobook Kitchen Confidential, Patty Schemel read her audiobook Hit So Hard, the 99% Invisible episodes reading along with Robert Caro’s book The Power Broker about Robert Moses, Alice In Chains, the Bandsplain podcast. The Sun was in Cancer and Leo when I worked on this show. Everything is a medium, everything’s energy influences these banners and everything else we’re around.

The title of the show is inspired by the Minutemen song “Maybe Partying Will Help”.