DORCHESTER

DORCHESTER

We have begun our work in Dorchester, Boston’s largest and most diverse neighborhood. Scroll on to meet our cohort artists and curators.

Join us for ILLUMINUS Dorchester October 18 & 19, 2024!

Azia Carle

Play.

Sense.

Joy.

Play. Sense. Joy.

A proud lifelong resident of Dorchester, Azia is a painter and creative spirit who draws inspiration from her community and her family. Coming from a lineage of artists and educators, she credits her vibrant, eccentric style to her Caribbean roots. Azia firmly believes in the transformative power of art to forge community ties, celebrate individual and collective identities, and nurture healing. 

Azia’s concept for ILLUMINUS Dorchester is a playful exploration of joy and memory as experienced through the five senses. Her work, deeply rooted in Dorchester's rich cultural tapestry and personal narratives of its community members, will take the form of a series of large-scale interactive sculptures and inflatables representing eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and hands. Her installations will be playful and nostalgic, designed to instill a sense of belonging and remind Dorchester of the joy of communal fun.

Elemental.

Nostalgia.

Healing.

Elemental. Nostalgia. Healing.

Makeda Wallace

Makeda Wallace is one of Boston’s most decorated movement artists. As a first generation Caribbean American, Makeda’s predominant styles of dance and choreography are Hip Hop and Dancehall. Mom of two, Makeda aims to be an example for the next generation to pursue their passion with fire, courage, and unwavering self confidence.

Makeda is developing an interactive environment and immersive dance performance inspired by the four elements: fire, water, air, earth. Through this work she is exploring how connecting to the power of these elements can bring personal healing. In the final installation you will be able to experience the space on your own, interacting with representations of each element, before witnessing Makeda’s perspective as it is taken over in a performance featuring dancers, aerial acrobatics, and original music.

PeeJay Clarke

History.

Identity.

Fantasy.

History. Identity. Fantasy.

PeeJay Clarke is a storyteller, educator, performer, musician, and dad. He has been a kindergarten and second grade teacher in Boston for decades, he leads games of Dungeons and Dragons, and Live Action Role Plays. PeeJay is passionate about history, fantasy, and representation.

PeeJay is creating an immersive world that will transport you back in time and across the world to an African port city around the year 1000AD, where history and magic combine. You will become part of the story by creating your own character before setting off on an adventure of discovery. In the final installation, you’ll not only learn more about the seldom told stories of African history and culture, but about yourself and your community as well.

Sam Lê Shave

Pain.

Love.

Transcendence.

Pain. Love. Transcendence.

A cross-disciplinary artist, Sam works in paint, crochet, textiles, fashion, and tattoo. She cares deeply about community mental health and preserving traditional textile skills like embroidery. Sam was born and raised in Dorchester, and finds much inspiration from her mom and her Vietnamese heritage.

Sam is reflecting on the pain we carry, the joy that can be reclaimed in our pain, and the value of love. How can we harness and curate what love can look like in our lives? Sam is exploring how generational pain is passed from person to person, and how these forces affect us not only as individuals, but as a community. The final installation will be an offering of reflection and healing. You will encounter themes of anger, sadness, frustration, joy, and love inspired by Sam’s care for mental health, specifically in the Dorchester community. These themes will be expressed through layers of hand embroidered panels, mirror blocks, projection mapping, and an audio soundscape.

DORCHESTER CURATORS