I read about gods because I am one…

The Altar of Kusonga is a manifestation of my hunting and gathering. It represents the needs

that drive our search, and the results of our harvest. One must also question issues of consumption, the

need to take without reciprocity, and the apprehension to engaging with the sacred.

Many McDonalds franchises in Chicago have undergone the “grey box” treatment, removing all

inklings of community culture in favor of uniformity and minimalism. This trend has extended to the

homes and businesses on the Southside; historical gems are left to disintegrate while boxes of glass and

steel pop up like Dugtrios. This thought process, oscillating between the history of silver and the

contemporary use of grey, helped me understand the role of color in my social location.

The story of Xipilli is based on men’s failure and perceived success as culture keepers. In my

family, I was frustrated with my grandfather for staying silent when there were so many stories about being raised by a “white woman”, being an army veteran in the 60s, and having a father that was Black, Apache, and Hispanic. All of these were fair game, and instead he chose TCM, mixed media, and tobacco.

The mythology of Sphinxxx revolves around the kumiho in Korean mythology. In this story a

nine-tailed fox masquerades as a beautiful young woman who tempts suitors into her lair, where she

then feeds on their souls. The story of an empowered female spirit that would not subject herself to male desire and instead consumed it became the basis for Sphinxxx. As someone who identifies as Vers in the sexual economy of queerdom, I recognized this story as a reflection of my own experiences when bottoming. I found power in the art of seduction, in being able to subdue charismatic, popular, and powerful men with my natural effeminate qualities.

…gaze is further interrogated in the film series Ode to Nina, a collection of 10 found footage videos that position women as the progenitors and facilitators of violence and revenge; sexually powerful beings; introspective spirits; and joyful mothers.

Response to the films, much like the other installations in Da New Pantheon, varies based on social location. An international friend noted the presence of the USA branded male gaze in my source material for MALKIA and Blondie. My mother and sister felt empowered by the alternating imagery of female insects devouring their mates and African women dancing in Fête…