Epiphany Center for the Arts | Slemmons Gallery

201 S. Ashland Avenue, Chicago 60607 

Through fantastical reimagining of scientific subjects, SYMBIOSIS examines what unites all living beings outside of strict hierarchies and binary definitions. For billions of years, life on earth has existed in a multiplicity of forms. Through both process and materials, Mats Dahlberg explores the interdependence of disparate organisms, the beauty and violence of nature and regeneration, and the lessons we can learn from it.

Contrary to the belief that Queer identities are a modern concept, humans have exhibited behaviors now attributed to queerness since ancient times. Nature, with its vast diversity, shows that restrictive definitions are based on fear, not truth. Queerness, Dahlberg states: “Is as deep as fungal mycelium networks, as powerful as the constant toil of tectonic movements, and as intricate as the dance of worker bees through the hive.”

Inspired by drag nightlife performance, Dahlberg uses bold colors, intricate designs, and avant-garde creations to defy fashion norms in their costume design. They blend fine art and traditional craft techniques, adorning doilies from their Great Grandmother with beads and rhinestones to honor those of marginalized genders who cultivated craft practices like embroidery and crochet. Their costume work challenges viewers to imagine life forms beyond the human self and explore the possibilities of the noncorporeal, trans body.

For more information, go to: www.epiphanychi.com

Photo credit: Mats Dahlberg