5. Half Life at Ki Smith Gallery
The Ki Smith Gallery will present Half Life, a series of works by multimedia artist Kiyomi Quinn Taylor. Taylor examines iconography reflecting her mixed Black and Japanese heritage, creating collage and mixed media pieces that delve deep into the meaning of genealogical memory and her own inner, emotional life. The installation’s title comes from the study of radioactivity, “half-life” defined as the time required for half of the atomic nuclei of a radioactive specimen to fully decay. Drawing on personal beliefs in the existence of life after death and the presence of the deceased in our lived realities, Taylor’s installation presents a world that is simultaneously fantastical and autobiographical — built on memory, family history, dreams, and fables.
One piece featured in the installation is The girls tomb, which depicts three of Taylor’s grandmothers gathered around a miniature model of a town, akin to the vivid memories she holds from her childhood. Surrounding the grandmothers colored in radioactive shades of green and blue are hyenas which act as their protectors. Another central work included in Half Life is Thirst for Love, showcasing the union of Taylor’s Black grandfather and Japanese grandmother atop an underwater volcanic landscape bursting with aquatic life — underscoring the destructive and fruitful nature of their relationship. Serving as Ki Smith’s first exhibition across both of its locations, The Half Life provides visitors with a personal window into the multifaceted history of Taylor’s family.
