Asking for the Moon
An exhibition of works by Breanna Robinson
Tiger Strikes Asteroid Chicago
Exhibition Dates: August 13th – October 1, 2022
Opening Reception: August 13th, 4-7 p.m.

Tiger Strikes Asteroid Chicago is pleased to present “Asking for the Moon,” an exhibition of works by Breanna Robinson that explore the distinct but inherently connected processes of memory consolidation and dream construction.

It has been scientifically proven that how we conceptualize our identity and build our inner worlds is largely determined by—and informed through—our autobiographical memories of significant life events. In both memory processing and dream formation, our brains rank emotional material over detailed accounts. This helps to explain why it’s easier to remember feelings than specific details, and also why dreams don’t “play” memories exactly, but instead create narratives that combine, splice, and abstract memories collected through our experiences. Our mind’s propensity to carry out this process begs the questions: why are these abstractions created, and what are we to make of them? Exactly how crucial is this function to our ability to feel, process, and express emotions? What can we gain from practicing intentional “rememory”? What can we learn from the ostensibly random connections drawn in our subconscious mind?

Characterized by the often bizarre, colorful, and evocative nature of dreams, this print-based exhibition aims to materialize the acts of dreaming and remembering. Drawing from Robinson’s own personal memories, dreams, and research, some of the works represent the often impossible experience of recalling a distant memory or chasing after a fading dream, while others mimic the process by which information is encoded, processed, and called to mind. Asking for the Moon is organized by Cydney Lewis.

Artist Bio:
Breanna Robinson (b. 1995, Chicago) is an interdisciplinary artist based in Chicago, IL. Working with a variety of processes including printmaking, collage, drawing, and coding, her projects tend to take shape through a mix of hand + digital renderings and image manipulation. Prevalent themes in her work include nostalgia (and time, broadly), femininity, media, and technology in the context of Black American culture, history, and traditions. She is currently an artist in residence at Chicago Artist Coalition and is a recipient of the 2022 Coney Family Fund Award.

Website: https://breanna-studio.github.io/

Organizer Bio:

Cydney Lewis is a Chicago-based multimedia artist with a distinguished multidisciplinary background. She began in architecture at the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, where she received a BS in Architectural Studies; she also attended the L’École D’architecture de Versailles, France. The fluidity of her ability to transform materials reflects her mastery of ballet as well as her endeavors in film. Her art is held in private collections around the world, and has been exhibited widely, at venues including the Union League Chicago, Hyde Park Art Center, and The Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art. She has received various honors, among them residencies with Chicago Public Schools and Lyseloth Musikerwohnhaus Basel, Switzerland, as well as awards including 3Arts Make A Wave, Best in Show at Governor State University and the Black Creativity/Green Art Award from the Museum of Science and Industry. Currently, she is a member of Tiger Strikes Asteroid of Chicago.
Website: https://www.cydneylewis.com/

Above Image Credit: Breanna Robinson, Play Space #2, risograph, 11.5 x 17”, 2022

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Tags: Asking for the Moon, Breanna Robinson, Chicago, Lower West Side, Tiger Strikes Asteroid