Who can afford to dream? Given the systemic racism and racial trauma that Black people often face in society, DREAM TEMPLE (for Octavia) aims to counteract the exhaustion and stress that is carried intergenerationally while also creating a portal of healing and imagining. Artists Mia Imani Harrison and Mayola Tikaka use the writings of Octavia Butler, who prophesied 2024 as the year society in the United States grows unstable, to create a gathering space for Black folx to be heard and to hear each other. As Seattle is morphing into a new version of itself, how might we also visualize a future where rest instead of productivity is central?

DREAM TEMPLE (for Octavia) is an opportunity to revitalize the area by creating space to imagine new possibilities for the city. By bringing together members of the community to share dreams and learn new practices around rest, the program aims to counteract the extractive nature of capitalism and create a portal for healing and imagining.

Space plays a huge role in our ability to rest, and ultimately sleep. We plan to stage our Dream Temple at the King Street Station Gallery to honor the role that King Street Station plays in the movement of people, ideas, and culture. However, this time we are creating a portal to slow down, and transform the area for communal gathering and rest.

What to Expect
DREAM TEMPLE (for Octavia) features an enclosed resting space with low lighting that contains resting mats, an altar, and projections featuring imagery of Black rest and contemplation of Octavia Butler’s work. Over the course of the exhibition, the space will feature rest rituals, interviews, and performances by the artists.

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