Wampum / ᎠᏕᎳ ᏗᎦᎫᏗ, a live performance by Elisa Harkins
An artist, singer, and electronic music composer, Harkins’ exuberant electropop performances combine influences from techno, disco, and Indigenous music. The performance takes place on January 17 at American University’s Katzen Arts Center and is co-presented by MoCA Arlington and AU’s Studio Art MFA Program.
ARLINGTON, VA, January 6, 2025 – Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington and American University’s Studio Art MFA Program are thrilled to present Wampum / ᎠᏕᎳ ᏗᎦᎫᏗ, a performance by artist, singer, and electronic music composer Elisa Harkins. Taking place on Friday, January 17 at 7 pm at American University’s Katzen Arts Center, this event marks Harkins’ debut performance in the Washington, DC metro area. The performance will be followed by a talkback session with Harkins.
Wampum / ᎠᏕᎳ ᏗᎦᎫᏗ is an exuberant, electropop performance animated with Native languages and fashion. It features the artist performing original music she has composed and written, with lyrics in English, Cherokee, and Muscogee (Creek). Deeply informed by Harkins’ knowledge of Indigenous music, the performance also reflects the influences of electropop, techno, disco, and other contemporary, popular musical genres. Merging these influences into an energy-filled, pop concert, Harkins asserts the continued vibrancy of Native culture and traditions.
The performance is presented through a partnership between MoCA Arlington and American University’s Studio Art MFA Program and takes place in conjunction with Assembly 2024: Horizon Scanning, MoCA Arlington’s 2024 national biennial exhibition. The exhibition features thirteen artists and one artist collective hailing from 14 states whose work offers strategies to navigate and reimagine the future. Harkins’ work is included in the exhibition, which is currently on view at MoCA Arlington through January 26, 2025.
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
Elisa Harkins: Wampum / ᎠᏕᎳ ᏗᎦᎫᏗ
Date: Friday, January 17, 2025, 7pm-8pm
Admission: Free admission
Location: American University’s Katzen Arts Center
Abramson Recital Hall
4400 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, DC 20016
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Elisa Harkins (b.1978, Tahlequah, OK, Cherokee / Muscogee) is an artist, singer, electronic music composer, and curator. Her work is concerned with the body, language revitalization, and Indigenous music. She has exhibited and performed at Crystal Bridges (Bentonville, AK), The Getty (Los Angeles, CA), Portland Institute of Contemporary Art (Portland, OR), Museum of Modern Art (New York, NY), Spoleto Festival (Charleston, CA), and REDCAT (Los Angeles, CA) among other venues. Harkins has received awards from Creative Capital, the Foundation for Contemporary Arts, the Harpo Foundation, and the Mid-America Arts Alliance. In addition to her artistic practice, she serves as a visiting lecturer at various institutions, fostering dialogue around Indigenous music and arts. Harkins is an enrolled member of the Muscogee Nation and lives and works on the Muscogee Reservation.
ABOUT THE EXHIBITION
Assembly 2024: Horizon Scanning
September 28, 2024 – January 26, 2025
Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington
3550 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22201
Curated by Blair Murphy and Jared Packard
Featured artists: Nyame O. Brown (Oakland, CA), Everything is Collective (Chicago, IL, Salt Lake City, UT, & Lubbock, Texas), Allegra Hangen (Omaha, NE and Mexico City, Mexico), Elisa Harkins (Tulsa, OK), Marnie Ellen Hertzler (Baltimore, MD), Jesús Hilario-Reyes (New York, NY and New Haven, CT), Cesar Lopez (Kansas City, MO), Jovencio de la Paz (Eugene, OR), Kenya (Robinson) (Gainesville, FL), Benjy Russell (Dowelltown, TN), Shelby Shadwell (Laramie, WY), Keith Tolch (Los Angeles, CA), Lily Xie (Philadelphia, PA), and X (Los Angeles, CA)
About Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington
The Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington is an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that enriches community life by connecting the public with contemporary art and artists through exhibitions, education programs, and an artists-in-residence program. Located at 3550 Wilson Blvd, Arlington, VA, the museum is open Wed.-Sun. 12-5pm. The museum has free on-site parking, is easy to reach by metro and bus, and is accessible. There is no admission fee to visit. For more information about our exhibitions and programming, visit mocaarlington.org. Follow us @mocaarlington.
About American University’s Studio Art MFA Program
AU’s MFA in Studio Art, historically grounded in painting, is multidisciplinary and empowers artists to contextualize their practice within historical and contemporary issues. By exploring cultural, conceptual, and material approaches critical to the constantly evolving art world, the program prioritizes understanding different perspectives and the role of artists within them. Additionally, it emphasizes the significance of process, images, and identity, including matters related to gender, race, class, and sexuality, which are critical in art-making today. For more information visit MFA Studio Art | American University, Washington, DC
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