Demian DinéYazhi’:
AN INFECTED SUNSET
8/1/18A night of queer poetry featuring Demian DinéYazhi’, Malcom Lomax, and Maya Martinez celebrating the publication of DinéYazhi’s book, AN INFECTED SUNSET.
AN INFECTED SUNSET is an ekphrastic, long-form descriptive prose poem that is a reflection on queer sex, survival and death politics, indigenous identity, settler romanticism, environmental injustice, and the importance of honoring community.
Demian DinéYazhi’ (b. 1983) is an Indigenous Diné transdisciplinary artist born to the clans Naasht’ézhí Tábąąhá (Zuni Clan Water’s Edge) & Tódích’íí’nii (Bitter Water). Growing up in the colonized border town of Gallup, New Mexico, the evolution of DinéYazhi´’s work has been influenced by their ancestral ties to Diné culture and ceremony, matrilineal upbringing, the sacredness of land, and the importance of intergenerational knowledge. They have recently exhibited at The Whitney Museum of American Art (2018), Henry Art Gallery (2018), Pioneer Works (2018), and Portland Art Museum (2016). DinéYazhi’ is the founder and director of R.I.S.E.: Radical Indigenous Survivance and Empowerment, as well as co-director for “Locusts: A Post-Queer Nation Zine.”
Malcolm Lomax (b. 1986) is part of the artist collective Wickerham & Lomax and currently runs the events and programming at DiskoBar in Baltimore. He has exhibited works at Artists Space, Frieze, The Hessel Museum, Brown University, The Baltimore Museum of Art, and a First Look project with the New Museum. He is working on a poetry EP called “XXIV Humans” to be released this year as well as a solo exhibition at American Medium (Fall 2018).
Maya Martinez is a writer, artist, and dancer currently residing in Baltimore. Her writing and object making deal with sex work, personal mythology, cruelty, and entertainment.