A one-eyed spirit, a cloud waiting in anticipation and a straw umbrella with a mind of its own are a few of the many changelings and shapeshifters taking up residence at Rice University this summer.
These sculptural expressions of animated objects are a part of “Masako Miki: Shapeshifters, Sprites and Spirits,” a site-specific installation that will fill the Moody Center for the Arts’ central gallery from May 29 through Aug. 15. Japanese-born and Bay Area-based, Miki presents in her first solo show in Texas centered on yōkai supernatural beings found in Japanese folklore often taking the form of discarded objects or natural phenomena, and she translates them into vivid, contemporary creatures actively observing our shared world.
“By attuning viewers to forms of life that are overlooked, Miki raises questions about belonging, resilience and who — or what — has been cast aside or forgotten,” associate curator Claudia Mattos said. “Mindfully arranged in our gallery, each grouping suggests companionship, conspiracy or collectivity, allowing sculptures to assert a presence in relation to the space, the viewer and one another.”
Visitors can meet Miki and the cast of characters at a free opening reception May 29 from 6 to 8 p.m. with complimentary drinks and a screening of the animated series “GeGeGe no Kitarō” in the media gallery.
Concurrently on view, the summer iteration of the Moody Project Wall also creates visibility for those often overlooked. “I remember this one time…” by Houston-based artists Nick Vaughan and Jake Margolin is an evolving wall mural that contains handwritten transcriptions of memories from the local LGBTQ+ community, specifically gathered from students and the archives at Rice. The installation, on view through Aug. 15, also includes sculptural tables, modeled off bar tops at the now closed gay bar Mary’s Naturally, whose surfaces register the absence of a photo-collage that once preserved the memory of the city’s queer community.
“Both of these installations ask visitors to deeply consider experiences that are often constrained to the margins,” said Joel Thompson, deputy director and interim divisional lead of the Moody. “Whether connecting to ancient folklore or Houston’s queer history, the artists shown in our galleries this summer show how bringing the past into dialogue with the present is a powerful way to expand the type of stories that get carried into the future.”
In addition to touring the galleries, the Moody’s summer programming offers multiple opportunities to relax and engage. Every Saturday in June from 1 to 4 p.m., “ArtLab: Felted Charms” offers an art-making session for all ages led by Houston multidisciplinary artist Lucy Carranza. Inspired directly by Miki’s shapeshifting sculptures, the free workshop introduces visitors to needle felting techniques. Supplies are included and participants can take home their own hand-felted charm.
The Wellness at the Moody series returns Fridays in June from noon to 1 p.m. with free yoga and meditation sessions led by instructors from Rice’s Gibbs Recreation and Wellness Center.
“Increasingly, we understand the therapeutic benefits of experiencing art, so it’s natural to bring in partners who can amplify those benefits,” Thompson said. “Working with Rice Recreation allows us to offer this wellness series and in turn provide a restorative break in the middle of a Houston summer.”
The Moody's annual Pride Happy Hour will take place June 11 from 5 to 7:30 p.m., bringing the Vaughan and Margolin installation into conversation with live performance. Headliner Ben Chavez, an award-winning songwriter and actor known for his role in the Broadway national tour of Disney’s “Aladdin,” delivers a piano-and-song set following opener DJ Rosez, twice named “Fav Female DJ” by OutSmart magazine. The 21-and-over event includes complimentary cocktails crafted by Moody Café chefs.
The season closes with a milestone. Summer Jam returns July 18 from noon to 5 p.m. for its fifth year, co-presented with Informal Grub. The free, family-friendly event transforms the Moody into an indoor-outdoor hub of art activities, a farmers market featuring local makers and growers, food vendors, face painting, bubble play and a scavenger hunt that runs through both summer exhibitions.
“Summer Jam started as a modest invitation to explore our space and has grown into our biggest community event, something Houston families plan their July around,” Thompson said. “Five years in, it exemplifies one of the Moody’s key goals: to be a public square as much as an art center, where neighbors discover that Rice belongs to them, too.”
All events are free and open to the public. For more information and to register, visit the Moody’s website.