Join MoCA Arlington and American University’s Studio Art MFA Program for Wampum / ᎠᏕᎳ ᏗᎦᎫᏗ, a special performance by artist, singer, and electronic music composer Elisa Harkins at American University’s Katzen Arts Center, the event is the artist’s debut performance in the Washington, DC metro area.

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 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.

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