This exhibition inaugurated the restructure of Seventh Gallery in 2018, as it moved from a generic artist run towards a space that self consciously focused on cultural diversity. It was Ramírez' first major activity upon joining the organisation and it set the tone for the rest of his organisational management. While his approach to the rhetoric of diaspora in the arts has shifted significantly since then, it stands as a document 'of its time', for it fits neatly within the tropes of its genre.
In Family Grimoires: The Diaspora Fantastic, we see how artists address the notion of dislocation by summoning kinsfolk. They do this by incorporating familial narratives, found photographs, board games and memories in artworks that hold a dreamy quality. This show gathers these studio tactics like spells in a grimoire (book of magic) to cast a deeper understanding of diaspora. By grouping these artists together, Ramirez seeks to create a space where the potential of cultural heritage can be explored through conflicted, unconventional and fantastical forms.
These artists are New York based Jiwon Choi and Melbourne based Alexandra Nemaric, Deanna Hitti, Phuong Ngo and Lucreccia Quintanilla.
