A big thank you is due to @friendsindeed_art and @mickimeng for the success of this little solo in their Chinatown SF space! I’ll be taking this momentum and pouring it into some new paintings in October ❤️‍🔥 Meanwhile I also have another diptych in their Bayview space which I’ll share 🔜 from @friendsindeed_art : “Golden’s series hinges on deep research on Thovils, exorcism ceremonies with ancient roots in Sri Lanka. These events, which can stretch from dusk until dawn, continue there mostly as cultural performances rather than for their original purpose as healing ritual. A Thovil is led by a shaman (“adura”) who uses structures made of young coconut palm leaves (“gok”) and performs alongside drummers and dancers. Together, they enact a drama intended to bring relief to an ailing patient. Costumed characters take on the role of Yakkas, demons of divine origins, who plague those they possess with psychological disturbances, physical disorders, and even social ills. In Golden’s hands, the Thovil is rich ground for exploring communal attempts to navigate the corrosive effects of repressing unconscious desires, emotions, and personal needs for the sake of traditional power hierarchies and social norms.”