I split the ground, so it would not close over me is the resulting exhibition of the second round of the mentorship fellowship program at SFAC Galleries. I had the privilege of working with artists Kelley Finley and Tricia Rainwater the first half of 2026 in preparing of their exhibition. The following is short text about the exhibition. To learn more about the exhibition and read my curatorial essay please review the digital brochure here. The exhibition is on view from May 28th through August 29th of 2026.

When entangled by our landscape, dreaming and reimagining a different path forward can be a form of resistance. To confront the violence these traumas impose is a powerful act. I split the ground, so it would not close over me, is the act of confronting experienced violence and creating a split in generational trauma as means of survival. Through sculpture, installation, and photography, artists Kelley Finley and Tricia Rainwater each approach survival as both a personal and collective experience. Ancestral tools used for protection are incorporated to guard and guide their work. Delving into personal and communal histories, the artists explore what it means to sustain communities and how defiance is an ongoing process. Their work speaks to how listening and retelling stories of lived violence, helps open up portals to healing and survival for the collective.

Thank you to San Francisco Art Commission Galleries team and Aaron Wojack for beautifully capturing the exhibition.