Of Hope

Bringing Live Art back to spenard

Of Hope is a performance created by Enzina Marrari in partnership with the Anchorage Concert Association's Community Artist Projects. It addresses the impacts of social isolation, grief, loss, and hope during COVID-19. Of Hope will provide a space to share the hard stuff, a place to provide a sense of connection and normalcy through art during a time of unrest and fear, a place to feel seen, and an opportunity to bring live, place-based art back into Spenard after a year of struggle. As we move out of the darkness of winter and into the light of Spring, we too move from a place of despair to a place of hope.

Join us on April 10th, at The Nave, to revel in community, art, and togetherness. The parking lot will open at 8:00 PM and we encourage you to arrive early to find your ideal viewing spot. The performance will begin promptly at 8:30!

This activity will be free and open to the public. Registration for the event is required so that we can better manage flow, parking, and contacts for a post-show survey. The event will discuss mental health and provide a connection to resources and services through NAMI Anchorage. In lieu of a ticket fee, donations to NAMI Anchorage are encouraged but not required. Mental health has always been an important topic for our communities, but even more so during the time of COVID when safety and security for many has been compromised.

This will occur live as a drive-in or socially distant walk-in. It will also stream live for individuals who are unable to attend in person. The sound will be broadcast through the radio. In-person attendees will listen through their car radios or small hand-held radios and headphones. There are a limited quantity of hand-held radios available for loan on a first-come, first serve-basis. Attendees will be provided with attendance instructions upon registering for the event. Drive-in spaces may be limited to those who are higher-risk.

Artists in this project are Enzina Marrari, Jessie Embley, José Isaza, and Meghan Kim. This is made possible through partnerships with Anchorage Concert Association, Cook Inlet Housing Authority, and NAMI Anchorage with support from the Alaska State Council on the Arts. Project contributors include Keren Lowell, Will Koeppen, and the Alaska Bookmobile. 

Artist Bios

Enzina Marrari:

Enzina Marrari is a conceptual visual and performance artist that confronts the hard stuff. She believes art is a tool for communication and connection and through her work creates intimate and shared experiences. Enzina has an invisible disability that informs much of her work. She reveals the unseen through visual narratives; transforming stories into landscapes, audio narratives, physical experiences, or body works. She currently lives and works in Anchorage, Alaska. She received a B.A. in Sculpture and Figure Drawing from the University of Alaska Anchorage, and a M.A. in Installation and Environmental Art from New York University.

She is a 2017 Rasmuson Foundation Artist Fellow, a 2018 recipient of the Alaska Journal of Commerce’s Top 40 under 40, and a 2015 Connie Boochever Fellow. She has been supported by the Awesome Foundation, Alaska State Council on the Arts, and Radical Arts for Women. In 2015, she was nominated for an emerging artist award through the Joan Mitchell Foundation. She has been an artist in residence in Buenos Aires, Argentina and Cill Rialaig Artist Center in Kerry, Ireland. She is an Adjunct Professor of Fine Arts at University of Alaska, Anchorage, and founding studio partner at @ Studio C in Anchorage.

Jessie Embley: 

Jessie Embley, a lifelong Alaskan, began her dance training at the age of 14 at Dance Spectrum School of Dance.  She was a 14-year member of Dance Spectrum Alaska and served as jazz and tap choreographer for the company and studio instructor. Jessie has choreographed and taught throughout Anchorage over the last 23 years with many other local organizations, and directed The Dance Machine for a number of years. Jessie performed in Enzina Marrari’s “of relation” in 2018 and 2019. 

Jessie has taken master classes with Tap Dogs, Gregory Hines, Carlos Jones, and 42nd street to name a few. In 2008 she, along with 6 other local artists, founded Momentum Dance Collective where she is now a board member, director, choreographer and dancer for the company and has had the opportunity to work alongside many of Alaska's most inspiring artists. In May of 2013, she traveled to Oakland California to train with Project Bandaloop, an aerial dance company, where she was able to return to Anchorage and take part in 'Over Beyond Across Through', a collaboration with The Light Brigade.  She holds an associate’s degree in applied science, in the field of culinary arts and hospitality. 

This is her third project with Enzina Marrari. 

José Isaza: 

José Isaza is a graduate of The American Academy of Dramatic Arts. He studied theater and dance, and has had the chance to perform with theater and dance companies in Alaska such as Perseverance Theater Company, Pulse Dance Company, Underground Dance Company, and others. His favorite dance style is Hip Hop and Stiletto Heels. José performed in the Blue Chair Productions play, “Small Mouth Sounds” in 2019. His favorite role so far has been Angel in Rent. José performed in Enzina Marrari’s performance “of relation” in 2018 and 2019. 

José is also a drag performer, known as Josie Ana Poosiekat and was a Kennedy Center featured artist for Art Across America 2020. Josie has been a host and performer for Queerantine for a Cause, and multiple drag, comedy and performance shows.  She has partnered with the ACLU of Alaska, Catholic Social Services, Anchorage Community Land Trust, and others. 

This is José’s second project with Enzina Marrari 

Meghan Kim: 

Meghan is a fiber artist and nurse living in Anchorage, Alaska. Meghan performed in Enzina Marrari’s “of relation” in 2018 and 2019. Meghan also performed a solo pop-up performance in 2018 on the grounds of the Anchorage Museum of History and Art. This performance included wearable and fiber art and was an extension of “the self” performance in “of relation”. Meghan created wearable art and provided set assist with "of relation" and is creating fiber art and assisting with set design for "of hope."

This is Meghan’s third project with Enzina Marrari