The Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles is currently showcasing home—land, the newest installment of American Gurl, a continually evolving curatorial endeavor by Womxn in Windows. This platform highlights the views of cis, trans, and non-binary women through moving images, employing video art, film, and performance to interrogate and redefine the American Dream.
Originally conceived as an annual public exhibition of films made by women in storefront windows, it has now transformed into a mission aimed at promoting intergenerational and cross-cultural conversations. Co-curated by Zehra Zehra, the founder of Womxn in Windows, and multidisciplinary artist Kilo Kish, American Gurl builds upon themes from Kish’s musical project of the same title.
Kilo Kish explains, “With this project, I aim to explore how we can rethink the American Dream to be inclusive of women of color and our aspirations. These moving images reflect our past and present, discovering new dreaming possibilities through their combination.”
Open until May 4, 2025, home—land encourages viewers to contemplate how memory, migration, and identity shape our concept of home. Zehra states to CLASH, “It is time to acknowledge the diversity of the American Gurl and share it with the world.”
The exhibition features six short films by artists Melvonna Ballenger, Shenny De Los Angeles & Amanda Morrell (iiritu), Ella Ezeike, Solange Knowles, Alima Lee, and Cauleen Smith. Each film in home—land defies the pace of a world fixated on speed, with refrains that echo like prayers. Every frame is rich and textured. If you listen closely, you might catch the sounds of birds and insects chirping, and trees swaying in the distance. Contrasting the current trend of short-form entertainment, these films emphasize duration, embodying a commitment to slowness as a form of dedication.
Solange Knowles articulates that home cannot be confined to physical boundaries. “Home transcends physical spaces and is instead carried in objects, sounds, movements, and the solitude of personal devotion,” she notes. In Shakersss.mov, filmed in Yucatán, Miami, and New York, Solange captures herself moving and gazing at the camera, transforming her pain and introspection into powerful testimony, much like Frida Kahlo did.
Both artists have navigated their lives with disabilities—Kahlo with the chronic pain from a near-fatal accident, and Solange grappling with an autoimmune condition—but neither allowed their physical limitations to restrict their creative expression.
While Solange’s work illustrates how home resides within the body, the other films in home—land investigate how land bears the marks of those who have traversed it, prompting us to consider what endures. For Ella Ezeike, Words We Don’t Say emerged from various influences that shaped her identity.
“Having been born in America to Nigerian parents and spending my early adult life in London, I drew upon these diverse experiences and cultural nuances to create a film that is both deeply personal and connected to shared experiences with the women in my life,” she shares.
Alima Lee’s film addresses the insular and generational impacts of colonization. “The repercussions of colonization resonate through time, becoming increasingly audible with every injustice. My film introduces a spiral of time, reminding us that many things remain unchanged and will continue unless we resist,” she states.
Her work compels us to listen, study, and recognize that historical violence is not merely a thing of the past but continues to unfold in the present.
Shenny de Los Angeles reflects on the land itself as a grieving mother. “It’s revealing to reflect on our times through this work while striving to survive it. Yet, the beauty of this film provides a moment of stillness to connect with the land, to hear Mother Earth grieving—for us, for herself, for her children.”
Melvonna Ballenger’s phrase, “your liberation is my liberation,” serves as a reminder that true freedom cannot exist until everyone is free. In her reflection on rain, she prepares for its inevitable return. “Rain always brings change: rain, I know you’ll return another day, but my spirit remains steadfast.”
This exhibition follows the recent fires in Los Angeles that devastated Black communities in Altadena, highlighting the fragility of our connection to the land. By bringing these discussions into an artistic forum, home—land emphasizes the interconnectedness of our struggles and encourages us to witness them.
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Words: Najma Sharif
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The Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles is currently presenting home—land, the newest installment of American Gurl, an ongoing curatorial initiative by Womxn in.