senza + local dj open call published by daylon hicks
To celebrate Rave Into the Future: Art in Motion, the Asian Art Museum hosted the Senza + Local DJ Open Call event that emphasizes community and expression. The night featured dynamic sets from Lummox b2b Misfit, founders of Rise Collective along with WADA and Senza, who headlined the evening with their signature sounds. Adding to the excitement, JIMI was the winner of the museum’s Open Call for emerging talent. The gathering became more than a party; it evolved into a collective celebration of creativity, identity, and shared joy.
At its core, the event honored community as both inspiration and catalyst. Guests moved between music, art, and social spaces that encouraged connection across cultures and generations. The rhythm of the evening echoed the exhibit’s broader mission: to uplift voices often marginalized in mainstream narratives, particularly women and queer artists of the West Asian diaspora. Through sound, movement, and visual storytelling, the event invited attendees to experience culture in motion, alive, evolving, and deeply communal.
The Rave Into the Future: Art in Motion exhibition in particular features work by ten artists of West Asian heritage currently based in Europe and the United States, including Fatima Al Qadiri, Farah Al Qasimi, Morehshin Allahyari, Sophia al Maria, Meriem Bennani, Yasmine Nasser Diaz, Sahar Khoury, :mentalKLINIK, Joe Namy, and Maryam Yousif. Their practices span video, sculpture, photography, and immersive installations, all centering storytelling as a vital force for cultural memory and future-making. Through their diverse approaches, the exhibition underscores how artists across the diaspora are expanding narratives, challenging boundaries, and reimagining identity in motion.
The exhibition is on view at the Akiko Yamazaki and Jerry Yang Pavilion until January 26, 2026, offering visitors an extended opportunity to experience its immersive blend of music- and movement-inspired artworks. The exhibition is made possible through generous support provided by The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts. Additional support is provided by the Jacques and Natasha Gelman Foundation, whose contributions help bring forward the voices and visions of artists reshaping contemporary storytelling.