The Luminary

🚨 Join our team! 🚨 The Luminary is hiring a part-time Marketing and Communications Coordinator and a Fall 2024 Exhibitions Intern. If you’re passionate about contemporary art and want to be part of a dynamic, forward-thinking, artist-run space, we want to hear from you! Apply now through the link in our bio.

📸: .w

Improv Jazz Event at The Luminary this Saturday 🤌 Last sound event of the summer!!

8-10:30pm | $10/pay what you can | cash bar
Members get in free ✨
🔗 tickets in bio

Trio 1 : Drew Gowran () on drums, Ariel Kenyatta (.man700) on sax and winds, and Bill Martinez on bass guitar.

Trio 2 : Damon Smith () on stand-up bass, Kevin Harris () on synthesizer and mere harrach () on cello.

Trio 3 : Jeremy Melsha () on trombone, Alberto Patiño () on drums and Danny Pankratz () on guitar.

Organized by Danny Pankratz

MEET THE ICONIC LOCAL TALENT AT THIS WEEKEND’S RAVE:

ｄｊ ｓｗｅｅｅｔ


dj sweeet is a music producer and co-founder/lighting designer of stl-based collective .stl . their original music and remixes combine intricate synth instrumentation and atmospheric ambience with the percussive club rhythms of materia - acid techno, trance, footwork & beyond.

Ｎａｄ１ｒ


Nadir Smyth is a Saint Louis based DJ/producer/visual artist. Purveyor of forward thinking and experimental club music. Co-founder and resident of .stl . Known for surrealist, sound collage live sets, merging modern club music, trip hop & musique concrete, sharing the stage with the likes of Andy Stott, Moor Mother, DJ Manny and Huerco S. 

Ｇｉｒｌｓ Ｉｎｔｅｒｒｕｐｔｉｎｇ


Girls Interrupting is a St Louis and Columbia based girl DJ duo Trick Tommy and Airfry. From house shows to monthly playlists, their sound combines all things girl with ghettotech, baltimore club, and breaks.

Ascend with all + at RAPTURE at The Luminary

food by
sponsored in part by
drinks by &

Saturday, August 10. Doors at 9pm. Ticket prices go up at the door; snag yours today and save!

ICONIC LOCAL TALENT ASCENDING 2GETHER AT THIS WEEKEND’S RAVE

Ｎａｄ１ｒ

Nadir Smyth is a Saint Louis based DJ/producer/visual artist. Purveyor of forward thinking and experimental club music. Co-founder and resident of Materia STL. Known for surrealist, sound collage live sets, merging modern club music, trip hop & musique concrete, sharing the stage with the likes of Andy Stott, Moor Mother, DJ Manny and Huerco S. 

ｄｊ ｓｗｅｅｅｔ

dj sweeet is a music producer and co-founder/lighting designer of stl-based collective materia. their original music and remixes combine intricate synth instrumentation and atmospheric ambience with the percussive club rhythms of materia - acid techno, trance, footwork & beyond.

Ｇｉｒｌｓ Ｉｎｔｅｒｒｕｐｔｉｎｇ

Girls Interrupting is a St Louis and Columbia based girl DJ duo Trick Tommy and Airfry. From house shows to monthly playlists, their sound combines all things girl with ghettotech, baltimore club, and breaks.

All brought together with special guest

Less than 48 hours until we experience RAPTURE at The Luminary 💫 SAT AUG 10 / 9pm-late LIMITED TICKETS AVAILABLE — get yours while you still can!!!

presented with .314stl
food by
sponsored in part by
bar program by

📸 : (left) and (right) at .stl / image courtesy of the artists.

This just in: has a new initiative!! Collect an original artwork by the iconic artist Andy Warhol (!!) and support one of your favorite artist-run organizations all at once.

The Andy Warhol Foundation’s ‘Philanthropy Factory’ exemplifies innovative solutions for sustained support for our arts organizations. It is an honor to be included in this nationwide initiative along with so many others in the spirit of what Andy Warhol built to support: outside-of-the-box thinking, creative world-building, and sustainable structures advancing the visual arts.

Sales open August 6-August 20, 2024. Browse now through the link in bio!!

🤍🤍🤍

Honoring Andy Warhol’s philanthropic legacy on his birthday, The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts is pleased to announce Philanthropy Factory, a new initiative that provides an opportunity for
recent grantees to benefit from the sale of Warhol works from the Foundation’s collection. Select Warhol works ranging in value from $250 to $20,000 are now available for immediate purchase on a first-come first-serve basis for a limited time on the Foundation’s eBay for Charity platform, with all proceeds going directly to grantees.

Artworks pictured are all available now in support of The Luminary’s programs:

Hand With Flowers
Andy Warhol
c. 1957
Offset lithograph on paper
14.25 x 10 in

Studies for a Boy Book
Andy Warhol
1956
Offset lithograph on paper
15.875 x 13.5 in

Ali, Neiman and Andy Warhol 1981 Poster
Andy Warhol
35 x 21.5 in

we are ready to welcome to St. Louis next week ˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗

umru is an innovative music producer and DJ known for pushing the boundaries of contemporary pop and electronic music. Originally from Latvia and now based in Brooklyn, New York, umru has carved a unique niche in the industry with his eclectic soundscapes and genre-blending productions.

Since his emergence in the late 2010s, umru has gained widespread recognition for his collaborations with prominent artists such as Charli XCX, Dorian Electra, and Tommy Cash. His work is characterized by its intricate production, combining elements of hyperpop, experimental electronic, and avant-garde influences to create tracks that are both sonically adventurous and commercially appealing.

umru’s debut EP, “search result,” released in 2018, showcased his ability to craft complex, high-energy tracks that resonate with a global audience. His subsequent releases have continued to garner critical acclaim, solidifying his reputation as a forward-thinking producer in the pop and electronic music scenes.

Beyond his solo work, umru is a key member of the PC Music collective, contributing to the label’s distinctive sound and aesthetic. His live performances, whether in intimate club settings or at major music festivals, are known for their dynamic energy and immersive experience, further establishing him as a leading figure in the modern music landscape.

With a rapidly growing discography and an ever-expanding list of collaborations, umru continues to innovate and influence the future of music, making him a standout artist to watch for years to come ⋆˙⟡

Catch umru at RAPTURE, alongside at The Luminary on August 10. There are a number of limited tickets available for $35 presale, $40 at the door. Link to both in bio.
314stl

AUGUST 17 : ELECTRO SPINAL SOUND PRESENTS

ZINA AL-SHUKRI & LAUREN MICHELLE TRACY
EXPERIMENTAL SOUND MEDITATION
 
ASKA MARET KANEKO
VIOLIN COMPOSITIONS
 
PEEJAYEL
IMPROVISATIONAL LOOP SOUNDSCAPES
 
SATURDAY AUGUST 17 2024
THE LUMINARY
ST LOUIS MO
8PM

$10 DOOR | $5 MEMBERS

ticket link in bio 🫶🌟

Many you knew us first as an iconic indie rock venue that hosted everyone from Of Montreal, Destroyer, and Lightning Bolt, to Deerhoof, The Books, Shabazz Palaces, and Sharon van Etten. Performers went out of their way to play The Luminary and we were a home for experimentation across forms. Tens of thousands of you came through over the 6 year run of our music series 2013-2019. We are proud to bring this vibe back to our space on Cherokee street THIS MONTH !!!

JOIN US as we present our first returning large scale music presentation with internationally renowned guest headliner: and local legacies at RAPTURE

AUGUST 10 | 9pm

Online ticket price: $35 ONLY 200 available 
In-Person: $40 ONLY 100 available  

Food by
Sponsored by
Custom cocktails by The Luminary
Flyer by .m.b

With discounts for members of The Luminary on all tickets, merch, and drinks.

More details & reserve your tickets now via the link in our bio.

This past weekend we said goodbye to Monaco in The Luminary’s corner storefront gallery.

Operating on principles of an imagined “sovereign-state”, Monaco exemplified practices that enabled artists to define their own market on their own terms; exhibiting artists took home larger portions of sales proceeds, expenses were spread out evenly across the collective, and several shows were exchanged between other small commercial galleries from around the country. Over the years, it has played a vital role in elevating emerging artists inside and outside of St. Louis, providing a platform for contemporary art the intersection of cultural exploration and market engagement.

We want to take a moment to acknowledge the contributions of members across the years who made Monaco: Amanda Bowles, Bruce Burton, Sage Dawson, Kristin Fleischmann Brewer, José Garza, Meghan Grubb, Lyndon Barrois Jr., Addoley Dzegede, Allison Lacher, Gregg Louis, Cole Lu, Tim Portlock, Brea Youngblood, James McAnally, Heather Bennett, Jen Colton, Vaughn Davis Jr., Janie Stamm, Howard Krohn, Flood Plain, Visitor Assembly, Yowshien Kuo, Edo Rosenblith, Kalaija Mallery, Nick Schleicher, Marina May, and Emily Mueller.

We encourage our community to continue creating critical, contemporary spaces that break convention and support praxis. Artist-led spaces are so special and important in a larger arts ecosystem. Thank you for the last seven years, Monaco. We will miss you 🤍🤍

COMING TO THE LUMINARY AUGUST 10: the gateway to ascension might be hyper-pop ☄️ 🛸 🔊

Presenting for the first time in St. Louis: : a search-engine-optimized Estonian-American musician who has worked with Charli XCX, A.G. Cook, Laura Les, and Caroline Polachek, to others and has helped define the space between pop & the underground.

Supported by local 🔊 leaders of the field 🔊 Nad1r, DJ sweeet, + Girls Interrupting.

Join The Luminary as we join forces with [UNK] STL to deliver a quality event that engages all five senses in RAPTURE.

Online ticket price: $35 ONLY 200 available 
In-Person: $40 ONLY 100 available  

Food by
Sponsored by
Custom cocktails by The Luminary
Flyer by .m.b

With discounts for members of The Luminary on all tickets, merch, and drinks.

More details & reserve your tickets now via the link in our bio.

The Luminary is now closed for the remainder of the summer with the exception of a few really exciting events. Stay tuned for more details 🌬️💚💜

Thank you to all who joined us for a wonderful season, and to Ciera Alyse McKissick .ms and all 33 artists who shaped our most recent exhibition, Considering St. Louis. It was a joy to inquire deeper at this city’s artistic landscape and to offer more supportive points of connection between the silos that often exist here. May we carry on in this spirit for seasons to come 🌟

Now is the last week to view our current exhibition, 𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑺𝒕. 𝑳𝒐𝒖𝒊𝒔 🧱🔍🗺️ ❤️‍🔥

With open hours today (Thursday) and Friday 9am-6pm, and Saturday 12-5 — extended an extra hour, to partner with studio crawl.

Come see us and celebrate the spirit of our city’s artists this week.

Works pictured:
Stan Chisholm (18andCounting): Stay Bent, Stay Busy, DIMS, 2019.
Jen Everett: Unheard Sounds, Come Through, Found Objects, Ongoing.

📸: Virginia Harold

🔍🧱 Only two weeks left to see 𝕮𝖔𝖓𝖘𝖎𝖉𝖊𝖗𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝕾𝖙. 𝕷𝖔𝖚𝖎𝖘, featuring artworks and interviews of over thirty artists and cultural workers locally, curated by the wonderful Ciera Alyse McKissick .ms

Open Thurs/Fri 9a-6pm and Saturday 12-4pm

📸:

This week we welcome Christy Chan as a resident of The Luminary 🌟

Among many facets of her research practice, Christy is currently working on “This Way In,” a public art project in Antioch, California, to co-create installations with fifth-generation Chinese-Californians that mark the locations of historic tunnels used by Chinese-Americans as a form of resistance during the town’s “sundown” era.

Learn more about Christy and her practice via the link in our bio! And be sure to wish her a warm welcome to St. Louis :-)

Our gallery is closed today, but please join us in our gallery for regular hours tomorrow (7/5) and Saturday (7/6) to see Considering St. Louis, curated by Ciera Alyse McKissick.

Works pictured:
▸ Damon Davis “Boat of Feathers”, 2021, Mixed Media
▸ dirt mound with seeds sourced from Dail Chambers’ garden and fan from closing
▸ Vincent Stemmler, “Untitled Column”, 2023, concrete, water, dirt, live plants

📸:

Happy 💛 Friday

Our galleries and shop are open until 6pm ✨

Join us this weekend for quality time with Ciera McKissick, the curator of our current exhibition, 𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑺𝒕. 𝑳𝒐𝒖𝒊𝒔.

“…One of the surprising findings was that the concerns and struggles that artists in St. Louis face are no different than those of other artists in the region. Everyone across different spheres wants more – more reach … more money, more opportunities to show work, more connection. Everyone wants this, but there isn’t conversation from within to make it happen, so the cycle continues.” -Ciera McKissick for Ladue News 🙏

𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑺𝒕. 𝑳𝒐𝒖𝒊𝒔 is open thru July 20th with regular hours and related programs, including two upcoming on 6/29 and 6/30. Stop by the gallery tomorrow (Friday) after 2pm to meet the curator and chat!

Full interview link, and information about related programs in bio.

📸 : Zakkiyyah Najeebah Dumas O’Neal, Courtesy Ciera McKissick

The Luminary’s newly updated curator’s apartment is here and it is s t u n n i n g 🌟

Now available for guests in-between residency sessions!! BOOK via the link in our bio //

Our renewed residency apartment offers artist-made furniture, Afro - Scandinavian style, contemporary artworks from our collection and a rotating artist feature, and modern comforts, with ample space and amenities to enable rest, relaxation and revitalization of your creative spirit. Notably good for dinner parties 💐

The apartment is home to all our visiting inter/national artists, writers, curators, and other creatives when they stay in St. Louis throughout the year.

✨The Luminary’s Wayfinding Fellow, Brianna McIntyre, brought her signature style to our residency apartment in her final design project in the program:

“Afro - Scandinavian is a style that is rooted in warmth, texture, nature, richness, and simplicity. This idea, developed over years, is connected to my past, my world travels, and my vision for a revisioned diasporic aesthetic. My hope with this project, and future projects alike, is that each user feels instantly warmed and comforted in an enveloping space that is both timeless, while feeling the moments that have been collected over the course of a life.” -

✨ The first artist featured in the apartment is Justin Mikhail Solomon. His photographs are profoundly beautiful, full of tension, and push the boundaries of the medium by pushing abstraction through in-camera techniques. Visitors have the opportunity to acquire these works and gain information about all artworks in the apartment during their stay.

Book your staycation, or out-of-town visit with us today— and keep an eye out for the open-call for residencies, which will open again towards the end of this year!

📸:

🧱🔍 (PROGRAM) SUNDAY, JUNE 30TH: Film Screening | 1-3pm FREE

In conjunction with our current exhibition, 𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑺𝒕. 𝑳𝒐𝒖𝒊𝒔, The Luminary is pleased to present a series of films and music videos by St. Louis-based artists, in partnership with The Kranzberg Foundation and My Friends and I.

My Friends and I will present the visual premiere of their latest project “American” with St. Louis based artist, Critical, followed by a Q&A with My Friends and I co-founder Cami Thomas and Considering St. Louis curator, Ciera Alyse McKissick.

Featured shorts and videos presented by: Cami Thomas, Catherine Dudley Rose, Carmen Ribaudo (scored by Lucy Dougherty), Dail Chambers, Damon Davis, Jess T. Dugan, Noel Spiva, Tasha Burton, Taylor Yocom, Stan Chisholm and Mike Roth, and Yvonne Osei.

🧱🔍 The bricks discovered throughout 𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑺𝒕. 𝑳𝒐𝒖𝒊𝒔 act as a curatorial through-line within the exhibition: offering a nod to the industrial paths of the city, speaking to the remnants of that past that are often still with us, and in the gallery support the work that artists in the city are making in response to that. Acting as platforms, anchors, and framing devices, the bricks reference the material past and present of our city as a potentially generative space for artists who live here.

𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑺𝒕. 𝑳𝒐𝒖𝒊𝒔, curated by Ciera McKissick, is open May 31-July 20, 2024, with regular viewing hours Thursday-Saturday & By Appointment. More information about the exhibition and our programs is on our website, linked in bio.

Works pictured, vignetted: Tiff Sutton, Untitled I (From the Woman Named Vera Series), Untitled II Newspaper (From the Woman Named Vera Series); Jess T. Dugan, Wisteria (2021), Cai at sunrise (2019), Taylor Yocom, just because! (2021)

📸 : Virginia Harold

last week’s opening was 😍😍😍

thank you all who joined us to celebrate the artistic energy of our city, and the cultivation of .ms fellowship at the luminary that is Considering St. Louis!

Considering St. Louis is open now thru July 20, with regular hours Thursdays-Saturday 💫

Stay tuned for more information on a hearty offering of related programs throughout the season!

📸:

📢📢 We are pleased to announce the 2024 Futures Fund Recipients !!!

Out of a number of rigorous and competitive submissions, 9 applicants were selected to receive funding for new artistic projects in the region:

⭐️ Norman Spencer: The Green Book Trail Guide
⭐️ Campbell Harvey, Clarke Taylor, Alia Holland, and Jordan Hawkins: The Big Soup Initiative
⭐️ Glyneisha Johnson and Mary Lawson: The Combahee Collection: Convergences of Liberation Beyond the Institution
⭐️ Nathan Cook, Joshua Levi, Nokosee Fields, and Gavin Kroeber: Lead and Coal: A Sounding
⭐️ Jennifer Colten, Roberta Rogers, and Robert White III: A Gathering Place: Oral Histories and Photographic Views in Brooklyn, Illinois
⭐️ Noel Spiva and Alexis Creamer: Unseen on Screen
⭐️ Lynne Smith, Pratim Biswas, Kasey Fowler-Finn, and Samantha Pounders: What’s at the Bottom of the Pond
⭐️ Janie Stamm and Melissa Bauer: Barn Quilts: A rural Midwest Tradition for the City
⭐️ Sophia Hatzikos and Carmen Ribaudo: Reverb: Curatorial Activation of Tyson Research Center

Recipients received their awards in-person at the 2701 Party. Supported by the Andy Warhol Foundation For the Arts, a total of $60,000 in grants have been awarded, with individual grants ranging between $2,500 and $8,000. Many thanks to this year’s panelists: Marianne Laury (Curator, Director of Programming, Granite City Art and Design District), Kentaro Kumanomido (Co-Owner, Wildfruit Projects), and Mikayla Nicholson (Grants Manager, NW Film Forum).

Please join us in congratulating these artists and their collaborators, and follow along with us throughout the year as we watch them develop their visions into our futures! We will share more information on each project as it develops, and hope to see you at the various installations, performances, happenings, and more across the St. Louis region.

For more information about Futures Fund, please visit our website, linked in bio.

OPENING TONIGHT: 6-9PM
𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑺𝒕. 𝑳𝒐𝒖𝒊𝒔
curated by .ms

ft. artworks and interviews by 30 stl based artists // sets by Makeda Kravitz + Noel Spiva // a new animation by artist Carmen Ribaudo accompanied by a live score by Lucy Dougherty

🧭 🔍 🗺️

works pictured: video by Câmi Thomas, + sneak peak of works by Charles Bosco, Dail Chambers and Damon Davis

++ repurposed benches by from “in c/o practice”

We are open !!

with regular exhibition + shop hours now through March 30th ✨🙌✨

Work pictured: Kiki Salem, The Silver Lining We Don’t Need (2020), concertina razor wire, steel, aluminum, mixed fiber, security alarm stands

Currently on view: Moving Stories in the Making

Photograph by Virginia Harold

Curious about the Futures Fund? Join us Thursday February 15th from 6-8PM for an info session with Brigid Flynn of 💯 The session is free and open to anyone.

Brigid will be going over examples of eligible projects, the application questions, grant writing tips, and have dedicated time for Q&A. Attendance is not required but is strongly encouraged for applicants.

Can’t make it? View a recording of a previous info session on our Vimeo. Link in bio!

ID: Artist Tasha Nicolé Burton gives an artist talk in her exhibition at Wild Fruit Projects. Image courtesy of Cycle 5 Futures Fund recipient, Kentaro Kumanomido & Nathaniel Lucena of

Opening today: Moving Stories in the Making
2-5pm

With works by Janna Añonuevo Langholz, Arleene Correa Valencia, Zlatko Ćosić, Mee Jey, Amanda Phingbodhipakkiya, Kiki Salem, Rafael Soldi, and Laurencia Strauss 🌟

With special ritual activation by artist-in-residence Amanda Phingbodhipakkiya today only

& the release of new essay by critic-in-residence Pia Singh

🌟

The Luminary is pleased to launch sixth cycle of Futures Fund, with applications open now through March 15th✨🪐

Apply now to the Futures Fund to support innovative artist projects:

- $2500 - $8000
- Public-Facing (not necessarily “public art”)
- Collaborative, engaging, space to experiment and take risks
- Centering visual art and/or lead by a visual artist
- Project lead lives within 40 miles within St. Louis city center

More information about Futures Fund, including sign ups for an in-person info-session, eligibility guidelines, and FAQs, are available now on our website (link in bio).

——

Futures Fund is a regranting initiative organized by The Luminary and funded by the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts in order to support innovative, experimental and forward-focused artistic projects throughout the St. Louis region. Futures Fund was founded in 2019 to provide essential support to creative projects that exemplify the unique possibilities of St. Louis, deeply engage its past, present and possible futures, and model new ways of working within our region. The fund exists as one of the few opportunities for direct project support for artists in St. Louis.




Design by Ashley King

We are pleased welcome multidisciplinary artist, educator, and activist Amanda Phingbodhipakkiya to The Luminary this week.

During her residency, Amanda will finalize her new installation for the forthcoming exhibition: “Of Soil and Sky,” named after a poem written about her time spent in the Summer of 2023 in 40 different textile communities across every region of Thailand. This monumental work celebrates the many threads of experience that shape us, the objects that remind us of who we are, and the roads we’ve traveled to find and cultivate belonging. 

The ritual will allow participants to inscribe their treasured stories on slips of paper and store them in vessels that carry significance of home and inheritance. These will be incorporated into the installation and will remain as part of this living monument, a steadfast archive, for the duration of the exhibition. 

Join us this Saturday for the opening of Moving Stories In The Making, and the cultivation of Amanda’s work, “Of Soil and Sky” on Saturday, February 3rd, from 2-5PM at The Luminary. 

More details in the link in our bio.

Photograph by Victoria Romulo

The Luminary is pleased to announce its Spring 2024 exhibition, Moving Stories in the Making: An Exhibition of Migration Narratives, co-presented with Moving Stories. Featuring work by local and national artists Janna Añonuevo Langholz, Arleene Correa Valencia, Zlatko Ćosić, Mee Jey, Amanda Phingbodhipakkiya, Kiki Salem, Rafael Soldi, and Laurencia Strauss. 

An experiment in collaborative curating and cross-disciplinary institutional partnerships, the exhibition demonstrates how stories can shift entrenched attitudes toward immigration and how art can foster connections between migrants and the communities in which they become a part. Listening Sessions with local migrants, artists, scholars, and advocates from the Migrant and Immigrant Community Action (MICA) Project, the Inter-Faith Committee on Latin America (IFCLA), and Welcome Neighbor inform the exhibition and related programming.

Opening on Saturday, February 3rd and running through March 30th, Moving Stories holds space for migrants and those affection by migration to their stories through a series of participatory engagements and activations, ongoing throughout its duration.

More details on the exhibition and related programs through the link in our bio.

Image: Rafael Soldi: CARGAMONTÓN (2022), Aquatint Photogravure. Image courtesy of Rafael Soldi.

ID: A black and white image, softly out of focus, of a male figure with dark skin smiling from an overhead perspective, seemingly laughing.


cosic


s