Come to a one-night only screening of artist Silvi Naçi's film, The Bow Wake [Vala e Harkut] (Run time 1 hr, 17 min) with conversation afterward between Naçi and Leslie Dick. ~ During Naçi's research trip to Albania in 2017-18, they worked with and documented two LGBTQIA+ communities in Albania: the historical traditional Burrnesha and the Alliance against Discrimination of LGBTQ, an activist organization started by Xheni Karaj, based in Tirana. The film directly addresses questions of identity and queer politics as it relates to the consequences of patriarchy and national identity. The Bow Wake [Vala e Harkut] (2019) illustrates connections and tensions between two LGBTQIA+ communities in Albania: the ancient Albanian tradition of the Burrnesha— sworn virgin women who live and are recognized as men—and the Alliance against Discrimination of LGBTQ+, an activist organization based in Tirana. The film addresses complex issues surrounding expressions, conventions, and perceptions of gender across cultures and histories through an intercultural discourse. The investigation into the lives of Lali and Paloma requires a persistent yet delicate approach, particularly as the film hones in on such an intimate and contentious subject. ~ Silvi Naçi’s practice investigates gender and cultural identity, language and time, the body as subject/object, and the consequences of patriarchy. The work engages in the dialectic between the aesthetically beautiful and historical genealogy, identity and socio-political structures, the ‘puritan’ and the ‘bitch’. Rooted in feminist ideas, Naçi’s work examines the relationship between power and privilege, weight and trauma, and uses historical references to expand on broader truths, while underscoring debates around social politics, identity and representation through contemporary art practices. Their interest lies in the subtle and violent ways decolonization and migration affects and reshapes a people, language, gender identity, as well as social and cultural dynamics. Leslie Dick is a writer who teaches in the Art Program at CalArts. She is on the Editorial Board of the art journal X-TRA. Love’s Remedies is an initiative of artists brd and Hannah Kim Varamini, and focuses on building collaborative actions and events with artists, curators and writers across Los Angeles. ~ The CalArts / REEF Residency is located at 1993 S. Broadway, Suite 1150. Street parking is available. The REEF Parking lot is $20 during business hours. ~