a poco art archive presents "The Journey Within," a two-part spiritual workshop led by interdisciplinary artist Lei Benben, as part of the “Ritual to the Sun” exhibition programming. This intimate, donation-based session is limited to 8 participants only on a first-come-first-served basis, invites participants to explore the resonance between body, breath, and nature through tea ceremony, zen-inspired painting, meditative movement, and experimental video. Programming details: Session 1: 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM Location: a poco art archive Tea Ceremony | Zen-Inspired Painting | Visual Meditation with video art by Lei Benben and artworks on site at “Ritual to the Sun” Session 2: 1:30 – 2:30 PM Location: Central Park Playa Vista Walking Meditation | Somatic Movement Practice with Nature The two sessions are designed to traverse the realms of stillness and motion, fostering a resonance between the individual and the collective, and awakening synchronicity in the flow of awareness.​ Registration Details: Capacity: Limited to 8 participants Fee: Donation appreciated Registration: Email ann@apoco.art or contact 646-573-6481 Participants responsible of their own (short) commute between session 1 and session 2. Participants are required to sign a waiver in advance.​ Because we are doing activities outdoor, please wear comfortably, stay hydrated, bring sun protection if needed, and/or bring a yoga mat for your wellness and comfort. About the Artist: Lei Benben, born in 1977 in Jiangxi, China, is a multidisciplinary artist whose practice spans dance, photography, installation, and video. A graduate of the Beijing Film Academy in 2006, Lei's work delves into the connections between the body, energy fields, and the collective unconscious. Her art creates spaces of resonance between individual perception and universal rhythms, inviting participants into deeper states of awareness.​ (Instagram: @leibenben2060) About the Curator: Ann Shi is an independent curator, art advisor, archivist, and USPAP-compliant art appraiser specializing in 20th-century Chinese paintings. Born into a family of artists and collectors in classical ink paintings, music and drama, Shi has a deep appreciation for multidisciplinary art forms that connect time, mediums, and realms. She holds a BA and MMath with Honours in Mathematics from Oxford University and an MA in Art Business from Sotheby's Institute of Art, and was formerly a risk officer in the hedge funds over her six-year banking career. Her curatorial approach often explores the intersectionality on various accounts, from classical Chinese ink art, literati lineage, and contemporary expressions, shifting between indigenous and external perspectives within her cultural identity. She contests the notion of Asian art with an aim to gradually dissolve physical and metaphorical borders of races, genders and geography. (Instagram: @annonymous_cynist) About the Space: a poco art archive is an independent creator’s space, curatorial incubator and communal site in Culver City, dedicated to showcasing unconventional, thought-provoking works and fostering critical dialogue across contemporary art, art history, and archival practices. As an intimate space that defies conventionality, we aim to transform the act of archiving into a curatorial project and artistic labor—where ideas, processes, and dialogues are continuously cultivated, challenging static notions of “archive” while embracing the fluidity of creative evolution. (Instagram: @a.poco.art.collective)