Join us in Downtown Los Angeles for the grand opening of VESSEL, an Indigenous futurist UFO sculpture by Edgar Fabián Frías.
Earlier this year, Edgar was selected as one of 135 artists from around the world to have their work etched onto a nickel disk and transported to the moon aboard the Oddysseus Lander spacecraft as part of the Arch Lunar Art Archive. This humbling experience led Edgar to contemplate mortality and the deep human desire to transcend time and space through our art, stories, and culture.
VESSEL emerged from these reflections, drawing inspiration from the Wixárika origin story of Takutsi Nakawé, who created a canoe to save life on earth during a great flood. The artwork not only honors Indigenous stories but also weaves them into contemporary explorations of themes projected onto UFOs—vessels that embody our collective hopes, fears, and desires.
By exploring the potential we project onto these entities—whether as saviors or harbingers of destruction—VESSEL delves into themes of decay, hope, and storytelling, inviting reflection on both Indigenous and contemporary cosmologies, deities, flora, fauna, crystals, ancestors, and those who defy categorization.
Standing as a testament to the resilience and adaptability of life, VESSEL draws from the deep cultural roots of the Wixárika people and projects these lessons into a modern, universally recognizable form. Its presence in Gloria Molina Grand Park, on the site of the Indigenous village of Yaangna, connects past and present, honoring the diverse communities that now call Los Angeles home.
To celebrate this momentous occasion, we invite you to join us for a communal activation of the artwork. Together, we will activate a crystal within VESSEL with our collective intentions, sending this energy out from Gloria Molina Grand Park into the world, the universe, and beyond. If you feel called, please bring a small object or a written intention that represents your hopes and dreams.
Light refreshments will be provided, and everyone is welcome to join in this celebration.
Date: Sunday, September 8
Time: 5:00 PM PST - 7:30 PM PST
Location: Gloria Molina Grand Park, Downtown Los Angeles
200 North Grand Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90012
VESSEL will be on view at Gloria Molina Grand Park from September 4 - September 29.
Edgar Fabián Frías is a member of the PAiD Artist Council, a program by the Los Angeles County Department of Arts & Culture, funded by the Mellon Foundation, with support from Dyson & Womack. Special thanks to Nick Rodrigues for fabrication support and Emily Womack for project management.
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