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Carlos Motta, A Narrow Gate through Which God Could Enter from Corpo Fechado—The Devil’s Work, 2018, video still; courtesy of P.P.O.W Gallery, New York
Symposium, Talks

Bodies at the Borders, Day 1

Friday, Jan 24, 2020

9 a.m–6 p.m.

Digital Arts Research Center, Rm. 108, UC Santa Cruz

407 McHenry Rd, Santa Cruz, CA

Free and open to the public.

This two-day symposium addresses the politics of borders as they intersect with issues of sexual orientation, gender identity, ethnicity, and race. Featuring film screenings, poetry readings, performances, and panel discussions, the symposium accompanies installations by artist Carlos Motta on view at UC Santa Cruz and at SFMOMA, the latter as part of the exhibition SOFT POWER.

Motta’s works on display in the two venues focus on historical and present-day migrations and powerfully engage the production and management of borders. This symposium, produced by Motta in collaboration with Rachel Nelson, interim director of the Institute of Arts and Sciences at UC Santa Cruz, brings together artists, activists, and scholars to further examine the pressing issues of identities, borders, and boundaries.

Schedule, Day 1

9–9:30 a.m. | Coffee and bagels

9:30–9:45 a.m. | Introduction

Rachel Nelson, interim director, Institute of the Arts and Sciences, UCSC

9:45–10:15 a.m. | Keynote

Carlos Motta, artist

10:15–11:45 a.m. | Panel 1

Sexuality and Borders: Pasts and Presents
Moderated by Anjali Arondekar, associate professor of feminist studies, UCSC

Panelists:
J. Kēhaulani Kauanui, Kanaka Maoli, professor of American studies, Wesleyan University
Pete Sigal, professor of history and gender, sexuality, and feminist studies, Duke University
Neferti Tadiar, professor of women’s studies, Barnard College, Columbia University

11:45 a.m.–12:30 p.m. | Film Screening

Deseos by Carlos Motta

12:30–1:30 p.m. | Break

1:30–2 p.m. | Performance/Reading

Demian DinéYazhi´, Diné, artist

2–2:30 p.m. | Demian DinéYazhi´ and Joseph M. Pierce in conversation

Demian DinéYazhi´, Diné, artist
Joseph M. Pierce, citizen of the Cherokee Nation, associate professor of Latin American studies, Stony Brook University

2:30–4 p.m. | Panel 2

Borders and Containment
Moderated by Gina Dent, associate professor of feminist studies, UCSC

Panelists:
Che Gossett, writer, archivist, and Ph.D. candidate, trans/gender studies, Rutgers
Silky Shah, executive director, Detention Watch Network
Dean Spade, lawyer, writer, trans activist, and associate professor of law, Seattle University

4–4:30 p.m. | Break

4:30–5 p.m. | Film Screening

4 Waters: Deep Implicancy by Arjuna Neuman and Denise Ferreira da Silva

5–6 p.m. | Keynote

Denise Ferreira da Silva, professor and director of the Institute for Gender, Race, Sexuality and Social Justice at the University of British Columbia