but what you want is far away

An innovative performance of dance and poetry, but what you want is far away explores the complexity of California as a symbol of abundance and freedom. The evening will begin with poetry by Tanya Sarmina, followed by the world premiere of god sees everything — a new dance-driven piece directed and choreographed by Phoebe Osborne and featuring contributions from painter and sculptor Lisa Jonas Taylor, an original musical score by Colin Self, and text by Philip Matthews. The performance casts a critical eye on the relationship between the psychedelic experience, the pursuit of transformation, and the way we imagine California.

The performance exists alongside the exhibition Fertile Ground: Art and Community in California, which highlights communities of artists in California who have created especially fruitful conditions for making art. As a collaborative effort between the Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) and SFMOMA, but what you want is far away explores the ideologies of man, nature, and god within California’s historical counterculture.

Taking place during Friday Nights @ OMCA, the evening features Off the Grid food trucks, a DJ set by Hard French, and more.