Events

my hands are monsters who believe in magic is a group exhibition that explores an artist’s capacity for the radical reimagination of the self through a process of unmaking and remaking. Featuring contemporary photography, video, and ceramics by ten artists from the Asian diaspora—Alex Anderson, Tommy Kha, Maggie Lee, Jarod Lew, Cathy C. Lu, Diane Severin Nguyen, Miraj Patel, Leonard Suryajaya, Guanyu Xu, and Amia Yokoyama—the exhibition highlights the liberatory possibilities of self-construction and reinvention. The works on view navigate the endless, messy, contradictory, and sometimes grotesque process of understanding oneself in relation to history, materiality, and community. The title of the exhibition quotes a line from Ocean Vuong’s poem “Dear Sara” in Time Is a Mother. my hands are monsters who believe in magic is organized by guest curator Kris Kuramitsu.

Opening Public Celebration
Sunday, May 4
1:00 to 3:30 PM

Join us for the opening celebration on May 4, which includes a drop-in, all-ages artmaking workshop led by Armory Teaching Artist Lark Crable. Participants will create and take home their own "Clay Monster." This event and workshop are free and open to everyone.

About the Curator
Kris Kuramitsu is an independent curator and educator in Los Angeles. As Senior Curator at The Mistake Room in Los Angeles, she organized exhibitions such as Matsumi Kanemitsu: Metamorphic Effects (2014); Cao Fei: Shadow Plays (2015); A Tender Spot: Sky Hopinka and Karrabing Film Collective (2018); and Gaëlle Choisne: Temple of Love – ADORABLE (2019), among others. She curates the Candlewood Arts Festival, a program of temporary public art projects in the Anza Borrego Desert for the Under the Sun Foundation. Additionally, she has organized exhibitions for institutions such as the Benton Museum of Art at Pomona College, Claremont, CA; LAXART, Los Angeles; Instituto Cervantes, Madrid; and the Japanese American National Museum, Los Angeles. She has taught at Harvey Mudd College and was the 2022 curatorial resident at Occidental College, where she organized the exhibition Voice a Wild Dream: Moments in Asian American Art and Activism, 1968-2022. She is the recipient of the 2024 Call to Dream Sam Francis Fellowship.

Pasadena Bike Month is a month-long campaign of fun and healthy bicycle activities that Pasadena residents and visitors can experience in the month of May. Activities include group rides, social gatherings, a film screening, and guided tours. Pasadena Bike Month is made possible by the City of Pasadena, Day One, and Pasadena Complete Streets Coalition. Visit their website for the full calendar and to sign up for a ride.

Organizers have planned free activities for riders of all ages and abilities all month long. Helmets, bikes in good working order, and bike lights (for night events) are strongly encouraged. Highlights of Bike Month events include:

SUN MAY 04
NATIONAL RIDE A BIKE DAY
Celebrate National Ride a Bike Day by taking a spin on your bicycle. Explore wherever you'd like!  Nearly a dozen locations in Old Pasadena are offering special discounts and other fun giveaways if you ride your bike and let them know! Details are here.
Time: All day
Location: Anywhere!

SAT MAY 10
PUBLIC ART RIDE
What’s better than riding bikes on a beautiful day in May? Riding bikes and eating pie and ice cream! We’ll visit local purveyors of America’s favorite treats and sample their offerings.
DETAILS TO BE CONFIRMED

THU MAY 15
BIKE TO WORK DAY
Visit our Bike to Work Day rest stop at Pasadena City Hall to say hello. Enjoy a free snack and a can of cold brew, plus a local bike shop will be doing quick tune-ups on site. Remember, if you need to travel far, go multimodal. Metro buses and trains, Metrolink trains, and Pasadena Transit buses are free for bicyclists on Bike to Work Day.
DETAILS TO BE CONFIRMED

SAT MAY 31
PIE and ICE CREAM ARE FRIENDS RIDE
What’s better than riding bikes on a beautiful day in May? Riding bikes and eating pie and ice cream! We’ll visit local purveyors of America’s favorite treats and sample their offerings.
DETAILS TO BE CONFIRMED

For a full list of events and details, visit www.bit.ly/BikeMonthPasadena.

Bike Month Pasadena is organized by the City of Pasadena Department of Transportation, Day One, and Pasadena Complete Streets Coalition. Day One and partners Pasadena CSC are Pasadena-based community organizations working towards advocating for safe, inclusive, and healthy streets for all road users, regardless of mode and ability.