DiscoSkype

 
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In the age of isolation and social distancing, it’s important to continue to connect in as many ways as we can. 

At the start of the emergency declaration, Alzayer curated short weekly playlists (approximately 30 minutes in length) to facilitate connection through dance, offer a fun way to exercise, and provide an uplifting space to focus attention away from our collective uncertainty. Participants are invited to dress for the theme (if they desire), join a  public call on Skype, and immediately transform their living room into their own dance floor. 

DiscoSkype is not only a tool for connection, but a statement on the pathways in which we find to connect. In addition to facilitating the framework for connection, Alzayer set out to draw attention to the fact that many of these platforms were developed and meant for meetings that take place in the business world, not for performers, musicians, dancers, theater performances, open mic nights, etc. Tools like Skype, Zoom, FaceTime, GoToMeeting, and Google Hangouts were originally meant to facilitate videoconferencing. They were not built with performing arts in mind, yet they are overwhelmingly being used by arts professionals in times like this. These types of platforms can be cumbersome for performing arts and artists, because they were not developed with these types of uses in mind. 

DiscoSkype is an ephemeral space. Dance sessions are not recorded so as to offer participants the freedom to be as unabashed as they please. A curated video playlist is shared with participants who are invited to dance along. 

DiscoSkype took place weekly for ten weeks and may return at a later date.

For now, feel free to enjoy past DiscoSkype themes:

  • 70s Night

  • 80s Night

  • 90s Night

  • Ladies of the 80s

  • Animal Party

  • Coronavirus Parodies Night

  • Broadway Singalong

  • Millennial Jamz Night

  • Ladies Night

  • K-pop Night

Successful Kickstarter!

March- April 2020, Alzayer ran a successful kickstarter to fund products made from her original artwork piece Chop Chop.

Signed, limited-edition lino prints and stickers are available in the Henna Inspired shop.

 

Prints available

Prints available

 
See the Kickstarter
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Healing Hands

 
Project as of 5/2/2020

Project as of 5/2/2020

 

We’ve all been working on keeping our hands clean, and thinking about how much disease and germs they can carry has been at the front of all of our minds. Here we all are, viewing our hands with suspicion, demonizing this part of our bodies. Don’t touch your face. Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds. Don’t touch anything. Don’t shake hands with anyone. Don’t reach out.

But I’m a henna artist. I work with hands as the nature of my work: holding them, drawing on them, and connecting—both physically and emotionally—with my clients. Hands connect us. Shaking hands is often the very first thing we do when we meet someone new. We use hands to hug one another, dry each other’s tears, give a high five, feed our children, toss a ball back and forth. We use our hands to create: playing piano, crocheting, drawing, sculpting, dancing, or acting. We use our hands to communicate: waving hello, gesturing when we’re speaking, while communicating in sign language, writing a love note, typing an email. And when we’re reaching out to someone, calling for help, or to get someone’s attention, or even to pet a cat or dog, what we use first are our hands. 

With all this talk of the Coronavirus, there’s been a lot of emphasis placed on social distancing, canceling everything, staying home, and not connecting with one another. And many of us are anxious, lonely, isolated, and struggling. As an artist I have a unique capability to help. The nature of what I do brings joy, provokes thought, instills hope, and inspires action. And even though we have to keep our distance from one another, I’m working on an art project to help us combat our isolation and uncertainty. 

I invite you to take a piece of paper, trace your hand, and inside your hand write a message of encouragement on it. Something to help someone else keep going. If you feel like it, go ahead and put your name and location on it too. And then scan it and send it to me. I’ll print every hand and message I receive, cut them out, and make a giant interlocking paper chain of all of our hands and all our encouragement. 

Our hands are not just vessels to carry germs and make ourselves and others sick, but they are vital, powerful parts of ourselves that we use to connect, create, communicate, and console. And I may not be able to physically reach out and hold yours, but if you send me a tracing of it, I can. And I can connect it to all the others I receive. Because email still doesn’t carry germs.

Here is a video that explains more about the project:

Participate and upload your own submissions: https://forms.gle/6tkrgAUZuDvp8tKQ9 People are already having a hard time with this all the closures, disruption...

Submission Directions:

  • Trace around your hand on a sheet of paper. Feel free to use any 8.5x11 sheet, or download a worksheet here.

  • Inside your hand shape, draw or write words of encouragement to share and decorate it.

  • Add your name and city, if desired. I'd love to see where all these hands are coming from!

  • Scan and send your contribution via the Google Form

  • Share your submissions and join the conversation using #healinghandsart and join the Healing Hands group online

  • Donate if you can to offset the cost of supplies and help keep me able to print all your artwork

Tips:

  • As much as I hate saying this, be sure to keep inside the lines, I’ll be cutting all of these out after I print them.

  • These will be printed on a range of skin-tone color paper, so keep that in mind with your design.

  • Please upload PDFs only.

  • I’ll be printing on 8.5x11 sheets.

  • Connect with Henna Inspired for updates on this project.

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Did you know I'm supporting this Healing Hands project entirely on my own? This means I'll be unable to print any more submissions once my printer ink runs out. Please donate if you're able to support the continuation of this project.
Your contributions will go directly to paper, ink, and my continued efforts on future projects just like this one. Any amount of support you're able to give is greatly appreciated, even if it's only $1. Thanks in advance ❤️

 

Need help scanning?

If you have a smartphone, you have a scanner! You can use a free app like CamScanner to scan a photo to a PDF. If you have an iPhone or iPad, you have scan capability built in through the Notes app. Simply open a new note, select the camera icon, and then select “Scan to Documents.” Once you have your scanned PDF, feel free to email it directly to hennainspiredinfo@gmail.com if you have further trouble uploading your submission via the form.

 
Download PDF Worksheet
Upload Submission
Donate

Malden Reads: Influential Books

In November 2019, Alzayer was commissioned by Malden Reads to build a participatory traveling public art piece centered on reading. Participants were invited to write on an old book page the title and author of a book that has been influential to them and add it to the giant book sculpture, which will gradually collect a collage of book titles residents find to be influential. Malden Reads: Influential Books premiered on December 7, 2019 at Malden Reads’ Holiday Pop-Up Bookstore event and will appear at future Malden Reads Events.

Catching Malden's Dreams

After the success of “Wishing Wall for Everett” Alzayer couldn’t resist offering Maldonians the same opportunity to share their own dreams.

“Catching Malden’s Dreams” invites residents to choose a colorful strip of fabric, make a wish, write their wish on the fabric, dip their fabric strip in the magical wishing well, and tie it on the giant bug catcher net along with other residents’ dreams for their city.

“Catching Malden’s Dreams“ made its debut at Arts Matter Malden day on October 25, 2019 and was designed to function as a traveling piece that could make appearances at various public city events.

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