HERE IS MY MOM. She’s Dead.

Wiley (b. 1995), Artist & Bingyi Spurlock (b. 1998), Curator

On November 20th, 2021, Wiley (b. 1995, she/her) will host a viewing of her performance piece, HERE IS MY MOM. SHE'S DEAD. Curated by Bingyi Spurlock, the performance will include Wiley viewing over 40 VHS tapes of her mother, Lorrie Macanas Wiley, in real time. This will be the first time these videos have been viewed by Wiley and the first time Wiley has seen her mother since being killed by a drunk driver in 2001.

As an artist, this project is an extension of Wiley’s work exploring durational performance; physical and emotional marathons are a cornerstone of her past and current work.

Over 50 hours of footage from 1991-2001, mostly recorded my Lorrie herself, have not been watched by anyone since her death in 2001. Bingyi Spurlock, curator of the project, is responsible for viewing and editing the tapes down to 8 hours for Wiley to watch on November 20th.

“Editing the footage of Wiley and Lorrie has been an eye-opening experience. Having never met Lorrie before, the video explains Wiley's connection to her mother and shows their similarities. The way they both laugh, how they fish, how they pick apart their food as they eat it, how they both bring life and a smile to everyone they are with — these videos explain so much. I'm really excited for the world to meet Lorrie, and for those who knew her, I hope this video brings them comfort,” says Bingyi Spurlock.

Wiley (b. 1995, she/her) Filipino-American artist from Honolulu, HI. Wiley holds a BFA from Portland State University. Wiley creates self-reflective works with materials and methods associated with her childhood in an effort to better understand how her lived experiences create and shape who she is. She has exhibited works in Hawaii and Oregon including Pacific University, Portland State University, and a solo exhibition at Fuller Rosen Gallery. Wiley’s work is in the private collections of Mike Rutherford and Pacific University, and was featured in Sculpture Magazine. She was awarded an Honorable Mention in the Outstanding Student Achievement in Contemporary Sculpture Award from the International Sculpture Center, and a Juried Commendation from the Arlene Schnitzer Visual Arts Prize.