The Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art is proud to present a solo exhibition by Jennifer Wen Ma, entitled Cry Joy Park—Gardens of Dark and Light.

Cry Joy Park—Gardens of Dark and Light is an investigation into the construct of a utopia, inspired by the history of Charleston, South Carolina: a cultural and artistic capital of the American South, and an exemplar of its opulence and beauty. This installation aims to present both an alluring, gorgeous and otherworldly garden, and its darker counterpart. The worlds created by the exhibition are a juxtaposition of utopia and dystopia and are presented via an immersive multisensory experience that utilizes various forms of communication to convey its message.

The installation features two separate gardens: a Dark one and a Light one, both representing a yin/yang balance between utopias and dystopias. Her exhibition will also feature collaborations with the School of the Arts at the College of Charleston, which will take the form of interdisciplinary performances by students in the visual arts, theatre, dance, music, creative writing, and more. Ma has also organized a series of community dinners that will serve as platforms to discuss specific issues facing Charleston, such as social justice and gentrification.

As a part of Cry Joy Park, Jennifer Wen Ma has conceived of a series of Luncheons in the Garden in which the public is invited to be a part of conversations dealing with themes of the exhibition. During three Saturdays in June and July, the public is invited to bring a bag lunch and break bread with the artist and members of the community in the Halsey Institute’s galleries. Each Luncheon in the Garden will feature a collaborative performance by musician, dancer, or poet relating to the theme.

Cry Joy Park—Gardens of Dark and Light is co-curated by Mark Sloan, Director and Chief Curator, and Bryan Granger, Director of Exhibitions and Public Programs at the Halsey Institute. This exhibition is generously supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts, The Henry and Sylvia Yaschik Foundation and The E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation. Cry Joy Park—Gardens of Dark and Light is an official visual arts offering of the City of Charleston’s Piccolo Spoleto Festival 2019.

The Halsey Institute commissioned Hed Hi Media to create a short documentary on Ma and her work in the exhibition: