Hilma's Ghost: Light as Resistance at MOCA Tucson

Hilma's Ghost, an art collective established in 2020 by artists and witches Dannielle Tegeder and Sharmistha Ray, is set to unveil its inaugural museum exhibition, 'Light as Resistance,' at MOCA Tucson from March 6, 2026, to January 24, 2027. The exhibition showcases a newly commissioned installation titled 'We Who Cast the Circle' (2026), featuring concentric circles adorned with elemental and planetary symbols against a red backdrop, paired with an audio recording of an intersectional feminist manifesto. Named after Swedish artist Hilma af Klint (1862-1944), the collective employs automatic writing and mystical techniques to highlight the contributions of female, queer, and trans artists often marginalized in art history. Additional works include hex paintings, sigil drawings, and the video 'Conjuring Futures: Turning the Wheel of Transformative Change' (2025), which incorporates sound by Mexican poet Lucía Hinojosa Gaxiola, blending Southwestern imagery with archival protest visuals. The collective's efforts also encompass covert activism aimed at addressing the erasure of Indigenous and artists of color. The exhibition draws inspiration from queer abstractionists Agnes Pelton and Agnes Martin, encapsulated in their manifesto: 'We turn backward to move forward.' Installation views were captured by Maya Hawk.