Radical Expression Through Self-Presentation

More than half of Americans believe in some extraterrestrial form of life. Considering the size of the universe, it’s not inconceivable to imagine an alien touching down on our planet someday. So what would happen if, one day, an alien came to Earth? It would be nice to imagine a scenario where this unknown creature is embraced. However, our culture has proven time and time again that the unfamiliar is not tolerated. What can’t be understood, must cease to exist. If an alien came to America, it would be swiftly eradicated.

Is it possible to envision a reality where the unknown is approached with acceptance? With eager curiosity? Dollhaus, a local music and wearable art show, intends to do just that. More than 15 local artists will be exploring the unknown through their interpretation of the show’s theme: “Not of this Earth.” The theme circumferences all things otherworldly, enigmatic, ethereal. The show is held at the Main Club in Superior, which will be transformed by the Dollhaus team to look mystical, magical and very shiny. Performances by the Northern Lights Aerialists will enhance the otherworldly atmosphere. The wearable art runway will be followed with performances by Sadkin and Darkling I Listen. A dance party will end the night on a jubilant note.

Max Mileski, front man of Sadkin, feels a profound connection to the theme: “Not of this Earth.”

“While the spirit of this themed event may carry the tenor of something more fanciful, it is an arena which, as a lyricist, I am intensely curious about and has fostered serious reflection within the fabric of Sadkin’s songs,” Mileski said.

“Consider our song, ‘Saints of Catalina’ — a direct response of wonderment to the real-world U.S. Congressional hearings pertaining to unidentified anomalous phenomenon repeatedly reported by countless U.S. Navy sailors and pilots in and over the waters near Santa Catalina Island.”

And Sadkin’s references to the unknown don’t stop there; the song “Your Majesty” is inspired by downed unknown watercrafts. “Fatima Kisses” explores the documented “apparitions” seen by thousands over Fatima Portugal in 1917.

The theme “Not of this Earth” has also inspired some Dollhaus designers to express their personal identities, as the show’s themes run adjacent to the queer experience. Dollhaus invites guests to imagine species that communicate in unfamiliar ways, relationships that defy societal conventions, and realms where love is expressed in forms previously unimagined.

This exercise of imagination is incredibly cathartic, especially for those who have experienced repression in how they present themselves.

“Self-expression through external presentation is something I haven’t always had the freedom to do,” said Emma Warmanen, a designer. “It’s something I’ve fought for. To be able to present myself in whatever way I’m feeling on a given day is very freeing! I now observe the world with eager eyes.”

Supremacist forces fear what is different. This fear expresses itself in intolerance. When the norm is opposed, those in power risk losing their favorable position. Intolerance is rooted in forces that push others down to maintain a repressive regime.

“I grew up in a community where looking different was something to fear,” said designer Faye Bird. “Now, looking different is something I’m proud of.”

Self-presentation is something to take pride in, it can be a source of great power and confidence. Throughout history, garments have played a significant role in shaping identity and reflecting culture worldwide.

Designer Atlas Knox-Rose, an artist and puppeteer, creates characters that are caricatures of himself.

“Many of my characters may be a part of me, but are truly a bigger part of the surreal world that I’m constantly cultivating,” Knox-Rose said. “With the world’s attack on the trans community I feel particularly called to take this theme in the direction of a fiercely transsexual alien. It’s imperative to myself as a trans person and my work that other trans and queer people see themselves in characters/personas that I created in hopes that they feel seen and inspired to design a life that uplifts their own imaginations of a world that celebrates all of us.”

Dollhaus takes place on Friday, June 20, 6:30 p.m., at the Main Club in Superior. Join us. Wear an outfit that makes you feel like the purest, most actualized version of yourself. Embrace the alien.