1-800 Happy Birthday
A Large-Scale Exhibition Honoring Black and Brown Lives Killed by Police
Presented by WORTHLESSSTUDIOS
Created by Artist Mohammad Gorjestani and Even/Odd
Curated by Klaudia Ofwona Draber
On view September 23, 2022 – January 16, 2023
View Resource Library.
1-800 Happy Birthday is an exhibition honoring Black and Brown lives killed by police. Originally a voicemail project, now transformed into a large-scale exhibition in a 10,000 square-foot warehouse, 1-800 Happy Birthday is created by artist Mohammad Gorjestani and Even/Odd, curated by Klaudia Ofwona Draber, with artistic direction by Neil Hamamoto, and presented by arts nonprofit WORTHLESSSTUDIOS with the aim of honoring the lives of those lost too soon. The families of Dujuan Armstrong, Sandra Bland, Philando Castile, Stephon Clark, Fred Cox, Eric Garner, Oscar Grant, Xzavier Hill, Donovon Lynch, Sean Monterrosa, Tony Robinson, and Mario Woods are participating in the exhibition.
1-800 Happy Birthday was originally created in 2020 by Even/Odd founder, filmmaker, and artist Mohammad Gorjestani as an ongoing voicemail project to honor Black and Brown victims of police killings and systemic racism. The project exists online at 1800HappyBirthday.com and allows loved ones and the public to leave and listen to voicemails left on the birthdays of ‘celebrants’ - those unjustly killed. Gorjestani teamed up with WORTHLESSSTUDIOS’ Founder and Artistic Director Neil Hamamoto and Curator Klaudia Ofwona Draber, along with family members of the twelve celebrants, to bring the digital project into the physical realm in a community-accessible, large-scale exhibition. The show utilizes audio and video components, a large mural created by Art1, and personal ephemera to tell their stories.
Twelve upcycled NYC pay phones are arranged on a few patches of lawn, a concrete wall with a dedicated area for flowers hosts a large mural and balloons, and birthday cards are available for purchase at a newsstand. Towards the back of this city landscape is a translucent building facade with an opening that leads to an interior setting - a family living room. This room acts as a resource center: filled with photos, ephemera from the celebrants, and educational resources. It is also meant as a space of refuge, to rest and recharge. The exhibition design imagines a world that is just, where streets are safe for Black and Brown people to just be.
Each repurposed phone booth, designed in collaboration with the families of the celebrants, is dedicated to one person and features portraits of the celebrant and their family and friends. The visuals and ephemera included in the exhibition - such as Philando Castile’s favorite book and Xzavier Hill’s graduation cap - allow visitors a glimpse into the personal milestones, interests and personalities of those being honored. These objects, chosen by celebrant family members, illustrate the divide between private conversation and public space. In a large-scale mural, each celebrant is represented by their likeness. The tableau serves as a collective memory for the many individuals killed by the police, and is designed to receive flowers, birthday cards, balloons, and any other memorial offerings. The interactive and educational nature of the exhibition seeks to connect participants to each celebrant and to expand on the pervasive impact of policing and systemic racism in America.
This project is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.
Our teams would also like to thank our Exhibition Advisory Board members for their continued guidance and support:
Sequette Clark - Stephon Clark’s Mother
Dr. Nicole R. Fleetwood - Curator, Professor + Writer
Rev. Wanda Johnson - Oscar Grant’s Mother + CEO of the Oscar Grant Foundation
Ashley Monterrosa - Sean Monterrosa’s Sister
Michelle Monterrosa - Sean Monterrosa’s Sister
Claudia Rankine - Poet, Playwright + Professor
Tiana Webb Evans - Founder ESP Group + Yard Concept
Keith White, Esq. - Attorney
PRESS
THE NEW YORK TIMES
VOGUE
HYPERALLERGIC
GOTHAMIST
THE ART NEWSPAPER
FORBES
DAZED
THE ART NEWSPAPER
ARTILLERY MAG
WIDEWALLS
KMAG
