Welcome to We Are From Dust

Welcome to We Are From Dust

by Yomi Ayeni

There are many things that can affect or influence personal growth, and for me that’s always been art – be it music, performance, or the most impactful big art. What started out as a quest for a new experience has allowed me to grow, and without this change, I would not be the person I am today. It was as if there was someone sleeping inside my body, every once in a while I’d get excited and that person would stir, toss and turn, but fail to wake up from a dreamlike state.

Photo Credit: Arin Fishkin

Being exposed to what I would call a mind-breaking creative influence gave me the mental bandwidth to see beyond the immediate. The artists that have impacted my life are not ‘magical unicorns’, many are not entitled, most are ordinary people like myself who’ve been supported and given the space to develop their skills and craft. I am pleased to say that their work inspired me to think differently.

I first encountered participatory art in a desert event setting, which can be off-putting for many. Where some see the dust, heat, loud music, lack of creature comforts as liberating, others find the conditions harsh and hostile, and we understand the delicate balancing act required to address these concerns.

This is why we created our new non-profit We Are From Dust, in hopes it becomes a gateway to amazing art experiences hosted in public spaces.  Our team has amassed over 120 cumulative years of working for some of the most cutting edge events on the planet, and we have both a deep love of art and a clear understanding of how it has impacted so many lives.

Our task is to replicate the magic that has changed us, but to do so in places you’d least expect to find world-class art. We seek to curate spaces for you to have personal and unique art moments.

Our inaugural sculpture park in Point San Pablo Harbor in Richmond, California is the start of something new: a new mission and a new model for bringing participatory art to public spaces. We are collaborating with a great team to make Point San Pablo Harbor an activated destination through art. And with the realization of our first exhibition — a longstanding dream made real — our launch event was truly an emotional experience. I wanted to share with you the talk I created for the event.

We Are From Dust; we hope you support us.