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Kith&Kin

No. 3 Kith & Kin

Spring 2011

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The people that you have connections with, in no small part, help to form your identity. These people could enter your life without your consent, such as blood relatives or even the people that live in your neighborhood. The phrase “kith and kin,” from its roots, means “native land and people,” and these genetic ties and cultural traditions in many ways define who you are and where you have a sense of belonging. Plants and animals have the simplest form of kin: it is their genetic makeup—where and when their life began.

Some people choose to isolate themselves from their kin, but for better or worse, your kin still im- pacts who you are. Apart from family and genetic lineage, you can choose to form kinships, such as the friendships you develop over the course of your life, or memberships in religious or community groups. We wear symbols of our kin all the time: a wedding ring, a scarf, a flag, tattoos, even our physical traits and gestures. These symbols give clues to a person’s identity, but there is much more hidden underneath. By looking back at where we came from, we are better able to understand ourselves and each other. Even if we choose a new group to call our kin.

Contributors

Jeremiah Caleb has lived among multiple cultures and is a working actor who currently resides in Los Angeles with his new bride. While he trained in musical theater, he has most recently appeared on commercials and television. He is also the founder of the Caleb Hope Foundation, which seeks to aid the destitute orphans in the slums of north India. His book “He Walks with Me” is pending publication.

Annie Frykholm is an Oakland based artist originally from Ventura, California. The artist earned her BFA from California College of the Arts (and Crafts) in 2010, and works primarily in textiles and ceramics and ways of intertwining the two. Through an exploration of feminine issues, craft, and the changing nature of ‘women’s work’ the artist hopes to make a statement about contemporary social networks and methods of communication. The artist currently works out of the Compound Gallery in Oakland, CA.

Tali Gubiner is a recent graduate of the University of Michigan. She currently lives and writes in New York.

Lauren Herrmann is currently wearing the following hats: UIC graduate, Visual Director & Tea Ambassador for Lethal Poetry, Art Editor at Muzzle Magazine, and Owner of LuxCamena Photography. She currently photographs for Loud Loop Press, Nineteen Months, and The Encyclopedia Show. Will bribe with baked goods. Find her “art” at www.languageless.com.

Kirsten Leenaars was born and educated in the Netherlands. She is an artist, teacher, organizer, fascinated by the human species and collector of personal stories. In her work she ponders the nature of self-making narratives and questions how we relate to other people, and what shapes these relationships. Her work is shown at film and video festivals nationally and internationally, in gallery context and has been part of community-based projects. Her work can be seen at www.kirstenleenaars.nl.

Sophie Leininger is an Oakland-based artist and member of the Compound Gallery & Studios collective. She is a graduate of Mills College, where she earned a B.A. in Studio Art and Literary and Cultural Studies. Her life-long interests include talking to animals, time travel, roller-skating, and feather collection. Her work can be seen at www.sophieleininger.com.

Abraham Sohn is a writer living in Chicago.

Christian Vargas is a native of Fresno, California. His path to becoming an artist began when he discovered photography, street art, and skateboarding graphics. That interest grew into much more as he developed his talents and began to use his art as an outlet to express himself and the world around him. He began to make art that had personal meaning to him, reflecting who he is and where he comes from. Find out more about him at www.chrisvargas.blogspot.com