A Semi-Autobiographical Gallery and Experience tell the coming-of-age story of Wamoo
DigiAna Studio proudly presents Tranquilo, an immersive and multi-disciplinary exhibition that chronicles the coming-of-age journey of Wamoo (@thisiswamoo), a Dominican immigrant grappling with identity, belonging, and self-expression in the United States. Through an intricate blend of music, theater, and video, Tranquilo offers a raw and deeply personal exploration of cultural displacement, social isolation, and the complex dynamics of community.
At the heart of this work is the story of a pre-teen immigrant boy who moves to Washington Heights, a neighborhood rich in Dominican culture yet marked by its own social boundaries. Navigating this new world, Wamoo confronts the challenge of learning English and the difficulty of integrating with peers who have already established a cultural foothold. This experience of feeling like an outsider is both poignant and relatable, capturing the universal struggle to find one’s place in an unfamiliar environment.
The exhibition’s multimedia format reflects the fractured and layered nature of memory and identity. Video collages weave together nostalgic references to early 2000s video game aesthetics, visually echoing the young Wamoo’s inner world and his attempts to make sense of his surroundings. The deliberately visible seams in the digital collage symbolize the fragmented experience of immigration and adaptation, inviting the audience to engage with the art on both an emotional and intellectual level.
Complementing the visuals, the soundscape merges genres such as hip-hop, reggaeton, and ambient electronic music, creating a vibrant auditory environment that echoes the hybrid cultural identity central to the exhibition. Live musical performances by a small ensemble further bring to life the narrative, using innovative, non-traditional approaches that challenge conventional forms and immerse viewers in the emotional landscape of the story.
Tranquilo is not only a personal story but also a broader commentary on the immigrant experience and the ways in which culture, language, and community intersect to shape identity. It is a celebration of resilience, creativity, and the ongoing quest for belonging.
Gallery Hours:
August 25th – September 7th, Fridays through Sundays, 2 PM – 7 PM
Performances:
September 14th, 15th, and 16th at 7:30 PM (LIMITED SEATING)
Tickets and reservations available at OyeGroup.org/wamoo. Follow @oyegroup for updates.
We invite you to experience Tranquilo—a powerful and intimate journey into the heart of cultural identity and artistic expression.
About ¡Oye! Group
¡Oye! Group is a Bushwick-based creative incubator for artists, students, and community members of all ages, both local and immigrant to New York City. Our work is grounded in the act of listening that gave us our company name: we curate art that sparks a dialogue over the political and social issues that our community tells us are critical to them. We present an eclectic mix of theater, dance, poetry, music, video installations, and film through festivals and productions. We work with emerging artists to create, play, and grow in an environment that challenges and supports them, and we engage youth and adults alike through high-quality arts education that provides them with the tools to generate forward-thinking art that compliments the work on our stages.
