“glorious eye-candy… the search for commonalities, juxtaposed with distinct cultural differences which go unrecognized by the West, are bound to make for a rewarding journey for the artists, and their audiences, too.” – Chicago Tribune
IS/LAND is an interdisciplinary Performance Collaborative composed of AAPI artists and collaborators. Our performances center movement, storytelling, and aesthetics as processes to explore the extensive and diverse landscape of AAPI lived experience, including an increased focus on optimizing audience engagement through reflection, education, and dialogue.
IS/LAND performances and exhibitions include the Cranbrook Art Museum, Links Hall, Detroit Institute of Arts, A2AC Gallery, AADL - Downtown, and Spread Arts.
IS/LAND has been commissioned by Synapse Arts, Pivot Arts, and the Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation.
Until We Fill The Ocean
Premiering November 15,2025
Detroit Public Library - Main Branch Third Floor
5201 Woodward Ave, Detroit, MI 48202
3pm - FREE
IS/LAND, in partnership with the Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation (AIISF), presents "Until We Fill the Ocean." This performance honors the stories of Angel Island detention survivors through a blend of movement, poetry, and sound. At its heart are the poems inscribed by those detained on Angel Island, which serve as the emotional foundation. Dancers will weave together themes of time and memory through abstract, empathy-driven movements.
"Until We Fill The Ocean" uses the specific history of intolerance and hatred directed at AAPI people in the United States as a framework, encouraging audiences to reflect on broader patterns of intolerance and bigotry currently affecting all marginalized populations in our socio-political landscape.
Our ultimate goal is that audiences take away more than just an understanding of the human spirit's resilience in the face of inhumane circumstances, inspiring a sense of vigilance within our own humanity, urging us all as participants in society to stand firm against rising intolerance and bigotry.
This performance is made possible by the support of The Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation, Michigan Asian Pacific American Affairs Commission (MAPAAC), Rising Voices, and the Riverside Arts Center.
Special thanks to Cully Sommers and the Detroit Public Library
Trailer Filmed at the Riverside Arts Center
