Public Opening
The Living Temple: The World of Moki Cherry and HOST: Laura Lit
Celebrate the opening of The Contemporary Austin's fall 2026 exhibitions!
Be among the first to see The Living Temple: The World of Moki Cherry, the largest U.S. exhibition by the boundary-breaking artist, and HOST: Laura Lit, a suite of drawings and new sculpture by the Austin-based artist presented in conjunction with Lit's outdoor exhibition at Laguna Gloria.
Laura Lit will be in attendance, as will Moki’s granddaughter, multi-disciplinary artist and musician Naima Nefertari.
Admission is free with advanced registration.
Music, artmaking, and more!
• Make your own Moki-inspired, iron-on patch in the 2nd floor Community Room
• Vibe to an all vinyl-DJ set by acclaimed filmmaker and educator Ephraim Asili on the Moody Rooftop
• Each registered guest will receive one complimentary drink ticket at check-in. Become a Member for access to the exclusive Member Preview with early gallery access and complimentary drinks and snacks.
Parking and accommodations
• Parking is available at paid street meters and nearby commercial garages and lots. Rideshare or public transportation is highly encouraged.
• For accommodation requests, please contact [email protected].
Ephraim Asili is an African American filmmaker, educator, and DJ whose work explores the African diaspora as a cultural force. His 2020 feature debut The Inheritance premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, won the Grand Prize at Cinéma du Réel, and was the subject of an exhibition at the Whitney Museum, where it's now part of the permanent collection. Asili is a Guggenheim Fellow, Harvard Radcliffe Fellow, and 2025 USA Artist Fellow, and is currently completing his second feature, Don & Moki: Organic Music Society, a hybrid essay/documentary on the collaborative practice of Don Cherry and Moki Cherry. Clips from this in-progress documentary will be featured in the exhibition The Living Temple: The World of Moki Cherry.
As a DJ for over 20 years, Asili has built a global reputation for his all-vinyl sets spanning Funk, Disco, House, Afro Latin, and Rare Groove, and has performed at venues including the Whitney Museum, Amant Foundation, and Basilica Hudson’s “24-Hour Drone Fest.”
Thank You to our In-Kind Sponsors
Tito’s Handmade Vodka