A!R: muva_nature by LATASHÁ

In partnership with Ace Hotel Artist in Residence, Superchief Gallery and Friends with Benefits is pleased to co-present muva_nature by LATASHÁ – on view from February 1 to February 28.

— The Exhibition

muva_nature is an abstract multimedia meditation on humanity’s deep connection to the natural world and how climate change reflects both societal and personal transformation. Through film, photography, poetry, performance art, music, and experimental visual effects, the work draws parallels between the earth’s upheavals and our own internal shifts.

Inspired by time spent in Palm Springs—hiking and forging a profound bond with mountains, canyons, and sky, while witnessing the LA fires and the shifts in governmental systems—the project reflects a transformative journey. This connection to nature’s rhythms reshaped its creator, grounding them in the present and opening them to the wisdom of the natural world, even as a self-identified city dweller.

The experience was further enriched by visits to the Agua Caliente Museum and a deepened understanding of the Cahuilla tribe, instilling a greater respect for the planet and a reminder that no one truly owns this land. The sacredness of the earth and its shared nature stand in stark contrast to the lingering echoes of colonialism, which parallel modern systems of power that seek to colonize minds, claiming ownership over thoughts and freedoms.

Through performance art, muva_nature channels this connection. Movements such as running, gestural handwork, and eye expressions embody cycles of survival, momentum, and transformation. The accompanying electronic dance music, exclusive to the performance, mirrors the earth’s rhythm—its pulse rooted in the drum, its sounds shaped by wind, fire, and the earth itself.

Visually, muva_nature employs thermo-imaging and inverted color palettes to reflect a world heating up—both environmentally and internally. The vibrant, candy-like colors captivate while hinting at deeper truths, offering a reminder of nature’s raw power and humanity’s intrinsic connection to it. At its core, muva_nature reminds viewers that humanity is not separate from nature. It reflects her cycles, upheavals, beauty, and imperfections. Nature is a work in progress, just as humans are. This project invites audiences to listen to nature’s messages, feel the heat rising, and find transformation in the tension between chaos and harmony.

Latashá is a multidisciplinary artist whose practice exists at the intersection of sound, movement, and visual abstraction. Her work reimagines music as a living, immersive collage—an interplay of electronic soundscapes, poetry, and conceptual performance. Rooted in themes of identity, transformation, and the metaphysical connection between humanity and nature, Latashá’s creations transcend genre and medium, embodying a layered, avant-garde approach to storytelling. Through her bold exploration of rhythm, texture, and form, she constructs dynamic, multi-sensory experiences that challenge perception and invite audiences into an evolving dialogue with art and self.

This season’s artist residencies in Palm Springs are presented by co-curators Friends With Benefits, or FWB, and Superchief. FWB is a new cultural institution growing the adoption of emerging technology in pursuit of a better internet. Superchief is an international gallery exploring untapped possibilities for the NFT as an artist’s tool. Their curation shines a light on three artists who capture the surreal psychedelia of LA’s desert milieu, and one more to be selected via open call and voted on by the FWB community.

Learn more about Ace Hotel’s Artist in Residence program.