Moving Mahal: The Decolonized Tarot

“Mahal”, in the Filipino language means love, dear, or expensive. In the 1920’s, the United States’ love and power of magic were white, male, hostile and expensive. These barriers were overt and systematic towards people of color and especially women. 100 years later, it is the roaring 20’s again, with a return of mysticism and moving pictures as public fascinations. The future of mainstream magic is being transformed, starting with Moving Mahal: Decolonized Tarot.

Moving Mahal: The Decolonized Tarot is a one-hour socially-distanced theater performance by artist/magician Maritess Zurbano featuring an interactive video projection of original tarot card images using RFID card technology. It is an upbeat means looking towards the future,with digital paintings showing an alternative of looking at stark Western European fantasies.

In this preview, the audience watches in the safety of their socially distanced seats, and volunteers will be able to join Maritess Zurbano, the Decolonized Psychic Entertainer onstage.

The preview is FREE to attend. RSVP is required. Due to Covid-19, max capacity for this performance is 20 audience members and all attendees must be vaccinated with proof of vaccination. Once 20 RSVPs have been reached, you will be placed on a waiting list and will be notified of an available seat 48 hours before the show.

COVID-19 Safety Measures: HERE and A4 will require all attendees to wear masks throughout the duration of the program. Temperatures and proof of vaccination cards will be checked at the door. Before entering the venue, all attendees will also be required to complete a covid-19 contract tracing and health screening form. More information on HERE’s site safety plan can be found HERE.

MARITESS ZURBANO
The only Filipina-American professional magician in history, nominated to compete at the Fédération Internationale des Sociétés Magiques. In March 2020, her one-woman play, “Make Maritess Zurbano Disappear” debuted. Previous play workshops were produced at Ars Nova NYC, and The International Fringe Festival NYC, with dramaturgy from the New York Public Theater. In both her corporate and artistic work, Zurbano challenges the traditional racist master narrative against Asians and Asian-Americans. She is currently seeking literary representation for her graphic novel, a children’s picture book, and magic memoir.

CATHLEEN ABALOS
Cathleen Abalos is an illustrator and visual development artist from Los Angeles. Her artwork has been featured in the Torrance Art Museum, the San Diego Art Institute, PØST Gallery, and other galleries in the Southern California region. She has also published the children’s book “It’s Sandcastle Building Day”, produced art for the party card game What The Film?! (for Lethal Chicken Games), and illustrated for clients such as Upper Deck / Marvel, Oh Rio! Productions, the city of Pasadena, the City of Hope, and the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southern California. Cathleen has also exhibited as an artist at conventions such as San Diego Comic-Con International, Denver Comic-Con, C2E2, Salt Lake City Comic Con, and others. She is currently working on the superhero webcomic series “Herowood Boulevard” and drawing concept art for the animated film “What We’re Meant For”.

ANGELIQUE DE CASTRO
Angelique De Castro (she/they) is a visual artistic technologist crafting stories and experiences that center marginalized narratives. Their art practice is focused on co-creating art that positions recontextualized history as an avenue for possible futures that inspire, educate, and galvanize. Angelique is also a Software Engineer at The New York Times who engineers reader and editorial-facing news products.

Special thanks to the Asian American Arts Alliance and HERE for their support of this program.