Utopia

Utopia/ Dystopia is a portfolio of fine art prints created in the form of a deck of 52 playing cards. Curated by artist and printmaker, Miyo Stevens-Gandara, twenty-six artists were invited to create two cards for the deck to create their interpretation of utopia and dystopia. The deck of cards allows the project to bring many different artists and styles together creating one unified artwork- a full deck, redefining a traditional portfolio. The concept of a deck of cards is intended to reference many things- games of chance, luck, fortune, war, solitude, precarious situations (house of cards), magic, empire, and divination. It serves as a container for many ideas, and each artist has chosen their own direction. Miyo uses a variety of media to address the role of community values on environmental and social consequences. She believes that through people's failure to recognize the outcomes of their decisions, many have prioritized short-term gratification over long-term well-being. Therefore, through her work, she aims to establish a mindfulness that resituates people within their environment to maintain connectedness with the world and each other. In addition to environmental degradation, Miyo also explores cultural themes such as ancestry, migration, and feminism.