Masma Dream World

Saturday, September 23rd at 8pm, ISSUE is pleased to present multidisciplinary artists Lime Rickey International & Masma Dream World as part of ISSUE Project Room's 2023 Fall Season. This year marks the 20th Anniversary of ISSUE and will be celebrated with a series of commissioned programs, orbiting around our annual Gala and affiliated Benefit events. As part of these celebrations, ISSUE invites past Suzanne Fiol Curatorial Fellows (SFCF) to perform and present work on programs in collaboration with important members of the community who inspire their practice.

Introduced to each other’s practice through ISSUE, the multi-ethnic, non-binary, multi-disciplinary artist Masma Dream World (Devi Mambouka) will present work with ISSUE for the first time. Masma Dream World's music reflects the current times of darkness, and provides a space for listeners to exorcise, worship, and explore their inner demons through a ceremonial experience – music for the shadow world. Culture journalist and editor Antoinette Isama writes: “tapping into her training as a reiki practitioner, Sound Therapist and a Butoh dancer, Devi’s debut showcases her ability to abide by her own precise rules when producing music.” They wish to awaken the magician within themselves, and bring back magic, sacred ceremony, and myths to the world.

Across 20 years of programming, ISSUE has sustained a thriving Artists-In-Residence program, encouraging generations of NYC-based artists to take creative risks in reaching the next stage of their artistic development. ISSUE has also inaugurated the Suzanne Fiol Curatorial Fellowship, assisting emerging curators to realize ambitious new projects. The organization has bolstered close partnerships within NYC’s cultural ecology, collaborating with like minded nonprofits, galleries, theaters, and non-traditional spaces as we’ve embarked on a period of off-site programming. Bringing commissions, premieres, and rare performances to new contexts and spaces throughout NYC, including The Invisible Dog, ISSUE has doubled down on its commitment to artists whose work eludes convention. Join us in recognizing this important milestone in our history.

Masma Dream World is the solo recording project of multi-disciplinary artist and degree Sound therapist Devi Mambouka. Born to a Gabonese father and a Singaporean mother, Devi (pronounced: day-vee), is a child of the world who learned to tap into their inner magic to overcome trauma, abuse, and addiction. After their release of the Debut Album "Play At Night'' in 2020, Devi has toured worldwide as a solo performer and as well been a support artist for Duma in their month-long US 2022 tour, Masma Dream World has performed  at international festivals Le Guess Who?, REWIRE, Transmission Waves Festival, Raw Power Festival, Afrofuturism Festival presented by Carnegie Hall, Nyege Nyege Night Shift to name a few.