On an evening in mid-March Saint Joseph's Art Society hosted the return of Poolside Poets, presented by Decentered Arts alongside curators Baruch Porras Hernandez, Rhea Joseph, and Liz Cahill. In this breathtaking historic venue—founded by Ken Fulk—poetry, music, dance, and fashion unfolded together in a dreamy evening of performance and community.

Guests arrived dressed in their best “Forbidden Fruit.”

Think: mysterious masquerade, red velvet and black lace, dark glamour and desirable anonymity, cherry-printed dresses and strawberry jumpsuits, masks, silk gloves, lush crimson tones, leafy greens, temptation couture, decadent textures—mix & match: satin, lace, velvet, mesh, silk, whatever felt deliciously forbidden.

The evening also featured the debut of the Forbidden Words Quilt Project, led by Lorraine Woodruff-Long and Trisha Hickey. This international community quilt highlighted 384 words and phrases banned or scrubbed from U.S. government communications, as identified by PEN America. Created by more than 200 contributors across every U.S. state and six countries, the quilt transformed censorship into collective storytelling through fabric and thread.

Featured Performers: Tasha Malan, Hidden Thread Music, Baruch Porras Hernandez, Maze

Dancers: Jin Lee Baobei, Erica Knox, Tobias Echeverria

More artists joined throughout the night as the soaring halls of Saint Joseph’s Arts Society filled with poetry, music, movement, and celebration.


Poolside Poets at Saint Joseph's Art Society 

Poolside Poets returned on March 18 at Saint Joseph’s Arts Society—featuring poetry, music, dance, the debut of the Forbidden Words Quilt, and a Forbidden Fruit masquerade.

On New Year’s Eve, Decentered Studio transformed into a glowing, two-floor house party as Decentered Arts joined forces with Basil House and Gather SF to welcome 2026 together.

Guests arrived wrapped in Celestial Coze—metallics, sequins, velvet, faux fur, and cosmic shimmer—stepping into a shoes-off world that felt ethereal, warm, and ready to dance all night. Inside, three stages pulsed with live music and spontaneous jams, while a tea lounge offered calm, a squish zone invited cozy connection, and surrealist art pulled people into dreamy corners of the space.

Across the night, sets unfolded from Hugo de la Lune, Oakadelic, Jin Lee Baobei, CJ, Roziht Eve, Elijah Malik, Sincerely Nic, and Black Hole Harvest, with musicians jumping in and out as the energy shifted. Bubbly flowed at midnight, light snacks circulated, and BYOB bottles were shared among friends old and new.

Entry closed at 1am, but the celebration carried on until 4—an intimate, joyful house party built on community, music, and collective care, with ticket sales supporting the artists and the magic that made the night possible.


Decentered NYE House Party 

Rang in 2026 with a dreamy, celestial-cozy house party—music, dancing, tea, art, and community filling every corner of Decentered Studio.

Jin Lee Baobei

Artist at:

DECENTERED
ARTS