Home is a place both familiar and magical to us. From the scent of a family meal being prepared on the stove to the laughter and songs at gatherings, the traces of our everyday lives and important life milestones echo throughout these spaces and become keepers of memories. Harnessing the powerful presence of generational stories that have been unfolding in the family home of Elena Serrano, co-founder of EastSide Arts Alliance (ESAA), Seven, Seven, Seven is a residency project by interdisciplinary artist Heesoo Kwon, organized in collaboration with Elena and her daughter Ariana Serrano on the occasion of ESAA’s 25th anniversary. 

While in residence at “Camp Magi’que”, the Serrano family’s home in Oakland, Heesoo takes on the role of a guest archivist and documentarian as she delves into their familial archives and history. The artist participates in everyday activities with Elena, Ariana, and Ola (Elena’s mother) for her research into the seven generations of family members and the legacy of ESAA, and records special moments of homelife and happenings at the cultural center with new photographs and videos. Drawing inspiration from family photos, food recipes, cookware, personal objects, and oral histories, Heesoo recounts familial histories, ancestral wisdom, and spiritual beliefs passed down to generations of women in the Serrano family. The artist also examines cross-cultural connections that link the Serrano family’s matriarchs to seven generations of her own woman ancestors from South Korea through seven thematic focuses — home, caregiving, migration, food, motherhood, community, and family. 

From Mississippi to California and from North to South Korea, parallel stories about migration and women’s roles in domestic life and community draw a throughline between the two continents. By bringing photographs, videos, and objects from both Heesoo’s family and “Camp Magi’que” into the gallery, this exhibition will bridge the respective homes in Oakland and Seoul to ESAA. Creating a gathering space for the community of East Oakland and visitors to reflect on past ancestors and to imagine ourselves as prospective ancestors for speculative futures and generations to come.