About this Event
TANTARANTÁN
New work by Mika Rane
Presented by 801 Salon
Hosted by The Find Lab
Opening Reception
Friday, October 2, 2026
7-9 pm
The Find Lab, Provo
187 W Center St.
Artist Statement:
As a little girl in Mexico, I was fascinated by los diablitos. They were nothing like the Satan I had heard about in church. These devils were playful, mischievous tricksters, decorated in bright colors. There was an innocence in them—a sense of freedom that I envied.
Over the years I came to understand that the qualities I loved in them might have evolved from remnants of something much older. The Christian figure of el diablo arrived in Las Americas with the Spanish in the 16th century. Franciscan missionaries brought their own framework of good and evil as they sought to convert Indigenous peoples. In the process, complex and multifaceted gods and goddesses were often reduced to familiar categories: “God,” “Jesus,” or “Demon.”
I keep returning to the goddess Cihuacoatl. She was associated with fertility and birth, midwives and sweat lodges, but also with war and death. Spanish missionaries interpreted her through the language of demons and diablos. Yet that does not capture her complexity. She held contradictions. She could protect or destroy, nurture or devour, bring hope or frighten. In many ways, she was more like us.
The paintings in this show explore that complexity through sensuality, mischief, playfulness, and sacredness. Rather than reducing ourselves into a diablito side or a diosa side, these works embrace the unruly space in between. They listen for a different rhythm, the tantarantán of the music, making room for mischief, play and dancing. Inviting all to know the sweetness of the fruit and the sting of the bee, becoming whole.
About :
I'm Mika (Mee-Kah), an illustrator, painter and maker who teeters between Fairy Land, Portland Oregon and Wild West known as Provo Utah.
I studied Creative Advertising and design in school, but my heart has always been in illustration and making all kinds of crafts. Much of my inspiration comes from my Mexican heritage, folk art, memories, and mischief.
About
theFINDlab grew out of the FIND (Film Is Not Dead) Workshop with one goal: help photographers shoot more film, more often. What started as a resource for workshop attendees quickly became a full-service lab serving the wider film community.
We’re a film lab by photographers, for photographers. From custom lab services and scan feedback to accessible film pricing and our Select-A-Tech program, everything we do is designed to support real photographers and real workflows.
With three locations, theFINDlab is more than a lab. We host photowalks, workshops, exhibitions, and community-driven events, while supporting film photographers through our gallery, darkroom, and curated retail space.
Film is not dead. We’re here to prove it, one roll at a time.
About 801 Salon:
is a 501(c)3 non profit dedicated to making art accessible to the community. We produce multidisciplinary art exhibits and performances around SLC, providing a platform for local artists to show their work ✨ If you're interested in supporting our work, feel free to drop a donation through Eventbrite or our Venmo @slc801salon
Follow us on Insta to keep up with future shows! @801.salon
Event venue & nearby stays
theFINDlab, 187 West Center Street, Provo, United States
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