Established in 2006, Machines with Magnets hosts experimental music performances, sound and art exhibitions and installations, performance art, film and video screenings, cultural and community events, private events, and fundraisers. Past performances include The Body, Dan Deacon, Mirah, Etran de l'Aïr, Braveyoung, Lydia Lunch, Lightning Bolt, Brown Bird, Container, and Mdou Moctar.
Upcoming Events + Tickets
All ages unless otherwise noted, 21+ with valid ID to drink
Self-Haunted Opening Reception
Thursday, November 19, 2026
6:00 pm
to
9:00 pm
Free
Drawing from Huabi, a tale in the Chinese literary classic Liaozhai Zhiyi, Self-Haunted explores the shifting boundaries between image, desire, and surveillance. In the story a man is drawn into a celestial paradise painted on a wall. What first unfolds as a realm of desire slowly darkens into fear, as an armored official appears in search of an intruder. The painted world shifts with the movements of the mind, where desire and dread give shape to what seems real. Self-Haunted revisits the painted wall as both an image and a boundary, inviting entry while holding the power to expel. Across the exhibition, images beckon, linger, and quietly return our gaze. As enchantment gives way to scrutiny, the worlds we conjure begin to haunt us, shaping how we see and are seen.
Drawing from Huabi, a tale in the Chinese literary classic Liaozhai Zhiyi, Self-Haunted explores the shifting boundaries between image, desire, and surveillance. In the story a man is drawn into a celestial paradise painted on a wall. What first unfolds as a realm of desire slowly darkens into fear, as an armored official appears in search of an intruder. The painted world shifts with the movements of the mind, where desire and dread give shape to what seems real. Self-Haunted revisits the painted wall as both an image and a boundary, inviting entry while holding the power to expel. Across the exhibition, images beckon, linger, and quietly return our gaze. As enchantment gives way to scrutiny, the worlds we conjure begin to haunt us, shaping how we see and are seen.
Join us for an evening of libations, small bites, community, and an exciting live *and* silent auction as we celebrate The Center for Sexual Pleasure and Health's 8th year providing the sex ed you deserve! We'll be featuring unique antiques, one-of-a-kind experiences, exciting oddities, and more! Plus, Curiosities will also mark the opening of our first art exhibit - Bodies: i live here. If you would like to submit a piece to be shown and auctioned off in Bodies, fill out the submission form online here: bit.ly/bodiesilivehere. Proceeds from this event will support programs like the CSPH's Non-Toxic Masculinity Series, Study Sex College Tour, and sliding-scale mental health counseling.
BUILDINGS touring from Minneapolis, Minnesota
https://youtu.be/fJjGZkPl9Tw
https://gileadmedia.bandcamp.com/album/you-are-not-one-of-us SPITEHOUSE (PVD)
https://spitehousepvd.bandcamp.com/ GREAT NEWS (Boston) https://greatnews.bandcamp.com/ ANEURYSM (Boston) last but not least https://aneurysm666.bandcamp.com/
