Left to right: Pao Houa Her, untitled (real opium, behind opium backdrop) from “The Imaginative Landscape” series, 2020. Pigment print, 52 x 65 inches. Courtesy of the artist; Joanna Keane Lopez, Roadtrip Adobe Theatre of the Bay Area (still), 2025. Two-channel video projection. Courtesy of the artist.
You're cordially invited to the opening celebration of Pao Houa Her: The Imaginative Landscape and Young Bay Mud, two exhibitions featuring artists who explore intimate and profound relationships with landscapes and the environment.
The celebration will be accompanied by live music, an experimental and diasporic soundscape by local musicians Mild Monk, somn.ok, and Connor Komiya Carroll.
SJMA members, please join us for a reception of wine and light bites on the Café Patio. To RSVP or join as a member, please email membership@sjmusart.org. Thank you for your support!
About the Musicians
Mild Monk is the recording project of Chinese American artist Henry Stein, who began his journey in 2016 by self-teaching guitar, drums, piano, and music production. Drawing from a wide range of global influences—from Japanese City Pop to Brazilian Bossa Nova—his sound blends experimentation with emotional sincerity and lyrical introspection. Now based in the Bay Area, Stein continues to evolve his artistry through collaborations. He is currently working on his fourth studio album, Comets, inspired by cosmic origins and personal reflection.
Sean Bautista (he/they), known by their moniker somn.ok, is a Filipino American multi-instrumentalist and producer from Milpitas whose work spans experimental hip-hop, electronica, and progressive soundscapes. Since 2016, they’ve crafted a diverse catalog—from gritty boom bap to lush downtempo—collaborating with artists like Mild Monk and Thatfool Al, and contributing to multimedia projects such as Jason Bayani’s Locus of Control. Currently, Sean plays bass for the math-rock band Ripplings, whose debut EP Ad Astra showcases their continued evolution in genre-defying music.
Connor Komiya Carroll is a Filipino American musician from the East Bay whose work explores music as a vessel for cultural preservation, personal storytelling, and community building. Grounded in blues, jazz, and hip-hop, his musical journey began with percussion lessons from his father and evolved through classical and jazz studies, including time with the Blue Devils and institutions like San José State University. Blending rhythmic tradition with improvisation, Carroll’s practice honors his heritage while fostering connection through shared musical spaces.