FUTURE HOUSEHEADS, THIS WAS TU’S HOUSE
2026 On view
Artist Alan Nakagawa
DetailsVinyl prints, metal stands, oral history studio, trailer, sound sofa, sound system, over fifty oral histories of Upstairs Lounge community members, ten instrumental portraits of Upstairs Lounge, six remixes by local DJs, hundreds of archival images from Upstairs Lounge community members
Curator Nora N. Khan
Address
3401 Arsenal St
St. Louis, MO
Site Description
Accessibility: The artwork is located outdoors in the Institute’s parking lot.
Artwork Details
About the Artwork
Alan Nakagawa is an interdisciplinary artist based in Los Angeles who works with sound and media to engage history and archives. FUTURE HOUSEHEADS, THIS WAS TU’S HOUSE is a multidisciplinary homage to the Upstairs Lounge, an underground center of St. Louis house and dance music from 1994 to 2018. The Lounge was owned by Tu Tien Tran, a Vietnamese immigrant who became a central connector, leader, and community gatherer. Nakagawa has transformed a trailer into a mobile oral history studio and archive celebrating the DJs, bartenders, staff, and patrons of the Upstairs Lounge during its years in operation. Nakagawa has produced a limited-edition original LP of compositions titled Above the Scene, inspired by recurring stories and totemic objects at the Lounge highlighted through his interviews. After the triennial concludes, the oral histories Nakagawa has gathered will be donated to the St. Louis County Library.
All proceeds from Nakagawa’s Above the Scene LP will be donated to Metro Trans Umbrella Group, a community organization supporting trans, nonbinary, and intersex individuals. The Above the Scene LP can be purchased at Dead Wax, Circa Now Records, Vintage Vinyl, and Counterpublic.
This project is supported by a grant from the Vilcek Foundation, and with support from William T. Kemper Foundation.
Credits
Above the Scene LP:
Dan Clucas, Cornet
Tai Tran, LP Cover
Josh Levi, LP Graphic Designer
Trailer Soundtrack:
Alan Nakagawa, Above the Scene LP
Ron S., Soap Dispenser Remix
Michael Bishop, DJ Booth Remix
Trevor Matthews, Jade Room Remix
Don Tinsley, Missing Hardware Drive Remix
DJ Manifest, Joan of Arc Remix
FUTURE HOUSEHEADS Oral Histories
Record Your Story
If you were a DJ, an organizer, a staff member, or a regular at the iconic and beloved Upstairs Lounge (1994–2018), sign up to have your story recorded at the FUTURE HOUSEHEADS… mobile oral histories studio, a recording booth trailer and installation.
When Coyote Time concludes, the oral histories we gather will be donated to the St. Louis County Library as part of their archives, which will be accessible to the public via their oral history projects.
Reserve a 15-20 minute window below. If you need to cancel your appointment, please be in touch with hello@counterpublic.org.