Tiny Creatures was born in May 2006 with its release of Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffitti’s My Molly EP and grew into a gallery space that September when founder and director Janet Kim opened her home to a community of artists and performers in search of a space that could absorb their wildness and reflect their passion. Over the next two years, Tiny Creatures hosted openings, happenings, crafts nights, music and dance performances, film screenings, publication releases, record releases, and a music school where I learned to play the keyboard. Almost two years later, Tiny Creatures is celebrating a month-long residency called “Big Deal.” Part re-performance, part reunion, part evolution—this iteration of the Tiny Creatures project ends tonight. Be there. This interview by Drew Denny.

What made you come out of hibernation? How did you manage to corral all the original tiny creatures?
Janet Kim: The cyclone. I killed the wicked witch of the East.

Who are the artists and performers in the “Big Deal” exhibit?
Big Deal includes artwork by Jason Yates, Coco Yates, Nathanael Luke Walton, Jed Ochmanek, Garrett Cathey, Rachel Detroit Kucsulain, Tall Paull Gellman, Matt Fishbeck with performances by Geneva Jacuzzi, Mecca V.A., Puro Instinct, Nite Jewel, Julia Holter and many more.

How was the exhibit opening night?
The puppet show was great and Don Bolles’ improv soundtrack was definitely taking it there.

Did the girls truly go wild on the winter solstice?
All the performers were great. Your performance was a lot of fun and was the heart of the night. Piper’s band was awesome like blonde mammals running in the haze. Claire Cronin’s voice and poetry was like an old record coming back to life. Beautiful.

Some tiny creatures have gained quite widespread notoriety, and Tiny Creatures itself has got a bit of a reputation—What’s this about an Andy Warhol grant and a book?
The book is called Where Art Belongs by Chris Kraus. It will be released in February with Semiotext(e). The tales are dark and strange, like old memories. It weaves through the myth of what Tiny Creatures was and is and will be.

How has Tiny Creatures evolved since its inception and closing?
Tiny Creatures is. Tiny Creatures was. Tiny Creatures will be.

What’s happening for the closing of “Big Deal” tonight?
Holy Shit is happening. Hedi’s doing awesome projections of Russian Baths and some old French films for Softboiled Eggies. It’s our last show. Andrew Arduini as Vibe Central will do another one of his avant garde narrative fiction music freak outs which I love. Hopefully, he won’t put anyone in a head lock this time.

What’s next for you and Tiny Creatures after Big Deal?
Being a Tiny Creature as a tiny creature is. Ears and eyes. Surfing. Getting back into John Cage, Xenakis. Details. Concocting some sort of new drug. Embracing.

BIG DEAL TINY CREATURES CLOSES TONIGHT SAT., JANUARY 15, AT D.I.Y. GALLERY, 1549 SUNSET BLVD, 90026. PERFORMANCES BY HOLY SHIT!, VIBE CENTRAL, SOFTBOILED EGGIES, RACHEL DETROIT, SAM & ALEX, AND GARY SHULTZ, READINGS BY BOB BRANAMAN AND HEDI EL KHOLTI, PENNY ANTE’S CURATED BOOKSTORE, SCREENINGS BY STUDENTS OF MEXICALI ROSE COMPILED BY MARCO VERA, DJ JIMI HEY 6 PM/$5/ALL AGES. WWW.TINYCREATURES.COM.