A Pop-Up Experience by Mz.Icar Collective
October 3–10, 2026 | Cincinnati Art Week
1606 Race Street, Cincinnati, OH
As part of Cincinnati Art Week, Mz.Icar Collective presents In Light of Us, a week-long pop-up bringing together art, sound, print, experimentation, and play in the heart of Over-the-Rhine.
From October 3–10, the space at 1606 Race Street becomes a temporary home for the collective’s creative world, featuring artwork, limited-edition prints and objects, along with special programming throughout the week.
Visitors can explore Inspiration in the Time of Printed Matter, an exhibition celebrating print as a space for ideas, experimentation, and exchange; experience Visualizing the Shape of Sound, an exploration of the relationship between sound and its physical and visual forms; and join DIY Printing for a special print release and live screen-printing experience.
Come browse, make, listen, discover something unexpected, and spend some time in our world.
IN LIGHT OF US AT BLINK
October 8–11, 2026 | 7–11 PM Nightly
Free + Open to the Public
In Light of Us is a monumental inflatable and projection-mapped installation by Mz.Icar Collective featuring Matilda, a 15-foot-tall character created as a symbol of imagination, joy, and possibility.
Perched above the city, Matilda transforms after dark as animated light, color, pattern, and shifting personas move across her surface. At 15 feet tall, she turns something soft and playful into a larger-than-life presence, inviting audiences to look up, wonder, and imagine themselves at an entirely different scale.
Created for BLINK Cincinnati, In Light of Us explores what happens when imagination is given permission to take up space. Matilda becomes a glowing presence within the city: soft, bold, playful, and impossible to overlook.
Come see Matilda in the light.
Meet Matilda! She’s cute! You’re cute. Y’all should meet.
Matilda was developed by one of our members way back in 2009. She it’s inspired by one of their great-grandmothers named Matilda. Matilda is the ultimate cuteness, She’s all about representation. She shape-shifts through mood styles and personas making space for everyone to see themselves in her, especially those from marginalized communities. This character is a spark of joy, a wink of possibility, and a reminder that imagination is power.
When she was developed in 2009, there was a product line associated with her that gained a small but dedicated cult following. The merchandise included stickers, housewares, t-shirts and purses.
What’s next for Matilda? We have been creating series of short stories around her and her adventures. We’re bringer her into the moving world and will continue to reflect community back to community.