Every July, most New York contemporary galleries present “group exhibitions” – a dizzying variety of intelligent curation, unexpected juxtapositions, and exciting introductions to new artists. The galleries also switch to “summer hours” (closed on weekends), so available viewing time can be limited. I’ve seen as many as I can to find my 2 favorite exhibitions, which together present over 60 artists, smart themes, and plenty of surprises: “Mother Lode: Material and Memory” is on view at James Cohan Gallery at two locations in Tribeca, and “Patterns“ is on view at Luhring Augustine Gallery across both their Tribeca and Chelsea locations. Here is why these two double-venue group exhibitions are unmissable, with 3 artists (of the many amazing works) from each:
“Mother Lode: Material and Memory” is organized by Abigail Ross Goodman, Molly Epstein, and Ellen Langan. The exhibition, spread across two neighboring addresses in Tribeca, presents over 40 artists that explore the impact of memory, both personal and collective, through a love of material.
One of my favorite works is Tuan Andrew Nguyen’s “Field Afire, 2024” – a jewelry-like 7-foot mobile that is made from bomb metal, artillery shells, and bells. Those materials were recovered from Quang Tri in Vietnam, one of the most heavily bombed areas in the world, where current residents still encounter these physical remnants and reminders of trauma. Nguyen has brilliantly transformed the emotional and literal weight of that material into a balanced, beautiful form that gently moves with the slightest air current. In addition, the work contains an element that functions as a bell that chimes at a specific frequency of 432 HZ – a wavelength believed to harmonize with the “natural frequency of the universe” to produce a calming effect.
Downstairs, Clementine Keith-Roach’s sculpture “all sides endlessness earth sky as one no sound no stir, 2023” may bring up images of a potter in the act of throwing wet clay on a wheel – with hands so coated with mud that skin and clay are indistinguishable. But this is not a new vessel – Clementine’s work begins with an antique terracotta urn to which she adds plaster casts of her own hands, perfectly painted to match the patina of the old vessel. It’s a literal merging of past and present that invites an illusion of movement as you circle the object.
“Acculturation III, 2022-2024,” by Yu-Wen Wu is also worth a closer inspection, consisting of 143 gilded tea leaves that have been pinned floor-to-ceiling on a gallery wall. Born in Taipei, Taiwan, Wu’s experience as an immigrant is central to her work. Here, tea leaves and plants from New England are partially covered in gold – a fusion of culture and memory. The gilding here is a reference to the gold rush and promise of the “American Dream.”