Prema Murthy’s solo exhibition ‘Ceremony’: June 1st
Prema Murthy’s solo exhibition ‘Ceremony’ showcases quiet and meditative paintings that explore abstraction through a fusion of physics, mathematics, and metaphysical themes. Her minimalistic series named “Eternal”, characterized by subtle and poetic qualities, invites viewer interpretation and lingers in the mind. Combining formal minimalism and nuanced materiality, the paintings evoke internal silence, contemplation, and a “soundless dialogue” described by Hannah Arendt.
The predominance of black in Murthy’s Eternal series conveys her examination of rational and spiritual perceptions, symbolizing both the cosmos’ infinity and expanded consciousness. Geometric forms and carefully painted lines express her contemplations on eternity, recalling spiritual symbols. Murthy’s work aligns with mid-century minimalism, akin to Agnes Martin’s serene compositions. Intuitively inspired by images before dawn, Murthy’s art harmonizes the mystical with the objectivity of science, unifying disparate aspects of the human psyche.
Past Exhibitions
CONTAINED
Debra Cartwright
Barbara Ishikura
21 April – 21 May
Contained brings together artists Debra Cartwright and Barbara Ishikura for a two-person exhibition that explores the female body and female representation throughout history. Debra Cartwright examines the relationship between the black female body and American medical history, while Barbara Ishikura challenges the historically male gaze on the female nude by taking back ownership of the female figure in her artwork.
By placing the female figure at the center of their art, both artists highlight the complex and multifaceted experiences of being a woman throughout history.
Through their use of paint and mixed media, both Debra Cartwright and Barbara Ishikura explore themes of selfhood, intimacy, and myth creation. Their artwork offers a powerful reflection on the female experience and female role in art, history, and society.
Debra Cartwright’s artwork blends the history of Western gynecology with the representation of Black womanhood.
Barbara Ishikura’s artwork explores the ongoing conflict of adhering to social norms across different social classes. She uses portraiture to depict the humor and pathos of the human condition, particularly regarding the female body and its navigation of social spaces in contemporary society. Ishikura’s female figures are portrayed in classical art historical poses while drinking cheap beer, smoking cigarettes, and surrounded by working-class paraphernalia.
Together, Debra Cartwright and Barbara Ishikura’s artwork offers a thought-provoking exploration of the objectification of the female body by re-examining loaded histories and cultural hierarchies in contemporary society.
Lateral Expansion: Susan Arena, Jeane Cohen, MaryKate Maher, Natalia Nakazawa and Sarah G. Sharp
Curated by Audra Lambert
Lateral Expansion brings together five artists whose work speculates on the multiplicity of identities that women inhabit through multidisciplinary approaches, sublime explorations of representation and gesture and visceral approaches to surface texture. From painting to fiber art and sculptural collages, these artists embrace the ideologies of lateral expansion: taking up space and claiming power through a lateral expansion both metaphorically and literally in artworks on view.
Emotional Landscapes
14 January – 18 February
A group show featuring works by Dana Nechmad, Adi Oren and Rives Wiley. The three artists’ works present contrasting perspectives on one’s emotional being, offering a spectrum of views and artistic approaches.
THRIVING
The inaugural exhibition of FORMah’s first gallery space – THRIVING, a group show featuring works by Chellis Bairs, Prema Murthy, Rachel Rubenstien, and Noga Yudkovik-Etzioni.