Veils

Amy Brener

Ala Dehghan

Robin Kang

Lydia McCarthy

Curated by Dan Gratz

"Right here and now, there is a universe of active intelligence that is transhuman, hyperdimensional, and extremely alien…"

– Terrence McKenna

The impulse to perceive a realm beyond the confines of empirical reality is ancient. Throughout human history, the figure of the shaman has appeared in cultures across the world, typically inhabiting the role of otherworldly explorer and guide. The artists in Veils pursue a similar endeavor by creating works that illuminate possible futures poised at the intersection of technology and human subjectivity. Executed in a variety of media, the works presented in this exhibition offer glimpses of a domain outside of common experience, hinting at realities only perceptible when the veil of space and time is drawn back.

Amy Brener (b. 1982 in Victoria, BC) lives and works in New York. She was included in Greater New York 2015 at MoMA PS1. Her work has exhibited internationally at institutions and galleries such as Galerie Pact in Paris, Wentrup Gallery in Berlin, Derek Eller Gallery and the Katonah Museum of Art in New York, Julius Caesar in Chicago, Susan Hobbs Gallery in Toronto and the MacLaren Art Centre in Barrie, Ontario. Brener received the NYFA Fellowship for Crafts/Sculpture in 2015, attended Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture in 2011, and graduated with an MFA in Sculpture from Hunter College in 2010.

Ala Dehghan (b. 1982 in Tehran, IR) lives and works in Brooklyn, NY. She has had solo presentations at Otto Zoo Gallery in Milan, Kalfayan Galleries in Athens, Thomas Erben Gallery in New York, and has participated in artist talks at The Cooper Union and NYC Creative Salon in New York. She received her MFA in Painting and Printmaking from Yale University and BFA in Persian Miniature Painting from Tehran University. Her work has been reviewed in Frieze Magazine, Art F City, The Drawing Center, ATP Diary, Time Out New York Critics’ Picks, Artribune and The American Reader among others.

Robin Kang (b. Kerville, TX) has exhibited throughout the US, Canada, Spain, Belgium, France, Austria, Indonesia, and Saudi Arabia. Recent institutional shows include the Queens Museum, the Essl Museum, John Michael Kohler Arts Center, U.S Embassy in Saudi Arabia and Brooklyn Academy of Music, among others. She has participated in artist residencies in Texas, Michigan, Massachusetts, and Beijing. Kang is a recipient of the 2017 NYFA Fellowship in Craft/Sculpture. Additionally, she is an Adjunct Professor in the Fiber and Material Studies Department at Tyler School of Art, teaching courses in digital weaving and fabric dyeing.

Lydia​ ​​McCarthy (b. 1981 in Melrose, MA) is​ ​a​ ​Brooklyn-based​ ​artist.​ ​Her​ ​work​ ​has​ ​been exhibited​ ​widely,​ ​including​ ​106​ ​Green,​ ​Essex​ ​Flowers​ ​and​ ​the​ ​Scandinavia​ ​House​ ​in New​ ​York​ ​and​ ​NAU​ ​Gallery​ ​in​ ​Stockholm.​ ​Lydia’s​ ​work​ ​has​ ​been​ ​reviewed​ ​and published​ ​in​ ​The​ ​New​ ​Yorker,​ ​Art F City, The​ ​Wall​ ​Street​ ​Journal,​ ​Dossier​ ​and​ ​the​ ​Huffington​ ​Post. She​ ​received​ ​a​ ​yearlong​ ​American-Scandinavian​ ​Foundation​ ​Fellowship​ ​and​ ​has​ ​held residencies​ ​at​ ​the​ ​Banff​ ​Centre​ ​and​ ​the​ ​Vermont​ ​Studio​ ​Center.​ Her​ ​book​ ​Vision​ ​5:​ ​The Vibratory​ ​Waves​ ​of​ ​External​ ​Unity ​was​ ​released​ ​with​ ​Silent​ ​Face​ ​Projects​ ​at​ ​the​ ​New York​ ​Art​ ​Book​ ​Fair​ ​this​ ​fall.​ ​Lydia​ ​is​ ​an​ ​Assistant​ ​Professor​ ​of​ ​Photography​ ​in​ ​the​ ​School of​ ​Art​ ​and​ ​Design​ ​at​ ​Alfred​ ​University.

On view by appointment through December 17th