There She Lay

Earth Ængel, Vinny Castro, Sasha Fishman, Adrienne Greenblatt, Gitte Maria Möller, Andreia Santana

Curated by Claire Felonis

The Westbeth building, originally home to Western Electric and then Bell Laboratories, was partly submerged underwater during Hurricane Sandy. Drenched in history, it serves as the ground of this group exhibition emerging from the depths of collected memory, material investigation, human identity, and metamorphosis.

In the lair, unfamiliar creatures roam. Santana’s kinky forms hold the key to unlocking the union of queer eroticism and pleasure. Made of glass and blanketed in chainmail, their appearance alludes to sex toys and BDSM attire. Sea-sprung, mycelium-coated and kiln-fired, Fishman’s sculptures develop like ancient organisms. These ephemeral and synthetic material explorations stem from aquatic life research and the limitations of scientific instruments in understanding their experiences. In the same ocean, Ængel transforms in front of our eyes. Dolphin Gurlz arise as the artist’s reimagined self, breaking out of captivity and defying societal gender norms. Celestially tethered, they wear chains and crystal jewelry as armor, holding tight to one another in the rough waters.

Castro’s “sisters” serve as keepers of this enchanted land. All-seeing observers, they embody mythological spirits and exude cold auras as they preside over the collected artifacts. Their menacing stares ward off trespassing intruders. Möller contributes charms to protect the circle. Images drawn from childhood and computer games appear in the offerings, the selfless donation of information perhaps naive to the dangers outside. Greenblatt reinforces the barricade with glass gates. Drawing inspiration from alchemy, wrought iron fencing and urban decay, the archaic process of glasswork finds form in these icy barriers.

The amalgamation of these six artists’ practices manifests in a dystopian world, which may have never existed at all. There she lay becomes a multidimensional dreamscape suspended in time, where false artifacts are unearthed, strange fantasies lurk beneath the surface, and secret languages are whispered under crashing waves.

—Claire Felonis