nancy davidson
matt nolen

Through Braids, Eggs, and Legs: A Wandering, Nancy Davidson invites us into a world where the female form is both celebrated and deconstructed, where societal expectations are challenged, and where the complexity of femininity is laid bare. Davidson's versatile practice encompasses sculpture, installation, drawing, photography, and video. The exhibition features a variety of sculptures, installations, photographs, and a video. Eyeenvy a towering, one-eyed creature beckons, serving as a satirical commentary on power and control. Green Legs quiver as if on a threshold, moving slightly, keeping balance. Mini Sin invites us to consider the concept of envy under the green glow of fluorescent lights. Steppin seamlessly blends ancient Greek warrior poses with contemporary attire and dance, while Oyess immerses us in a world of illuminated wonder, where "yes" is the answer.

Matt Nolen’s installation Tethered of ceramic figures occupy liminal spaces - life lived in the margins of great transition. These works are informed in part by ancient Greek amphorae whose tapered forms allows for easy transport by rolling but requires a base, stand or to be planted in soft earth or sand to become stabile and remain upright.  The handles allow for multiple amphorae to be tethered together thus becoming stronger and more stable for the transport of greater loads during long journeys.  Nolen recognized this ancient pottery form as an allegory to a socially and politically divided world in which the interdependence of all individual beings can be exposed constructively leading to the stability, strength, and ultimate healing of our collective as we “walk the path” tethered together. The works in Tethered investigate the relationship of the micro landscape of the artist’s body to the macro of the external world’s social and political environment.  Nolen’s artistic practice gives means to explore splitting, conjoining, seams and borders, collapse, failure and ultimately, regeneration.

About the Artists

Nancy Davidson is a contemporary artist whose practice encompasses sculpture, installation, drawing, and photography. She has focused on exploring the female form, power dynamics, and societal expectations. Davidson's work is characterized by its innovative use of materials, such as inflatable latex sculptures that challenge conventional representations of femininity. Her works are imbued with a keen sense of humor and playfulness, while also addressing deeper issues of gender and power. Davidson has participated in numerous solo and group exhibitions at prestigious galleries and institutions, including the ICA Philadelphia, Locust Projects Miami, and the Robert Miller Gallery. Davidson's contributions to contemporary art have been recognized with various awards and fellowships, such as the Guggenheim Fellowship, the Pollock-Krasner Foundation Grant, Creative Capital Grant, and the Anonymous Was a Woman Award.

Matt Nolen is a studio artist living and working in New York City and Narrowsburg, NY. Trained as a painter and architect, Nolen’s work includes sculptural objects and architectural installations using clay and mixed media. His work has been exhibited internationally and is in numerous private and public collections including: The Cooper-Hewitt Museum, NY, The Museum of Arts and Design, NYC., The Newark Museum, NJ, The Houston Museum of Fine Art, TX, The Los Angeles County Museum of Art, The de Young Museum, San Francisco, CA, and The Everson Museum of Art, Syracuse, NY.