A series of exhibitions at two locations in New York entitled Emergent Pose: Pratt MFA 2020 Artist Collective Exhibition will open beginning this Thursday, March 25, 2021. The exhibitions feature the work of 22 artists who are Pratt MFA graduates (2020), four of whom are Pratt in Venice 2019 alumni.

As COVID-19 descended on NYC, our final thesis year was abruptly dismantled just as our thesis shows were about to debut.  All shows were cancelled, and as a cohort we had to withdraw from our studios and shelter in place, along with the community at large.

As this new reality settled in, we adjusted our approach, found new spaces and working methods, and persevered through the disappointment and heartache.  We found our focus sharpened and distilled, remaining poised to make our next move.  We are proud to share this exhibition of thesis work and beyond, demonstrating our individual practices and responses to this new emergent world.

Sections I and II, Transcorporeality and Moisten Clay, will take place at Culture Lab LIC at The Plaxall Gallery from March 25–April 25, 2021, featuring the work of Stewart Bird, Jerry Chan, Jinyong Choi, Kosuke Kawahara (PiV ‘19), Kunkun, Emmett Metier, Jackie Slanley, Allie Stabile, Chao Wang, and Meirav Zaks (PiV ‘19). Transcorporeality examines the unstable acceleration of digitization, automation, and consumption. These artists use a hybridization of digital tools and physical material to reflect on increasingly catastrophic fears, creating mythologies that manifest prophecies of certain doom, or imagine fantastical alternatives. Moisten Clay addresses the physical and spiritual effect of quarantine, focusing on the invisible structures ordering the material universe. A sense of mobility, energy, and modernity intertwine within the work, and show how the artists turned into themselves as subject matter.

Sections III and IV, Persona and Assertion of Life, will take place at On Canal by Wallplay from April 3–30, 2021, featuring works from Katie Croft (PiV ‘19), Dewy, Evelyn Golden (PiV ‘19), Dasol Hong, Josh Meiller, Duff Norris, So Ye Oh, Rodrigo Jimenez-Ortega, Amber Peck, Na’ye Perez, Caito Stewart, and Alyssa Thornton. Persona investigates the idea of personification, whether it be images of constructing identity, abstraction of basic elements to capture the essence of a place, or objects that seem self-aware as sculptures or props. These works ask for a broader consideration of the function of art and images. Assertion of Life explores the struggles of womanhood and motherhood, a nostalgic longing for the past, and the processing of trauma. These highly personal, and often autobiographical works utilize easily recognizable everyday objects to draw the viewer in with the familiar.

The collaborative series of exhibitions has been organized by Pratt in Venice alumnus, Kosuke Kawahara (PiV ‘19).

Culture Lab LIC at The Plaxall Gallery
5-25 46th Avenue
Queens, NY 11101

March 25–April 25, 2021
Opening Reception: Fri., March 26, 5–9 PM
Gallery Hours: Thursday–Friday 5–9 PM; Saturday–Sunday 2–9 PM

All visitors must wear a mask and observe social distancing guidelines.

On Canal by Wallplay
321 Canal Street
New York, NY 10013

April 3–15, 2021
April 17–29, 2021
Opening Receptions: Sat., April 3, 12–7PM; Sat., April 17, 12–7 PM

All visitors must wear a mask and observe social distancing guidelines.

For more information about the artists and the exhibition, please visit www.emergentpoise.net. For questions and inquiries, please contact info@emergentpoise.net.