New exhibitions
ez, zehra
This exhibition is not about politics. It speaks to Kurdish artist Zehra Dogan’s unstoppable need to continue creating, regardless of difficult personal circumstances. Representing but a fraction of the paintings she produced between 2016 and 2019 while imprisoned in Turkey, they address loneliness, hope, family, and most importantly, female solidarity. They proclaim that the beauty of life can be seen everywhere. Moreover, they show this artist’s boundless ingenuity when forced to find substitutes for the normal materials of her artistic practice. Zehra claims relinquishing creative control also taught her an important life lesson.
A LIFE IN CLAY: A RETROSPECTIVE
Darby Ortolano has literally spent her life “in clay” – as a young mother, graduate student, professor, and grandmother. Today, as a retired academic, she continues to produce work for gallery and museum shows. Although her 45-plus-year career seems to have carried her linearly from functional to sculptural, Darby acknowledges the essence of her current work was there at the very beginning. We invite you to follow this artist-potter’s trajectory via examples of her nature-inspired artwork and her insightful commentary.
SYRcle: A Fashion Statement
“SYRcle” is the title of the clothing collection Dalia Khaddam produced in Paris at the Istituto Marangoni, one of the world’s top fashion schools. Its composite name reflects the collection’s dual inspiration: the war in Syria and recycling. “SYRcle” honors the courage of countless Syrian refugees, many of whom lost their lives. Dalia’s innovative repurposing of utilitarian objects—like blankets and sleeping bags, the necessities of refugee life—also attests to the fashion industry’s growing interest in sustainability. Vogue Italia selected “SYRcle” for a specially produced virtual fashion show.