Inside Art with Michael Rose - Odd-Kin: A New Space for Contemporary Art

Wednesday, June 28, 2023

Michael Rose, Art Contributor

 

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PHOTO: Michael Rose

 

The exhibition of provocative and challenging contemporary art is critical to a thriving creative community. Odd-Kin, a new gallery located at 89 Valley Street in East Providence, is already a promising destination to see compelling work. On view through July 8, the gallery is sharing multi-faceted artworks by Lucy Kim in the exhibition Dead or Dormant. It is an excellent show from one of the region’s most exciting new visual art venues.

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On view in Dead or Dormant, viewers will see a collection of works by Kim that span video, sculpture, painting, and printmaking. Kim’s sculptural paintings explore the concept of Homomorphy, things that look alike but are not the same. In them, visitors will find baseball bats that meld with fish, or skeletons that turn into braids. In her printmaking, Kim utilizes the live genetically modified bacteria that produce eumelanin - the pigment that gives human hair, eyes, and skin their color. The aesthetic subtlety in these works is a backdrop for conversations surrounding race.

 

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PHOTO: Michael Rose

 

Speaking about what excites her most about Kim’s work, Odd-Kin founder Kate McNamara answers, “I have been a huge fan of Lucy's work for years and her recent development of the melanin prints blew me away. This work feels so poignant and urgent right now as our country grapples with brutal racism, the proliferation of fake news, and the rise of AI. These investigations have been an anchor in all of Lucy's work and this show was an exciting opportunity to bring the new melanin work into conversation with her Homomorphy series of paintings. Lucy's profound inquiries into the act of seeing, photographic authority, and complex ways in which socio-cultural systems work to produce visibility are critical lenses through which to engage with the world around us.”

 

Kim earned her BFA from RISD and her MFA from Yale. An Associate Professor at Boston University, recent exhibitions have included the ICA in Boston, the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, and at NYU’s Institute of Fine Arts. Her work has been collected by the MFA, the New York Public Library, and others.

 

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McNamara is a dynamic force on the cultural scene. She is currently the Executive and Creative Director of My HomeCourt, a non-profit that revitalizes public basketball courts through the use of public art. She is also the Interim Director of Providence College Galleries and teaches at RISD as well as Sotheby’s Institute of Art. McNamara earned her MA from the Center for Curatorial Studies at Bard College and, prior to coming to Providence, directed the galleries at the Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles.

 

Describing what she hopes her new space contributes to the area, McNamara answers, “It has been exciting to think of Odd-Kin as a site for convening and engagement that falls outside of a formal institution. My curatorial background has really been shaped by alternative art spaces and Odd-Kin is very much a project space, which means it can be nimble and support artist-driven projects or ideas that might not fit in so easily within a museum or commercial gallery model. So far, it has been important for Odd-Kin to support and feature intergenerational contemporary artists and practices that bridge a regional and national scope. I believe that Odd-Kin can play an important role in expanding the rich creative communities that make up Providence and beyond by providing opportunities to reimagine what art can be and do, as well as nourish space for critical conversation and community care.”

 

McNamara's thoughtful showcase of Kim’s work exhibits the values that will shape this much-needed gallery. Odd-Kin’s program offers important perspectives to the local community while connecting to trends in the wider world of contemporary art.

 

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PHOTO: Michael Rose

 

 

Looking forward, McNamara has big plans which promise to make Odd-Kin a center for cultural conversation. Asked what is on tap for the future, she says, “Well, in the short term there are a few exciting projects in the works! I am starting an edition program that will tie into each show and kicks off with the current Dead or Dormant - keep an eye out on July 8th for Lucy's edition release. I am working with the fantastic New York-based artist and long-time collaborator, Polly Apfelbaum, on an 80-piece installation that will open in September; and Odd-Kin will be participating in the Boston Art Book Art in November. There are a few other projects in the works and events, which will take place through the year. In the long term, I hope Odd-Kin will continue to be an expansive and interactive hub for engagement, convening, community, and production within the greater RI community and beyond.”

 

Learn more about Lucy Kim at www.lucykim.com.

Learn more about Odd-Kin at www.odd-kin.com.

Michael Rose is a multi-talented fine art professional based in Southern New England. Since 2014 he has served as the gallery manager at the historic Providence Art Club, one of the nation’s oldest arts organizations. Through his current freelance work he advises collectors and artists, provides appraisal services, teaches, and completes curatorial projects.

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