Nurture / Nature

This exhibition brings together works by Southern California-based artists Cara Levine, Liz Nurenberg, Eric Trine and Vern Moen and Hannah Kim Varamini, all of whom explore themes of care and interconnectedness – from the interpersonal, to the familial, to the communal, to the environmental. Each artist works with familiar, humble materials and locations, treating them with an observant eye and a careful hand that mirrors the sense of attention, empathy and generosity imbuing the resulting objects and imagery.

Cara Levine’s labor-intensive objects merge techniques like weaving and carving with symbols such as chain links, knots and ladders – evoking support systems of attentive tenderness and interdependency. Liz Nurenberg’s practice involves creating sculptures that require bodily interaction and films of their usage, displaying the necessary collaboration, balance and exchange needed to maintain healthy familial and communal relationships. In their collaboration, Eric Trine and Vern Moen explore the environment around the San Gabriel River in Long Beach. Using found objects and imagery collected from the site, they reveal the interconnected nature of communities and landscapes, brought together with curiosity, observation and play. Finally, Hannah Kim Varamini’s sculptures and drawings model diverse forms of community, linking the personal to the familial, cultural and environmental in poignant, poetic ways informed by her choice of materials.

Exhibition on view from September 16-November 22, 2024.

Curated by Astri Swendsrud