New York, NY – TheBLANC is honored to present Safe Space – a new exhibition exploring the idea of belonging within individuals and communities. The concept of the “safe space” has been extensively examined across literature, philosophy, and the social sciences. While often romanticized as a refuge from the outside world, recent scholarship has complicated this notion, revealing the paradoxical capacity for such spaces to both empower and restrict individual expression. Taking its cue from this rich interdisciplinary discourse, Safe Space aims to construct a nuanced, globally-minded discussion through the lenses of twelve Asian artists working across diverse mediums.
The exhibition takes as its launching point the famous line from Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra, wherein Cleopatra proclaims her lover Antony as her sole sanctuary, consecrating him as an idealized “safe space” insulated from the world’s chaos. However, this romantic literary conception represents just one perspective within a larger contemporary theoretical discourse surrounding the multifaceted concept of the “safe space.” Contemporary multidisciplinary research and critical inquiry have scrutinized how these designated “safe spaces,” while purportedly nurturing individual identities and communal belonging, may conversely induce an insular mindset of “groupthink” that suppresses perspectives deviating from collectively accepted norms.
The artists in Safe Space grapple with these varied dimensions, navigating the oscillation between desires for community and the dangers of uncritical conformity. Their works decode the languages, rituals, and social norms at play within environments positioned as safe havens. Photography, paintings, sculptures, and multimedia installations plumb the psychological complexities – realms of liberation and subjugation – precipitated by membership in “safe” group settings. Through this multifaceted approach, the exhibition aims to open an intersectional dialogue around the construction of belonging across geographic, cultural, and ideological borders.
Date & Time
March 16 – March 22, 2024 | 11 AM – 6 PM
Artists
Chuyuan Ning, Yucheng Liao, Rosie Kim, Masha Lyass, Jingyao Huang, Chunbum Park, Qipeng Deng, Doi Kim, Anna Danyang Song, Luna Hao, Zelene Jiang Schlosberg, Kai Ming Yang
Venue
15 E 40th, 2 Fl, New York, NY 10016
Contact
Email: info@theblanc.art
Website: theblanc.art
Ins: theblanc_ny
For more information, please visit
https://www.theblanc.art/exhibition/safe-space-1
About theBLANC
TheBLANC is a versatile and dynamic art entity. Beyond visual art exhibitions, theBLANC engages in an array of exciting initiatives such as workshops, talks, panels, performances, and a multitude of art- related events.
About TheBlanc Gallery
As a pivotal part of theBLANC’s vision, TheBlanc Gallery serves as a vibrant showcase of artworks from around the globe with the aim of stimulating thoughts and conversations for a diverse spectrum of human creativity. Ensuring art accessibility beyond its walls, TheBlanc Gallery, located in midtown Manhattan of New York City, extends its impact by organizing riveting exhibitions in public venues across New York and North America.
(text & photo courtesy of theBLANC)
