Image Sources: https://artyard.org

ArtYard now presents “Shelter Is,” an exhibition that brings together the work of nine artists whose practices consider the physical and psychological function of shelter, its construction, and its improvisational nature. The works on view also explore questions of who seeks shelter, and for what reasons – political, socioeconomic, or environmental. At a time when people around the globe are being asked to “shelter in place,” the concepts of home, safety, security, and residence take on special meaning.

In its most basic form, the notion of shelter evokes four walls, a roof, and a floor. Sizes vary, as do the materials, location, and durability of the structure. Sometimes the shelter is made from scratch. Sometimes it is found. It may serve as a temporary refuge, or as a permanent residence. The works in this exhibition consider traditional models of shelter but also provide a lens in which the architecture of shelter can be extended beyond conventional perceptions of home, relief, and sanctuary.

Some of the underlying themes of the show are the relationship between the body and shelter; what role do social histories and memory play in the praxis of shelter?; and the tension between public and private space.

“Shelter as universal/as discourse,” a library of found images and unauthored structures, accompanies the exhibition. Like a word said over and over again, these images and models function as a detournement, a way of visually unspooling the anatomy of shelter, its universality, and the ways in which it can be found in unexpected places.

The exhibition was first set to open on May 2 but was delayed until September 12 due to COVID-19. “Shelter Is” will remain on view through December 28, 2020. To make the gallery visit as safe as possible, guests are asked to make a reservation in advance at Eventbrite (https://bit.ly/34dqVAB). All reservations are free to make.

This exhibit is curated by artist, writer, and curator Lucinda Warhol.

Gallery hours are Wednesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. ArtYard is located at 62A Trenton Avenue in Frenchtown. For questions, visit artyard.org or call 908.996.5018.