ATLAS Opening Reception

ATLAS
Curated by Sarah Cherry

Featured Artists:
Ansley West Rivers, Betsy Cain, Blanche Nettles Powers, Cig Harvey, Curtis Patterson, Grace Hager, Jack Leigh, Jeremiah Jossim, Katherine Sandoz, Kevin Cooley, Marcus Kenney, Matt Toole, Parker Stewart, Susan Hable, Todd Schroeder, Trish Andersen and Will Penny

On View: September 17th – December 19th, 2026
Reception: Thursday, September 17th, 6:30-8:30pm

Atlas, the defeated Titan, was condemned by Zeus to stand at the edge of the world and bear the weight of the heavens on his shoulders for all eternity—preventing a descent back into chaos and preserving the delicate order of our elemental enclosure. Like Atlas, Laney Contemporary serves as an architectural framework that maintains primordial structure. Housed within its walls are the five elements that comprise our world: Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and Aether, each isolated and celebrated in a designated space within the gallery.

Earth, located on the first floor, is composed of wondrous metals, lush landscapes, and decomposing matter. Earth grounds and greets us. The dendritic fractals of Blanche Nettles Powers’ oil paintings speak to the splendid layers of Katherine Sandoz’ “moth orchid” and the grandeur of Parker Stewart’s photograph of a stately live oak. The playful nature of earth is interpreted through Susan Hable’s bronze forms and Betsy Cain’s primordial cutout, “forest cascade.”

Air takes the form of the breath, migration, sailing fabric, weather, and gesture. The bitter yet enchanting nature of air is visualized through photographer Cig Harvey’s golden “Frozen Apples,” while Todd Schroeder’s “Stack of Qi,” composed of atomized dots, visualizes the life force that circles us and reminds us to pause and inhale / exhale. Arrows within the sweeping works of Jeremiah Jossim and Curtis Patterson’s Great Migration series act as winds that navigate the space, leading viewers towards fire and water.

The elements of fire and water sit in opposition in the upstairs gallery – a visual clash of color and force. Kevin Cooley, renowned for documenting wildfires and volcanic explosions, takes on a new subject: water. Cooley’s photographs of waves capture constellations of liquid crystals frozen in time. They hang alongside Cain’s painting of a mason jar, which similarly seeks to arrest the mercurial nature of water. Opposed to water is Grace Hager’s ceramic campfire and photographer Jack Leigh’s Charonian flambeau. These representations of fire sit alongside the electric palettes of Will Penny’s relief paintings and the glowing tondos of Matt Toole. Their materials and color palettes are alive with light, pulling viewers in like moths to flame.

The mirrored room contains the aether, the celestial material that fills the region above the terrestrial sphere (the heavens). Ansley West Rivers’ lunar trace photographs and Marcus Kenney’s neon capture the beauty that lies above, while Trish Andersen’s installation of fibers cascades from the ceiling, bringing the heavens down to mingle among mortals.

ATLAS honors all that is luminous, inspiring, terrifying, delicate, and resilient within our world. There is truly no place like our home, an endless source of inspiration. We invite you to experience her elemental grandeur.

Artist Talk:
A walk-through of the exhibition with the curator and a selection of participating artists. Date to be announced. See website for details.

Outside Installations:
Earth: Blanche Nettles Powers’ ephemeral, moss installation, “Understory,” will be on view throughout the exhibition. This sculpture is located on the Laney lawn under the tree canopy.

“Understory” is an outdoor installation in which found architectural elements are assembled into a four-sided enclosure and largely obscured by Spanish moss. Within the structure, living ferns grow in a shallow planter. Concealment and containment intersect with ongoing processes of growth and decay.

Fire: A fire sculpture presentation from Matt Toole will ignite on opening night and during select gallery events on the Laney lawn. Please check our website for upcoming dates and details through mid-December.

Reception Details:
Our reception for ATLAS will take place Thursday, September 17th from 6:30 to 8:30pm. Join us to celebrate our 9 year anniversary and our stellar roster of artists. King of Pops will be on premises from 6:30 to 8pm.