“What About Now?” at Pratt Institute

What About Now? presents an assortment of works by eight young artists examining the troubling relationships around us today, including classic conflicts with self, family, nature, and society, updated with contemporary consumerist identities. All of the pieces can be understood as a response to the question, “What About Now?” searching for meaning and stability in a tumultuous world. Fear of the unknown (Hyomin Kwon), memories of broken childhood (Taylor Kennedy and Dulphe Pinheiro Machado), and predictions for the future (Lia Kim Farnsworth) are skillfully displayed in painting, drawing, video, and installation. There is repeatedly little or no distinction between media, often intertwining surprising materials, such as chocolate on paper (Sabetty Heyaime), woven rope over canvases (Megan Porpeglia), and child-sized mannequins gaping at Day-Glo paintings (Chip McCall). Despite an exuberant exploration of meanings and materials, there remains a deep reverence for what came before (Jiang Ye) that firmly asserts their place in the unfolding timeline of art history.

Opening reception will be held on Thursday, August 25, 2016, 6-9 PM