During NYCxDesign week 2024, MATERIA presentED its inaugural exhibition in the MATERI(A)RT series, an initiative that utilizes the company’s SoHo, New York gallery to showcase and potentiate the work of an evolving roster of as-yet unrepresented artists and craftspeople.

PAST EXHIBITIONS:

TRACES by malkia williams

Show: May 15 - June 28, 2024

Monday - Friday 10-6pm

Saturday and Sunday May 18th and 19th 11-4pm; other weekends by appointment

TRACES, by mixed media artist Malkia Williams, explores the intersection between an elemental and varied materials palette and the human body’s many structures.

Williams, (b.2001) is an emerging Chicago-based artist who primarily focuses on sculpture as a medium, utilizing materials such as metal, wood and wool to render her detailed and imaginative somatic forms. Metalsmithing and casting both play large roles in her practice; iron and aluminum pours render molded, larger-scale forms, while silver and brass wire and sheets are utilized to create intricate, smaller scale sculptures. Drawing direct inspiration from the structures of human anatomy and its abstracted nature, Williams isolates specific parts of the body to examine and reimagine.

TRACES began as an exploration at Haystack Mountain School of Crafts in 2023, where Williams also met Megan Sommerville and Matt Ensner, co-founders of MATERIA, while all in residency together.

“Haystack has greatly affected my practice as an artist. Before that experience I was only really creating large metal sculptures and castings. Haystack reignited another pathway in my brain about materiality and how to translate scale. It was an insane experience of rediscovery. It ultimately led me to think about the kind of artist I want to be and how I'll get there.”

Born out of this chance meeting, Williams will be collaborating with MATERIA on a forth coming Limited Edition series of small sculptural charms conceived of as accessories for their newest lighting collection, PLATEAU.

“Actualizing the MATERI(A)RT aspect of our company’s long-term vision is extremely exciting, and the opportunity to interact with and support a new generation of emerging artists in any way is a real privilege.”  says Sommerville.