EXHIBITIONS

The Fall Edition

Currently on view

Lake Object presents The Fall Edition, a curated exhibition uniting three contemporary Taos artists whose practices engage light, perception, and material. Together, their works invite viewers to experience space—architectural, optical, and sonic—in new and surprising ways.

Each of these artists has shaped and elevated the arts in Taos through their practice, exhibitions, and dedication. To bring them together under one roof is a special privilege.

On view September 5th, 2025 - November 30th, 2025

Material Stories

Pieces from the Elsie Michie Art Jewelry Collection

August 1 - 3, 2025

Lake Object is honored to present Material Stories: Pieces from the Elsie Michie Art Jewelry Collection, a rare, three-day exhibition showcasing extraordinary examples of contemporary art jewelry by some of the most inventive and influential makers working today. This is the first in a series of exhibitions from the private collection of scholar and collector Elsie Michie, whose eye for narrative, material experimentation, and conceptual strength has shaped a compelling and diverse body of wearable works.

Art jewelry is a genre that challenges conventional definitions of adornment. These pieces are not made to match outfits or display wealth. They are objects of inquiry and expression, using the body as both site and frame. Materials range from industrial metals to paper, plastic, fiber, and found objects. Themes include politics, identity, humor, memory, environmental concern, and personal narrative. Each piece is a miniature sculpture, a story told through form, process, and material choice.

While major museums and collectors around the world have embraced art jewelry, it is still relatively unfamiliar to many. This exhibition offers Taos audiences a rare opportunity to engage directly with some of the most recognized names in the field. Some of these artists’ works are included in collections at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Smithsonian, the Museum of Arts and Design and beyond. One of the artists, Joyce J. Scott, is a MacArthur Foundation grant recipient.

None of the works in Material Stories are for sale. The intent of this exhibition is purely educational and to create space for dialogue, curiosity, and a deepened appreciation for jewelry as a form of contemporary art.

Artists include: Harriete Estel Berman, Jenine Bressner, Kathy Buszkiewicz, Julie Decubber, Robert Ebendorf, Betsy Hershberg, Tina Fung Holder, Nel Linssen, Thomas Mann, Floor Mommersteeg, John Moore, K. Lee Manuel, Albert Paley, Yuka Saito, Joyce J. Scott, Kiff Slemmons, Frank Tjepkema, Anoush Waddington, and Mallory Weston.

A Mind of Winter

Works of Contemporary Fine Craft

November 30, 2024 - March 19, 2025

A Mind of Winter delves into how winter’s reflective stillness inspires the evolution of fine craft. Traditionally, as nature slows and the cold sends people indoors, artisans have embraced the season’s quietude to transform raw materials into objects of lasting beauty. The exhibit aligns with the gallery’s mission to showcase contemporary fine craft, which merges traditional skills with modern aesthetics.

  Julie Lake’s pieces are a testament to that transformative process. Her stainless steel sculptures and ceramic vessels, with their striking balance of industrial strength and organic form, invite viewers to explore visual contrasts, between hardness and softness, along with tradition and innovation. Each piece reflects Lake’s intimate relationship with her materials, demonstrating the power of careful craftsmanship in bringing raw elements to life.

 Maine metalsmith Erica Moody’s utensils elevate the practical into the beautiful. Using traditional metalworking and analog machines, Moody’s pieces invite the user to experience a deep connection to the maker, transforming simple tasks into moments of grace. Her work speaks to the joy of creating objects that are both functional and beautiful, capturing the essence of fine craft: a dedication to the process, a respect for materials, and a desire to elevate the everyday.

  Chris DeKnikker’s wooden sculptures, including the mesmerizing Muscle Memory, bring a different dimension to the show. His obsession with precision is evident in every hand-cut and fitted piece, as he painstakingly assembles organic forms that seem almost to breathe. DeKnikker’s sculptures are filled with a sense of movement and memory, as though the wood itself holds the history of its transformation, embodying winter’s themes of stillness and slow, deliberate change.

  Photographer Zoë Zimmerman adds the only two-dimensional work included in the exhibit with her albumen prints, a technique she has modified using her unique “Zimmerman Method.” The albumen process, dating back to the mid-19th century, involves coating paper with egg whites, lending her images an ethereal, timeless quality. The pieces featured in the show are selections from her older works, chosen for their paradoxical sense of life and energy despite their stillness. Zimmerman’s prints employ traditional craft while infusing each piece with a modern sensibility.  Along with the subject matter, they reflect the patient, contemplative nature of winter itself.

  A Mind of Winter invites visitors to reflect on the craftsmanship and intention behind each piece. It’s a celebration of how winter’s quiet allows artists to engage deeply with their materials, leading to the creation of objects which transcend mere function or decoration. By highlighting the relationship between maker and material, the exhibit honors the timeless beauty that arises from patient, thoughtful creation, embodying the enduring significance of fine craft.