Neither rain nor hail could keep New York’s art lovers away from Almine Rech last night as they braved a storm to enjoy an evening where creativity reigned supreme. At the gallery's UES outpost, CULTURED’s VIP Club and select guests were welcomed by Editor-in-Chief Sarah Harrelson for an exclusive artist-led tour of Joël Andrianomearisoa’s latest showing.
“MIRACLE” is a lyrical meditation on form and space. As guests––including artists Dana Barnes and Rachel Lee Hovnanian, interior designers Shawn Henderson and Julie Hillman, MATTE Projects partner and CCO Matthew Rowean, STUDIOTWENTYSEVEN's Nacho Polo and Robert Onuska, and Bank of America’s Dana Prussian Haney––glided between the crisp gallery walls, champagne in hand, a soft Malagasy breeze rippled through, bringing the architect-turned-artist’s intricately woven works to life.
Harrelson set the tone early, welcoming attendees and underscoring the importance of discovering beauty through art, as well as finding fellowship within gallery walls, even if just to shelter from the storm. Andrianomearisoa then guided the group through his third solo show at Almine Rech, divided into three sections—“Hands,” “Figures and Gestures,” and “MIRACLE”—each illuminating a movement-filled narrative woven in raffia. Describing the delicate process required to create the pieces, Andrianomearisoa explained how he treated each canvas as a “manifesto” and revealed that the only geography he truly believes in is that of emotions.
As the night progressed, the gallery became a microcosm of community and creative dialogue—after all, rain-soaked pants and weathered umbrellas are no match for the magnetic pull of an artist.
