The Upstate Vibe

1053 Gallery: “Still Here” July 11 – August 8. OPening July 11th 4pm – 11pm

by | Jul 8, 2026 | 1053 Gallery, Alan Powell, David Ortiz, exhibits, Flieschmanns, Installations, Patrice Lorenz | 0 comments

1053 GALLERY Presents

STILL HERE

July 11, 2026 – August 9, 2026
Reception Saturday, July 11, 2026 4pm – 7pm

Artists

Lynn Basa, Claire Buckley, Angela Dufresne, Steve Ellis, Liz Flood,
Claire Gilliam, Brenda Goodman, Sharon Horvath, Mala Iqbal,
Drew Jarret, Brittany Kiertzner, Jim Lee, Lisa Lebofsky, Patrice Lorenz,
Gary Mayer, Dave Ortiz, Alan Powell, Josh Reames, Guy Smit,
Michael St. John, Kathleen Sweeney, Marie Vickeralli, Gavin Wilson
The act of creation has never existed in a vacuum. It responds, absorbs, and reflects the world around it, often bearing the weight of history’s heaviest moments. Yet, too often, we demand that art speak in the loud, overt language of polemics to be considered relevant in times of crisis. STILL HERE is an exhibition that challenges this assumption, offering a profound counter-narrative to how art engages with turbulent times. It is an exhibition that is fundamentally non-political in its traditional definition, yet deeply political in its existence. While some works within the collection engage in a direct dialogue with the world’s current realities, the overarching, true political statement of the exhibition is found in the quiet, unyielding insistence of the artist to simply keep making art.

 

To create in an ever-changing, often fractured environment is an act of immense psychological and spiritual endurance. The works gathered in this exhibition do not uniformally depict the specific anxieties of our current global landscape; you will not find a singular, didactic perspective on policy or disaster. Instead, you will find textures, light, form, and deeply personal mythologies. In some instances, an artist might subtly confront the present moment, embedding pieces of our shared reality into their imagery. In others, the work turns inward. Yet, regardless of whether a piece whispers about the world outside or speaks directly to it, every work in this gallery shares a common foundation: it was born from the stubborn refusal to stop creating.

By choosing what to express—and how to express it—these artists are claiming a vital space for autonomy. When society demands total preoccupation with its crises, preserving a space for beauty, abstraction, and personal introspection becomes its own form of rebellion. It asserts that human experience is vast and cannot be entirely consumed by the chaos of the present moment.
      Images:
Michael St. John | 2024 | Eclipse | Oil on canvas | 24 x 24 inches

 

Lisa Lebofsky | 2026 | Disasters of Government – The Tree | Oil on Paper
16 x 19 inches (Framed)

Erika Ranee | 2025 | Ithaca | Acrylic and Shellac Collage on canvas |
6 x 6 inches

Jim Lee | 2014 | Untitled Peacemaker(s) | Oil and Graphite on paper |
16.5 x 13 inches (Artist Frame)

 

1053 Main Street
Fleischmanns, NY 12430
Hours: Fri – Sun, 11am – 5pm
1053gallery.com     @1053gallery

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