Artist Lacey Black’s paintings draw from a spiritual journey toward the unknown, seeking the unnamed connections among all living things. Black brings together people, animals, and objects from different time periods with abstract forms in her work. This reflects the concept of the “ten thousand things” found in Taoist and Buddhist writings, representing the full material diversity of the universe.
Her piece Mother of Pearl, Cremation Ground Meditation / Indra’s Net serves as a visual manifesto of this philosophy. The central figure, a tall angel, is placed within a cosmic web symbolizing the interconnectedness and wholeness of the universe. The elements in the painting are not random; each carries symbolic significance. For instance, ladybugs, a symbol of protection since the Middle Ages, appear throughout the work.
Black’s aim is to create a visual language that lingers just beneath the surface of consciousness. Like life itself, her paintings resist singular interpretations and prefer to leave some questions unanswered. To achieve this wholeness, the artist blends the organic with the artificial, embedding images within images to elevate simplicity into deeper meaning. Drawing inspiration from speculative fiction writers like Octavia Butler, Ursula K. Le Guin, and N.K. Jemisin, her work offers an otherworldly connection that searches for new futures within fixed systems.
Exhibition Details:
- Artist: Lacey Black
- Title: Cosmic Zoo
- Venue: Monya Rowe Gallery, New York City
- Dates: October 16 – November 15, 2025
