Olivia Jia

Painted with what she describes as a “nocturnal” palette, Olivia Jia’s works have a somnambulant quality, appearing as if scenes encountered in a state between sleep and waking. Frequently depicting imagined books and ephemera, each painting is constructed around a tableau that the artist has arranged, incorporating material collected by herself or in the possession of family members, alongside references to American and Chinese art histories. Informed by Jia’s own diasporic identity as the child of Chinese immigrants to the United States, ideas of kinship, heritage, longing and belonging are negotiated through the constellations of elements she gathers together in her compositions. Staged in a studio workspace, depicted either late at night, or in an imagined facsimile of that location, her paintings act as tools with which a greater degree of self-recognition might be arrived at. The somberly lit surfaces upon which these objects and images are depicted are at once tabletops or pinboards upon which objects might be placed, and psychic spaces onto which desire might be projected. ...

Margot Samel opened in Tribeca, New York, in May 2022, with a commitment to presenting research-driven exhibitions by international artists at all stages of their careers, often debuting their first shows in New York. Originally from Estonia, Margot Samel worked in galleries, museums, and artist-run spaces in Tallinn, Glasgow, and New York for over a decade before opening her eponymous gallery. The inaugural exhibition featured Estonian multidisciplinary artist Kris Lemsalu (b. 1985, Tallinn), whose complex sculptures, installations, and performances blur the boundaries between life and art, setting the tone for a program that embraces experimentation and collaboration across diverse artistic practices. While placing particular emphasis on contemporary artists from the Baltic region, the gallery also works with contemporary and historical artists from international backgrounds. Margot Samel is dedicated to fostering long-term relationships with both emerging and established artists, while collaborating with other galleries to support ambitious exhibitions. ...