Wrapping in and as Art – A Review of the Exhibition at Lehman’s Art Gallery

Antonio Santín’s painting Annus Mirabilis (2015), Lehman College Art Gallery

PHOTO CREDIT: TABEA WECZEREK

By Tabea Weczerek

The word “wrapping” usually evokes gifts. But the art exhibition “Surprises Unknown: The Art of Wrapping,” at the Lehman College Art Gallery, invited viewers to think far beyond decorative paper, ribbons, and shiny bows. Featuring the work of 35 artists, the group show displayed a mixture of different art forms: paintings, photography, lithographs, figures, and objects made of materials such as marble or wood — all explored the concept of wrapping as both a physical act and a metaphor. What is wrapped? How is it wrapped? And what materials were used for wrapping? Also, what is concealed and unveiled? These were just a few of the questions the exhibition unpacked through the art. The gallery director and curator of the show, Bartholomew Bland, was inspired by the still-life artwork of American painter Wayne Thiebaud. “I thought it would be so interesting to do a show on wrapped packages, still life, and that gradually merged over time into the wrapped object itself,” said Bland on a gallery tour. According to him, the art show’s theme is the tension between expectation and anticipation — and a dread of that. While some of the wrappings were more straightforward, such as the paintings of meticulously wrapped presents by Ray Kleinlein and Sarah Hobbs, other artworks were more multifaceted and contrasting. They demonstrated the emotions a certain concealment may elicit. One of these extraordinary and fascinating works was Antonio Santín’s painting Annus Mirabilis (2015). From afar, it looked like an embroidered rug, but up close, it became clear that it was a trompe l’oeil painting made by layering thick oil. The technique creates a three-dimensional eff ect that suggests a fi gure is concealed underneath the painting.

Humaira Abid’s carved wood objects titled Zaad-e-raah (2020) and Fragments of Home Left Behind II No. 3 (2019-20), Lehman College Art Gallery

Similarly, two differing artworks composed of bundles offered different meanings and emotions: one evokes excitement and pride, while the other elicits sorrow and melancholy. Humaira Abid’s Zaad-e-raah (2020), meaning “Provisions for a Journey,” presents a sack meticulously carved from pine wood. A wooden rearview mirror accompanies this detailed and beautiful object. In the mirror, three figures — one carrying the sack — make their way through the water, evoking displacement and survival. The simplicity and necessity of this sack was contrasted by Leeah Joo’s nearby oil on canvas titled Pojagi Throne (2017). The attention in her piece is on the colorful, printed fabric used for wrapping rather than its contents. Joo’s realistic painting captures the luminous, fabric-wrapped pojagi, a traditional Korean wrapping cloth, in bright, saturated colors. While Abid’s piece is grounded in necessity and survival, Joo’s work is celebratory, honoring the aesthetics and traditions of her culture. The transition of a concealed object from a source of curiosity to one of anxiety reveals the fine line between astonishment and threat. Among the renowned artists featured in the exhibition is Christo, who is internationally recognized for his public wrapping of buildings and landmarks. His contributions to the exhibition include sketches, photographs, and photomontages of his plans for wrapping trees, monuments, and buildings. In the show, his lackluster work is overshadowed by the other artists and holds less prominence in comparison. His drawings offer insights into his visions for large-scale projects, but ultimately, his work impresses more outside of the art gallery.

When does a concealed object turn from mysterious and amusing, as with Christo’s work, to something that produces anxiety and fear? The thought-provoking artwork by Robert Attanasio shows two photographs, each titled Suspicious Package (2005 and 2006). One photo depicts a paper bag with contents, seemingly abandoned at a public transport station. The other shows a box-shaped object wrapped in dark plastic and left on the side of the street. In these settings and contexts, wrapped objects no longer evoke curiosity but trigger discomfort. The tension arises not from the objects themselves but from their placement, revealing how context changes perception.

The exhibition was wrapped up with a dance performance choreographed by Cordelia Voghnout and Tae G. Kim, and a post-show discussion by the Herbert H. Dance Company. In a lively performance filled with unexpected and surprising movements, dancers Caroline Roque Barreira, Kimberly Garcia, Wilson Hernandez, Sky Mercado, and Cordelia Vohnout embodied different emotions evoked by concealment and revelation. From the big Rotunda site-specific installation at the entrance to small objects and large paintings on canvases, “wrapping” is a versatile, meaningful, and emotive theme explored in and through an intriguing group show.

“WRAPPING IS A VERSATILE, MEANINGFUL, AND EMOTIVE THEME.”