The Pace University Art Gallery will present “Equilibrium,” a solo exhibition by artist Mary Mattingly, this fall. The show features living sculpture, photography, and performance to explore ecological transformation, resource equity, and climate adaptation. The exhibition opens with a public reception on September 26.
Mattingly is known for projects that combine art with environmental research and community engagement. She aims to turn the gallery into a collaborative laboratory for co-learning and developing shared solutions.
“Since 2001, I’ve lived in New York City, creating sculptural ecosystems that prioritize access to food, shelter, and water,” said Mattingly. “My work often takes the form of participatory initiatives rooted in care, ecological awareness, and collective imagining.”
“Equilibrium” includes ongoing bodies of work such as Rooted—a living installation using plants resilient to flood-prone environments like New York City—and Salt Forms, steel discs coated with salt from brackish waterways. The exhibition also features buoy bundles and submerged books from her House and Universe series to address themes of knowledge loss and climate-driven decay.
Documentation from Swale—Mattingly’s floating food forest project that allowed free harvesting of edible plants from a barge—is included in the show. Night Gardens presents photographic collages depicting adaptive gardens shaped by ecological memory.
An artist talk with Mattingly is scheduled for October 23 at 2:00 p.m. The exhibition runs through November 1 at the gallery’s location in Lower Manhattan at 41 Park Row. It is supported by the New York State Council on the Arts.
Mary Mattingly has created several public projects addressing issues around water, food systems, and climate adaptation. Her work has been shown at institutions including the Brooklyn Museum and Storm King Art Center.
The Pace University Art Gallery provides opportunities for students to exhibit their own art and collaborate with professional artists as part of its educational mission.
Pace University offers degree programs across multiple disciplines on campuses in New York City and Westchester County.
