Grand Opening of White Post Studio, Inc.

WHITE POST, VA — White Post Studio, Inc., a new design studio and art gallery in Virginia’s verdant Shenandoah Valley, will open June 3, 2023. International artist and designer Nanu Al-Hamad (Whitney Biennial, Salone del Mobile Milano, Mitchell-Innes & Nash, etc.) converted this historic railroad warehouse into a countryside hub for contemporary art, design, and assorted creative endeavors. Forthcoming exhibitions include a midsummer group show of local artists, the solo showcase of Carlo Cittadini, a Brooklyn-based painter, and, in the inaugural show this June, an exhibition of Al-Hamad’s new and experimental work.

As a gallery, artist residency, and regional nonprofit, White Post Studio careens forward in an experimental approach to gallery dealings — a direct challenge to both the artist and the collector. The gallery abides by three “commandments” as its foundational pillars:

1. Your money’s no good here.
2. Art may only be acquired by essay, trade, or direct donation to the artist.
3. Unacquired artwork will be destroyed on the last day of the exhibition.

Artists at White Post Studio will have full control of artwork acquisition, with an emphasis on nonmonetary exchange; otherwise, the artwork risks destruction. Collectors who cannot or will not afford a donation may provide a nonmonetary exchange; those who can are encouraged to acquire work more aggressively, saving it from destruction. These principles create a pointed conversation about the commerce of art and the role of artist and collector.

“Cerulean Sleeper,” White Post Studio’s premiere exhibition, is an experimental departure for artist Nanu Al-Hamad. In exploring the creation of a new material, these works utilize cement, paint, canvas, found items, and specified objects to create wall sculptures and conceptual furniture. In “Cerulean Sleeper,” Al-Hamad attempts, admittedly in vain, to freeze moments in time and convert them into something concrete. The material’s rapid curing process minimizes the time allowed to capture a creation. These fleeting flashes of actualization force a method that is grounded equally in careful planning and careless improvisation.

The Artist & Owner: Nanu Al-Hamad is an artist and designer recently transplanted to White Post, Virginia, via Kuwait, California, and New York City. Al-Hamad’s practice is a unique hybrid of interlocking art collective GCC, of which he is a founding member, and POWERHOUSE, a concept design duo. Al-Hamad’s work has been exhibited at the Whitney Museum of American Art, NY; Storefront for Art and Architecture, NY; Swiss Institute, NY; Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, Paris; Sharjah Art Foundation, UAE; Ullens Center for Contemporary Art, Beijing; New Museum, NY; MoMA PS1, NY; Contemporary Art Platform, Kuwait; Sultan Gallery, Kuwait; Kraupa-Tuskany Zeidler, Berlin; Project Native Informant, London; Mitchell-Innes & Nash, NY; and design fairs ICFF, Downtown Design Dubai, and Salone del Mobile.

“Cerulean Sleeper” runs from June 3 to July 16, 2023, with an opening reception June 3, 5 to 7 p.m. For press inquiries or appointments, email [email protected].

Posted on: May 11, 2023