curtain design by Daniel Gadus (Daybreak).
Contributed by Will Maddoxx / At first, Fugue Gallery’s new Chinatown space seems like an apartment gallery or DIY space: the walls are brick, the windows are curtained, soft music plays on speakers, a few paintings and photographs hang on the wall. The works by the 16 artists in the inaugural show “Forbidden Fruit” are strong. The first to catch my eye was by Justin Wood, an oil painter enamored with academic painting, chiaroscuro, and Baroque still lifes. His Purple Grapes recalls Rachel Ruysch’s work, rendered with immaculate technique. Rotting Apple, alluding to Caravaggio’s Basket of Fruit, celebrates his adoration for art history with perfect paint application. Alexa Huang’s Rehearsal for a Forgotten Tableau is pastoral and open, its paint handling not unlike Cecily Brown’s and its palette resembles that of a Tiepolo. Vincent Sachtler’s Comarum palustre is firmly contemporary – a mesmerizing moving light à la Dan Flavin and Olafur Eliasson.
What I took to be décor seemed distracting, but when I sat down to scan the checklist, I was stunned. Everything I had disregarded upon entering as décor – the curtains, speakers, lamps, candles, and table – had been crafted for this exhibition. All that I heard, smelled, touched, and saw was curated to immerse me in the space. That appears to be the gallery’s priority. The German word Gesamtkunstwerk – total work of art – aptly describes the operating concept. After this realization, the elements of the show fall into place. “Forbidden Fruit” points to a calamitous transition from utopia to reality. This exhibition puts viewers in flux, allowing them to sample paradise before returning to harsher ground.
Multicolor 3D-printed kinetic sculpture with integrated
mechanical system, illuminated LED-filaments and
motorized gear train
Danielle Gadus’ Daybreak sits at the center of the show. The work is smart, simple, and well integrated into the exhibition. Two curtains hang on the sides of the gallery windows, tied at the bottom and carrying coffee grounds. The fresh smell emanates from the work, especially as the sun moves and hits the curtains directly. It’s as if Sarah Lucas wanted to put you at ease. Otis Gordon’s Custom Speaker System, also made for the space, plays sounds that feel gentle, eerie, and divine, picking up the show’s nods to a garden and the Garden. Over the course of the show, there have been events like a sound bath, a night of music, and live performances. There’s a clear interest in designing immersive experiences at Fugue, and with “Forbidden Fruit” the gallery has succeeded in doing so.
“Forbidden Fruit,” Fugue Gallery, 132 Mulberry St, 4C, New York, NY. Through August 21, 2026.
About the author: Will Maddoxx is a New York-based artist, writer, and curator from Nashville.
