On Which It Rests is an exhibition and visual dialogue intended to foster conversation on the importance of place within the artistic process. In January 2024, Taos Abstract Artist Collective participated in a survey on themes of historic and cultural influence, material choice, creative process, and place. At a subsequent roundtable discussion in Joseph Henry Sharp’s 1915 Studio on the Couse-Sharp Historic Site campus, more questions were raised, and important themes surfaced:

• What is our responsibility to place?
• How do we internalize the influences of a place?
• Can we interrogate the intuitive nature of process and influence?

A curatorial concept was circulated to the New Mexico art community and artists were invited to respond to the theme. From across the state, 247 works were submitted. The artists who created the 21 chosen works hail from Taos County and across New Mexico. Their abstract art spans a variety of media including painting, sculpture, photography, mixed media, and installations.

The selected works represent the historical creative thread connecting artists to those who have come before, paving the way for new, exciting introspections and conversation in the dynamic landscape outside these walls. Themes within the work reflect upon ideas of place, environment, culture, and the connections between natural and human forces that shape this region. The featured artists are driven by deep cultural and artistic traditions and a visceral connection to something greater than self.

On Which It Rests will be open Tuesdays through Saturdays 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. July 5 through August 30. Admission is free and donations are welcome.