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Neutral Zone: An Exhibition by Sai Clayton

  • THE FORGE NASHVILLE 217 Willow Street Nashville, TN, 37210 United States (map)

Sai Clayton: NEUTRAL ZONE

STATE Gallery at The Forge 

217 Willow St Nashville 37210 

Opening: Friday, July 26th 6pm - 9pm

Exhibition Run: July 26th - August 21st

This July, STATE Gallery and Studios at The Forge is proud to present Neutral Zone, a new exhibition from Sai Clayton. Sai is a previous recipient of the STATE Gallery and Studios residency program, which gives six artists a full year of free studio space as well as a solo exhibition and mentorship throughout their tenure. 

Neutral Zone will open on Friday, July 26th with a public reception from 6pm to 9pm, and continue through August 21st, 2024.  

Sai Clayton's artistic practice is deeply rooted in both their Japanese heritage and southern upbringing. In her own words, “My work reflects the absurdity of negotiating between two cultures and races. Combining self portraiture with icons of Japanese and American culture, my work explores dichotomies of masculinity/sensitivity, spectacle/performance and the inner and outer self.”

Much of Clayton’s new work joins classically American figures with iconic Japanese imagery, in varying degrees of realism. American Football figures become performers of a transcultural paradox, their silhouetted bodies adorned with Japanese Noh masks. Referencing Japanese minimalism while contemplating the nexus of masculinity/sensitivity and spectacle/performance in relation to biracial identity, this body of work positions football players as the embodiment of Americanness and the face of Japaneseness.

In a larger sense, Neutral Zone depicts the disparity between outward racial perception and inward cultural identification. In her particular method of nuanced intersection, Clayton weaves together Japanese and American iconography to create unexpected relationships and evoke masculine and feminine dualities. This amalgamation forms a unique visual language that delves into the complexities of cultural identity and gender within the broader context of contemporary art.

We hope that you will join us for the opening reception of Neutral Zone, and that you will visit us throughout its exhibition run. Regular gallery hours are 10am to 6pm Monday through Thursday, as well as viewing by appointment with the artist or the Artistic Director. Please utilize the contact information below for any further inquiry. 

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