“Cultured,” an exhibition of new works by Coby Kennedy and Brendan Lee Satish Tang opens on Thursday, October 12th at 6:00pm. “Cultured,” as in refined, cultivated, nurtured, artificially grown, or synthesized—these terms apply to both artists and the unique manner in which each of them uses their chosen mediums to explore their respective cultural narratives.

Kennedy’s new body of work is created using bullet proof Kevlar, stretched and mounted as canvases, patterned with rust and tinted resin, creating a refined gloss that plays off of the industrial materials beneath. This new collection embodies the artist’s exploration of diasporic power and perseverance, as filtered through his experience as a new parent and Black American. While the Kevlar symbolizes the impenetrable determination of survival in the face of adversity, the layers of oxidized rust reflect the corrosive patina formed from centuries of that endurance.

Tang’s ongoing series, “Manga Ormolu,” utilizes ceramic forms that combine elements of Chinese Ming Dynasty era vases with modern, manga and anime inspired robotics and technology to explore the complex layers of his own mixed-Asian heritage. This current collection also includes two framed paper craft diagrams of his three-dimensional pieces, providing a deconstructed glimpse into process and form reminiscent of paper dolls or technical maps.

The conversation between these two powerfully symbolic bodies of work promises to be both viscerally engaging and deeply resonant.