Soft Traces | 10 October to 20 December, 2026 | NYC

A trace might be a small sign or mark, a seemingly invisible thread, or a wisp of cloud left behind. It might also be an action that helps us follow, outline, or find clues in an increasingly complex world or a stressed environment.

In this era of AI infiltration and manipulation, it seems essential to highlight evidence of traces where human activity and sensitivity prevail. The atmosphere feels fraught with disconnection and uncertainty, while subtle layers, hand-rendered elements, and recorded observations soften our growing unease.

Works and texts might co-exist and interweave certain strands or fragments. Rubbings on cloth or turned wood remind us of what impressions stay with us, reinforce us, and preserve certain fragilities. We navigate and weave our way, but we also try to float above what feels unnatural or misleading.

This autumn’s open archive includes artists, photographs, and select texts that embody ‘soft traces’, both individually and in dialogue with one another.

– Abigail Doan, archivist and curator