For the second public program in conjunction with the Close Readings exhibitions Aziz Hazara, It‘s Only Sound That Remains and Always In My Heart, guest curator Muheb Esmat will offer a walk through of the exhibitions and lead a discussion of its themes.

The exhibitions are curated in conjunction by Muheb Esmat as part of the newly launched Close Readings series. Close Readings presents a new commission by one under-recognized, early, or mid-career artist in Gallery One, along with an accompanying exhibition in Gallery Two that uses the central commission as a curatorial framework. This program extends our support for interdisciplinary artists by building conversations around their practices in addition to facilitating the realization of ambitious, site-specific projects. This pairing of exhibitions, guest curated by Muheb Esmat, centers the artists’ investigations of the complex and manifold matters of everyday life as experienced in their home countries. It’s Only Sound That Remains and Always In My Heart both explore the root sources and common language available for understanding the contemporary moment in its immeasurable diversity and ever-changing status. 

Muheb Esmat is an independent curator and writer currently based in New York.

In an effort to maintain a safe space for all visitors, artists, and staff, Smack Mellon encourages masks to be worn in its public spaces. For more information, please read our COVID Courtesy Code prior to your visit.

Image: Installation view, Aziz Hazara, It’s Only Sound That Remains, 2022. Image courtesy of Smack Mellon. Photo by Etienne Frossard.