Temple is a Portal

October 31, 2024-April 1, 2025

An exhibition featuring members of chant cooperative and the temple contemporary artist haven’s resident artists

Built in 1882, the building at 2400 Curtis Street is a testament to fortitude, having survived fires and periods of abandonment. Over the years, it has housed synagogues, a music venue, and, for the past decade, artist studios, serving as a conduit for the spiritual and creative enrichment of those who inhabit it. Over a dozen artists bring their unique perspectives and practices to this exhibition, drawing contemporary energy into the space, and transforming it into a canvas where history and innovation coalesce.

This exhibition is inspired by the rich intersection of art and history, and grounded in the idea that environments can retain emotions, memories, stories, and energies of those who pass through them. With this in mind, collaboration with this space signifies more than the symbiosis of creativity and architectural heritage; it establishes a living dialogue between past and present, energized by events that have occurred at this site. By displaying their diverse works inside the building's historic bones, the artists engage not only with their own experiences but also with the Temple’s role as a catalyst for human expression. Their artworks become mystical conductors, capturing and translating the emotions, stories, and energies embedded in this powerful location. 

As those who work in the Temple shape its future, they also enrich its past, contributing to a legacy that echoes through time. Visitors are encouraged to witness this evolving legacy and reflect on how past, present, and future are always interwoven. As environments hold onto the past, replaying it in subtle loops, we all become part of the living narrative that continues to unfold within these walls.