Running through February 15, 2026, at the museum's Old City gallery (141 N. 3rd Street), the exhibition reckons with America’s layered histories. Curated by Executive Director Jennifer-Navva Milliken, the show asks artists to interpret their identities into form, using wood—a living, documentary material—to explore family lineages, ancestral myths, and shifting national values.
“In A Usable Past, we set out to explore how artists treat history as something alive and responsive, much like wood itself, which holds memory and chronology in every grain and growth ring,” said Milliken. “Each artist in this exhibition uses their craft to reflect on what has been inherited and what can be reimagined.”
Wood as a Living Archive
The phrase “a usable past” refers to the practice of drawing meaning from history to navigate the modern world. The artists featured in the exhibition use wood to probe how history shapes identity, labor, and imagination.
The collection ranges from political satire to deeply personal family history. Visitor highlights include:
- Raul De Lara’s “Cavalle II”: A Mexican-born sculptor based in New York, De Lara explores his split identity through a charming, autobiographical take on a rocking horse. He substitutes the traditional mount with a spiny cactus, native to both Texas and Mexico, sporting a saddle and tail.
- Vivian Chiu’s “A Hundred Fortunes”: Inspired by Hong Kong dim sum traditions, Chiu’s piece features carved fish, shrimp, and sauces, representing the communion of family gatherings.
- Terry Holzgreen’s “Coz Democracy’s Still Got Legs”: Known for twisting the functional with the political, Holzgreen presents an oversized, ungainly work that serves as a satire on the state of governance.
- Ato Ribeiro’s “Home Away From Home #10”: The Ghanaian-American artist transforms African textile traditions—specifically kente cloth and African-American quilts used in the Underground Railroad—into intricate wooden tapestries.
Craft as Critique
Many works in the exhibition utilize high-level craftsmanship to evoke social critique. Michael De Forest’s contribution from his Suture Series lashes laminated wood into a teapot shape decorated with depictions of arrested suspects taken by legendary photographer Weegee. Meanwhile, David J. Wilson investigates power dynamics within institutional systems through labor-intensive manipulations of wood and silicone.
Other featured artists include Damien Davis, Aspen Golann, James Maurelle, Jordan Nassar, Gina Siepel, and Kimberly Winkle.
Two and a half centuries after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, A Usable Past challenges visitors to consider what we consciously carry forward as a nation and what we allow to decompose to nourish new growth.
For more information on the exhibition and visiting hours, visit museumforartinwood.org.
