The Pace University Art Gallery will host Equilibrium, a solo exhibition by artist Mary Mattingly this fall. The show opens with a public reception on September 26 and runs through November 1, 2025. It features living sculpture, photography, and performance that address ecological transformation, resource equity, and climate adaptation.
Mattingly is recognized for her civic projects that blend art with environmental research and community involvement. For this exhibition, she transforms the gallery into what she describes as “a collaborative laboratory — a space for co-learning, foraging, cultivation, and speculative reflection aimed at developing shared solutions.”
“Since 2001, I’ve lived in New York City, creating sculptural ecosystems that prioritize access to food, shelter, and water,” said Mattingly. “My work often takes the form of participatory initiatives rooted in care, ecological awareness, and collective imagining.”
Equilibrium presents several ongoing works by Mattingly. These include Rooted—a living installation using plant species chosen for their ability to withstand flooding in areas like New York City affected by saltwater intrusion—and Salt Forms: steel discs encrusted with crystalline salt after submersion in local waterways. The show also includes buoy bundles and submerged books from her House and Universe series that reference knowledge loss and climate-driven decay.
Documentation from Swale is featured as well; this project allowed people to harvest edible plants from a barge repurposed as a floating food forest in New York’s waterways. Night Gardens—photographic collages of adaptive gardens shaped by ecological memory—are also on display.
An artist talk with Mattingly is scheduled for October 23 at the gallery’s Lower Manhattan location at 41 Park Row. The exhibition is supported by the New York State Council on the Arts with backing from state government agencies.
Mary Mattingly’s practice focuses on ecological relationships through sculpture and collage. Her previous public projects have included Swale; Waterpod—a self-sufficient structure on a barge; and Flock House Project—a series of mobile habitats addressing issues around water access and food systems. Her work has been shown at major institutions such as the Brooklyn Museum and Storm King Art Center.
The Pace University Art Gallery serves both the university community and visitors from Lower Manhattan. It provides opportunities for students to exhibit their own art or collaborate with professional artists while supporting programs within Pace’s Art Department.
Dyson College of Arts and Science offers more than 50 academic programs across multiple disciplines including arts, sciences, social sciences, humanities, pre-professional tracks such as pre-medicine or pre-law, along with internships designed to prepare students for careers or further study.
Pace University operates campuses in New York City and Westchester County offering degree programs across various fields to over 13,000 students each year.
