Lamont Gallery at Phillips Exeter Academy to Host Strange Kin
On view September 2 – November 22, 2025
Exhibiting Artists: Jennifer Angus, Catherine Chalmers, Kate Kato, Ruth Marsh, and Britt Ransom
Strange Kin is a swarm of tiny critters (real and faux) that playfully inspect and reimagine the miniature marvels that live among us. The five artists on view embrace their affection and comfort in entomology, using arthropods as their muses and collaborators. Each artist explores how creatures, ranging from crickets to bees, can work within an artistic practice rather than merely being the inspiration for it. Collectively, the works on view braid pure aesthetic joy with stinging commentary on environmental issues, species decline, and conservation.
Bugs and insects usually are perceived as unpredictable, transient creatures that crawl, fly, and dig… That is, if we stop to notice them at all. When we do, they can be misunderstood or typecast as adverse pests or grotesque invaders. These creatures can be unsettling for a variety of instinctual, cultural, and psychological reasons, but what if we consider an alternative perspective? One that asks the viewer to slow down, inspect the insect, and lean into the uncertainty of fascination rather than fear. Favor delight instead of discomfort. In lieu of perceiving these beings as threats, Strange Kin draws out the beauty and unexpected kinship that binds humans and insects in the natural world.
Come see what all the buzz is about!
Strange Kin Opening Reception
September 18, 5:00-7:00pm
Free and open to the public
Visit the Lamont Gallery website to learn more about the exhibit and additional programming: www.exeter.edu/lamontgallery.
