Name, Place, Animal, Thing

Name, Place, Animal, Thing is on view at THE BLANC from June 16 to June 21, presented in collaboration with the Arts Administration Program (ARAD) at Teachers College, Columbia University. Inspired by the beloved childhood game, the exhibition invites viewers on a reflective journey through the symbolic power of language and memory. Using the game's playful framework as a curatorial structure, the show explores how words and categories—name, place, animal, thing—carry deeply personal and culturally embedded meanings. Each work examines the tension between shared systems of classification and the intimate narratives we assign to them, offering a space where language becomes both a container and a mirror for identity.

Through Name, Place, Animal, Thing, we challenge conventional notions and traditional categorizations, urging artists to explore the interconnectedness of all things. By breaking free from preconceptions, we pave the way for new perspectives, untethered creativity, and fresh understandings of personal histories.

The exhibition will feature an array of thought-provoking and visually stunning works from a diverse group of new and talented artists. From paintings to sculptures, installations to multimedia experiences, visitors will be immersed in a realm where the boundaries between objects, places, animals, and things blur, giving rise to innovative interpretations and boundless connections.

Artists

Xin Yu, Brandon Tolga Saglam, Yuze Zhang, Allyson Montana, Katherine Dominguez, Yucheng Liao, Xuemeng Li, Alanna Dun, Kelly Olshan, Surim Ha, Ana Guraieb, Kahyung Kim, Danyang Song, Yixuan Li, Shuyi chen, Zhiyun Qin, Sid Chou, Anh Le, Haozhong Yao, Joseph Gonzalez

Curators & Jury Members

NPAT Team (Yeajin Choi, Yitzhak Franco, Elizabeth Guo, Billie Lam, Sina McLin, Leia Tyebjee)