Invocations: Selections from the Permanent Collection
November 20, 2025 - February 6, 2026
Curated from our permanent collection, Invocations is an inquiry into embodiment, whether within a body, a building, or a spiritual space. Ida Kohlmeyer’s Immanence, the first work Masur acquired in 1963, defines this inquiry by both title and imagery. “Immanence” is defined as the state of being inherent or dwelling within something. In religious terms, it often is used to describe God’s presence in the world as an “indwelling,” rather than separation from it. Kohlmeyer depicts this state of “indwelling” as an architectural grid of four endarkened squares, reminiscent of an abstracted window-pane at night, framed in space by an off-white wall. Light streaks of blue at the top of the grid hint at an unseen presence. Other works on display, such as Untitled (Man Sitting on Fence), Ritual Awakening, Internal Trials No. 2 & No.19, feature photographed figures who are hidden, turned away, or washed out by over-exposure, creating a sense of uncertainty or strangeness in how the body appears. Additional pieces focus on the ruins of sacred architectural sites, shots of the natural sky, and religious imagery. Using collage, oil paint, and photography, these works consider what it means to inhabit a structure, whether physically, emotionally, or spiritually. Finally, the curator presents each gallery with personal invocations captured from field notes, inviting viewers to pause and consider their own presence within space and time.
