CURRENT Exhibition

Apophenia

Curated by Sean Michael Gaulager

Featuring Artists from The Cedars Union: Alvaro Arroliga, Anna Redman, Anthony TungNing Huang, Bao Nghi Ngo, Cat Rigdon, Chukwudi Ukonne, Eliana Miranda, Felicia Jordan, Jacob Taylor Gibson, Jordan Funk, Jose Vasquez Ramirez, Karla Ramirez-Santin, Katherine Covarrubias, KevRon Madden, Leigh Ann Williams Hickey, Maria Esswein, Matthew Jones, MCat Davis, and Ray Albarez

Exhibition Dates: July 4th - August 2nd, 2025
Artist Reception: Friday, July 4th, 7-10pm
Closing Reception: Saturday, August 2nd, 7-10pm
Open Hours: Fridays and Saturdays, 12-6pm

Apophenia is the tendency to see meaningful connections or patterns in unrelated or random things, even when no such connections exist. It's a normal human tendency to seek patterns and order, but in some cases, it can lead to misinterpretations or the formation of false beliefs. Sometimes called "patternicity," it's a natural human drive to find meaning and structure in the world.

We live in an increasingly subjective and atomized era, each of us is algorithmically fed a bespoke truth as consensus reality dissolves right in front of our eyes. What then remains? The works in this exhibition touch upon our attempts to place ourselves within this fragmented system, to grasp at something true within the continually unfolding chaos of our age.

The title of the exhibition, borrowed from one of Katherine Covarrubias’ artworks, captures the essence of what is required of a curator (or juror) asked to assemble an exhibition from a set of submissions. When reviewing them, you begin to see conceptual links between the works, sometimes explicit but more often imagined. The perceived need for cohesion takes hold of your thought process as you weave narratives together in your mind. Like that Charlie Day meme, suddenly you have a bunch of red string connecting all the dots, answering all the questions, solving the riddle of how it’s ALL CONNECTED. But is it real? Does anyone else see the pattern? Do YOU, dear viewer?

About the Curator:

Sean Michael Gaulager is a curator, consultant, art handler, and artist who co-founded Co-Lab Projects in 2008 to closely collaborate with artists creating innovative and experimental bodies of work and now serves as its Executive Director and Curator. As a co-founder of Pump Project Art Complex in 2005 and Cantanker Magazine in 2006, he has been closely involved with nonprofit art organizations and galleries for over 20 years. Sean has sat on numerous committees and advisory boards including the Texas Biennial, The People's Gallery at Austin City Hall, East Austin Arts, and Conflict of Interest. He formerly worked as Assistant Preparator at The Contemporary Austin and has been involved in numerous arts organizations as curator, consultant, technician, art installer, and documentarian. Sean is a working artist focused on social practice, sculpture, installation, performance, time and screen-based media. He was nominated three years in a row for Artist of the Year ‘Early Career’ and ‘New Media’ by Austin Table Critics and was the recipient of the Republic Square Fellowship in 2010. At the center of Sean’s varied artistic and curatorial practices is an interest in parapolitical power and its impact on governance, history, and social relations.

About The Cedars Union:

As a nonprofit arts incubator, The Cedars Union is dedicated to connecting North Texas's brightest creative talent with essential resources such as tools, workspace, training, and community. The 18-month, juried Cohort Program provides selected artists with studio space, while monthly Community Membership is open to the public and offers access to shared spaces and resources, fostering a supportive and collaborative environment for all artists.

Currently, The Cedars Union is in the fifth iteration of the Cohort Program. The Cohort program seeks to facilitate community, professional development, and educational opportunities while supplying artists with the foundational tools to build and further their careers as artists in the DFW area. Cohort members gain access to modular micro-studios that provide affordable studio space with accessibility to tools, programs, and workshops. Studios are designed without doors and with low walls in order to encourage collaboration, community, and visibility.

Visit CedarsUnion.org for more information