Bridgette Mayer Gallery Presents:
Soft Architectures: Paper As Structure, Idea & Translation
March 4 – August 1, 2026
Artist Reception & Happy Hour: Thursday, April 9th, 5:00 – 7:30pm
Philadelphia, PA – February 12, 2026. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Soft Architectures: Paper As Structure, Idea & Translation
On View March 4 – August 1, 2026
Opening Reception: Thursday, April 9, 2026, | 5:00–7:30 PM
Bridgette Mayer Gallery is pleased to present Soft Architectures: Paper As Structure, Idea & Translation, a major group exhibition featuring seventeen nationally known and distinguished regional artists working across the expansive field of works on paper. On view from March 1 through August 1, 2026, the exhibition brings together significant voices in contemporary art, offering collectors and art enthusiasts an in-depth exploration of paper as both medium and conceptual framework.
The exhibition includes works by Radcliffe Bailey, Ray Beldner, Mel Bochner, Kwame Braithwaite, Francesco Clemente, Will Cotton, Mitch Epstein, Julie Goldstein, Daniel Heyman, Ime Knoebel, Larry Poons, Jon Poblador, Tim McFarlane, Ryan McGinness, Nigel Sense, Kehinde Wiley, and Douglas Witmer.
Through mixed media painting, photography, silkscreen and woodblock prints, drawing, collage, and pastel, Soft Architectures examines paper not merely as a support, but as structure, surface, and site of translation. The works range from figurative and portrait-based compositions to bold abstractions, layered collages, and conceptual text-based works. Together, they demonstrate the remarkable versatility of paper—its immediacy, fragility, rigor, and enduring relevance within contemporary practice.
Mel Bochner’s engagement with language and perception underscores the intellectual architecture embedded in works on paper. He has stated, “All art is conceptual. Art is ideas. How to manifest those ideas is up to each individual artist.” My work attempts to address the hidden agendas and ideologies of language… There’s no such thing as innocent language.”
Kwame Braithwaite’s photography affirms the cultural and historical resonance that can be conveyed through the intimacy of paper. In an interview with Afropunk he shared: “As The Keeper of the Images, my goal has always been to pass that legacy on and make sure that for generations to come, everyone who sees my work knows the greatness of our people.”
Francesco Clemente’s lyrical works emphasize the poetic and transcendent possibilities of the medium. He believes, “My paintings are enigmatic, life is enigmatic. Everything is an enigma; everything is a mystery.”
Larry Poons’ dynamic abstractions reveal paper as a field for movement, experimentation, and chromatic intensity. His collage works from the 1990s marked a significant expansion of his practice into relief and mixed-media surfaces. They have been described as, “an innovative synthesis of painting, sculptural relief, and drawing” Poons like to simplify this by explaining, “The process is just painting.”
For collectors, Soft Architectures presents a rare opportunity to acquire museum-caliber works by internationally celebrated artists alongside compelling regional voices. Works on paper often provide a direct and unfiltered encounter with an artist’s process—where gesture, mark, and material converge with immediacy. This exhibition highlights the depth, innovation, and structural complexity achievable within the medium.
An opening reception will be held on Thursday, April 9, 2026, from 5:00 to 7:30 PM. The public is invited to attend and experience firsthand the dynamic interplay of structure and idea that defines Soft Architectures.
Gallery information: Bridgette Mayer Gallery is free and open to the public. We are located at 709 Walnut Street, 1st Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Gallery hours are by appointment on Tuesday and regular hours Wednesday – Saturday, 10:00am – 5:00pm.
For more information, please contact Emma McHold-Buke at: eburke@bmayerart.com.
###