A Sea of Particles
A Sea of Particles, installation view with works by Cara Levine, Jess Perlitz, Sunny A. Smith, and Emily Squires. Photography by Joel Tsui '16, Salt '17, MFA '19, image courtesy of the ICA at MECA&D.
Events
Opening
A Sea of Particles + Pyrite Radio: Opening Reception
5:00 – 7:00 PMICA at MECA&D
Visiting Artist Talk
Visiting Artist Talk with Garrick Imatani
5:30 – 7:00 PMOsher Hall, MECA&D Campus
Performance
Julie Poitras Santos, Inshō
5:30 – 7:00 PMICA at MECA&D
First Friday Art Walk
July Portland First Friday Art Walk
5:00 – 8:00 PMICA at MECA&D
Performance
Julie Poitras Santos, Inshō
5:30 – 7:00 PMICA at MECA&D
Visiting Artist Talk
Visiting Artist Talk with Jess Perlitz
5:30 – 7:00 PMOsher Hall, MECA&D Campus
Performance
Julie Poitras Santos, Inshō
5:30 – 7:00 PMICA at MECA&D
Performance
Julie Poitras Santos, Inshō
5:30 – 7:00 PMICA at MECA&D
Performance
Julie Poitras Santos, Inshō
5:30 – 7:00 PMICA at MECA&D
Performance
Julie Poitras Santos, Inshō
5:30 – 7:00 PMICA at MECA&D
First Friday Art Walk
August Portland First Friday Art Walk
5:00 – 8:00 PMICA at MECA&D
Performance
Julie Poitras Santos, Inshō
5:30 – 7:00 PMICA at MECA&D
First Friday Art Walk
September Portland First Friday Art Walk
5:00 – 8:00 PMICA at MECA&D
Performance
Julie Poitras Santos, Inshō
5:30 – 7:00 PMICA at MECA&D
About the exhibition
A Sea of Particles explores the lasting impact of shared interactions over time. Exploring the significance of fleeting moments such as cooking a meal with loved ones, having an impassioned conversation over drinks, overcoming a challenging scenario, receiving a warm embrace during a vulnerable moment, exchanging a friendly wave from afar, or creating art together in a shared studio, A Sea of Particles centers around both material and ephemeral moments of connection. Through various formats such as invisible threads, sound waves, the wind, prints and writing, telepathy, physical movement, and various sensorial experiences, this grouping of work makes visible the invisible impressions that pepper our lives.
Collectively, the works in A Sea of Particles nod to aspects of our varied relationships and, specifically, the power of artist communities and how those connections resurface over time. Inspired by the late artist Peter Simensky’s life and practice as a connector and collaborator, A Sea of Particles serves as a case study of how meaning can be created and sustained when groups of people make and think together.
A Sea of Particles, along with the concurrent ICA solo exhibition by Peter Simensky, are collectively the third installment of the ICA at MECA&D’s Getaway! Exhibition series that explores the power and pitfalls of escapism as a reaction to the question, “What do we do in response to our current crises?.” These group and solo exhibitions explore various topics within the broader theme of escapism, examining both the complex impulses that drive us away from challenging circumstances and the destinations and activities we pursue when we do. Through diverse research and artistic practices, this series aims to provide a space for imagination, enabling us to equip our communities, both within and beyond MECA&D, with new tools to create the worlds they envision.
Exhibiting Artists: Nelson Chan, Sarah Crowner, Garrick Imatani, Cara Levine, David McBride, Esperanza Mayobre, Alison O’Daniel, Jess Perlitz, Julie Poitras Santos, Sunny A. Smith, Emily Squires, Jenny Vogel
A Sea of Particles is curated by Director of Exhibitions Iris Williamson, with support from an evolving advisory committee and MECA&D student researchers Francesca Woolson '26, Carolyn Day '26, Violet Barr MFA '27, and Katie Devlin '27. Production management is handled by Exhibitions Manager Sarah Sawtelle '19 and Exhibitions Assistant Caroline Kouba '22. Design by Omnivore.
Reading Guide
Please click here to view the reading guide for A Sea of Particles.
Press
Publications
Gallery
A Sea of Particles, installation view with works by David McBride, Cara Levine, Jess Perlitz, Sunny A. Smith, and Garrick Imatani.Photography by Joel Tsui '16, Salt '17, MFA '19, image courtesy of the ICA at MECA&D.
David McBride (left to right) Pinwheel, 2016; Wish You Were Here, 2016; Rings of Saturn, 2016; Minotaure, 2016. Cara Levine, Running and Returning, Rug for Peter, 2026.Photography by Joel Tsui '16, Salt '17, MFA '19, image courtesy of the ICA at MECA&D.
David McBride,(left to right) Pinwheel, 2016; Wish You Were Here, 2016; Rings of Saturn, 2016.Photography by Joel Tsui '16, Salt '17, MFA '19, image courtesy of the ICA at MECA&D.
Cara Levine, Running and Returning, Rug for Peter (detail), 2026.Photography by Joel Tsui '16, Salt '17, MFA '19, image courtesy of the ICA at MECA&D.
Cara Levine, Running and Returning, Rug for Peter (detail), 2026.Photography by Joel Tsui '16, Salt '17, MFA '19, image courtesy of the ICA at MECA&D.
Jess Perlitz, Rock Socks, 2026. Cara Levine, Me Catch You: Dream Catcher Replica Mobile for Peter, 2024.Photography by Joel Tsui '16, Salt '17, MFA '19, image courtesy of the ICA at MECA&D.
Cara Levine,Me Catch You: Dream Catcher Replica Mobile for Peter, 2024.Photography by Joel Tsui '16, Salt '17, MFA '19, image courtesy of the ICA at MECA&D.
Cara Levine, Me Catch You: Dream Catcher Replica Mobile for Peter (detail), 2024.Photography by Joel Tsui '16, Salt '17, MFA '19, image courtesy of the ICA at MECA&D.
Sunny A. Smith, Sunburst and Solar Wind, 2022.Photography by Joel Tsui '16, Salt '17, MFA '19, image courtesy of the ICA at MECA&D.
A Sea of Particles, installation view with works by Garrick Imatani, Esperanza Mayobre, Nelson Chan, and Alison O’Daniel.Photography by Joel Tsui '16, Salt '17, MFA '19, image courtesy of the ICA at MECA&D.
Garrick Imatani, proto-pōzu (detail), 2026.Photography by Joel Tsui '16, Salt '17, MFA '19, image courtesy of the ICA at MECA&D.
Esperanza Mayobre, (left to right) Duchamp Tropical I, 2026; Duchamp Tropical II, 2026; Antena de Golindano, 2018.Photography by Joel Tsui '16, Salt '17, MFA '19, image courtesy of the ICA at MECA&D.
Nelson Chan, Sea of Dust, 2026. Alison O’Daniel, Line of Sight, 2013. Sarah Crowner, Traveling Companion (Gradients), 2026.Photography by Joel Tsui '16, Salt '17, MFA '19, image courtesy of the ICA at MECA&D.
Nelson Chan, Sea of Dust, (detail), 2026.Photography by Joel Tsui '16, Salt '17, MFA '19, image courtesy of the ICA at MECA&D.
Alison O’Daniel, Line of Sight (detail), 2013.Photography by Joel Tsui '16, Salt '17, MFA '19, image courtesy of the ICA at MECA&D.
Sarah Crowner, Traveling Companion (Gradients), 2026.Photography by Joel Tsui '16, Salt '17, MFA '19, image courtesy of the ICA at MECA&D.
Sarah Crowner, Traveling Companion (Gradients), 2026. Sunny A. Smith, HELL-O Satellite Dish, 2010-2022.Photography by Joel Tsui '16, Salt '17, MFA '19, image courtesy of the ICA at MECA&D.
Sunny A. Smith, HELL-O Satellite Dish, 2010-2022.Photography by Joel Tsui '16, Salt '17, MFA '19, image courtesy of the ICA at MECA&D.
A Sea of Particles, installation view with works by Emily Squires, Garrick Imatani, Jenny Vogel, and Julie Poitras Santos.Photography by Joel Tsui '16, Salt '17, MFA '19, image courtesy of the ICA at MECA&D.
Emily Squires, Untitled (trace something you love), 2026. Jenny Vogel, All Things Already Lost, 2023.Photography by Joel Tsui '16, Salt '17, MFA '19, image courtesy of the ICA at MECA&D.
Emily Squires, Untitled (trace something you love) (detail), 2026.Photography by Joel Tsui '16, Salt '17, MFA '19, image courtesy of the ICA at MECA&D.
Julie Poitras Santos, Inshō, 2026. Photography by Joel Tsui, image courtesy of the ICA at MECA&D.Photography by Joel Tsui '16, Salt '17, MFA '19, image courtesy of the ICA at MECA&D.
Julie Poitras Santos, Inshō, 2026. Aikido installation and practice.Photography by Natalie Conn.