Thea Djordjadze Explores The Space Between Art And Architecture

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Georgian artist Thea Djordjadze returns to New York for her first solo exhibition at Sprüth Magers in a decade. The show, titled ‘A well of night,’ integrates new plaster reliefs and reconfigured sculptures with the gallery’s neo-Renaissance architecture. The exhibition runs through October 24, 2026.

Berlin-based Georgian artist Thea Djordjadze has opened her first solo exhibition at Sprüth Magers’ New York location in ten years, marking a significant return to the city’s art scene. Titled A well of night, the show presents new plaster relief paintings and reconfigured sculptures that directly engage with the gallery’s neo-Renaissance architecture. This installation highlights Djordjadze’s long-standing practice of creating site-specific environments where the building itself becomes a co-author of the artwork.

The exhibition features a mix of new and existing works, including painterly reliefs that merge painting and sculpture. Djordjadze applies pigment into porous plaster surfaces, building up layers on a creamy ground to create three-dimensional abstractions. These pieces are juxtaposed with industrial materials like steel and aluminum, creating a tension between organic textures and rigid structures. According to the gallery, the artist’s process involves listening to the spatial voids and the architectural features to determine the positioning of each element.

A central component of the show is a steel vitrine containing a print sealed behind plexiglass. This form, which Djordjadze first introduced in 2017, references mid-century display cases designed by Georgian anthropologist Alexander Javakhishvili and painter Avtandil Varazi for Tbilisi’s archaeological museum. The reflective surface of the vitrine incorporates the surrounding gallery space into the artwork, reinforcing the theme of spatial interaction.

Djordjadze also alters the viewer’s experience by cladding the gallery’s dark hardwood floors with light-colored vinyl. This intervention blurs the boundaries of the room and contrasts with the exhibition’s title, which suggests darkness. The artist describes her works as never fully finished, viewing them as works in progress that are continually reevaluated in relation to new exhibition spaces.

Redefining the Gallery as Active Participant

This exhibition matters because it challenges the traditional passive role of the gallery space. By treating the neo-Renaissance architecture as an active participant, Djordjadze shifts the focus from isolated objects to relational aesthetics. The decision to cover the floors with vinyl and integrate reflective surfaces forces viewers to consider how context shapes perception. For collectors and critics, this demonstrates a mature evolution of her practice, where the dialogue between art and architecture is not just a backdrop but a structural component of the work itself.

Djordjadze’s Decade-Long Absence from New York

Djordjadze’s return to New York follows a ten-year gap since her last solo presentation in the city. During this period, she has been based in Berlin, continuing her practice of integrating installations into surrounding environments. Her work often references her Georgian roots, as seen in the vitrine’s homage to Tbilisi’s archaeological museum. The exhibition at Sprüth Magers serves as a benchmark for her recent output, combining new plaster relief paintings with older sculptures that have been reconfigured for this specific site.

“For me, the building and the design and the architecture are very important. The sculpture is making decisions; it’s telling me where to go, how to be positioned. It’s not only me. It’s the interaction between me and the sculpture and the building.”

— Thea Djordjadze, via Elephant magazine (2024)

Future Iterations of Site-Specific Works

While the current configuration is fixed for the duration of the show, it is not clear how these specific painterly reliefs will be reconfigured in future exhibitions. Djordjadze’s statement that her work is never finished implies that these pieces may evolve further. Additionally, the long-term preservation of the light-colored vinyl flooring and its interaction with the historic hardwood is a practical consideration for the gallery, though details on post-exhibition restoration are not publicly specified.

Exhibition Closing and Archival Records

The exhibition A well of night remains on view at Sprüth Magers in New York through October 24, 2026. Following the close of the show, the gallery is expected to document the installation for archival purposes. Viewers interested in Djordjadze’s dialogue with architecture should monitor her upcoming projects, as her practice of reevaluating works in new contexts suggests further installations will continue to explore the boundaries between sculpture and space.

Key Questions

When does Thea Djordjadze’s exhibition close?

The exhibition A well of night is on view at Sprüth Magers New York until October 24, 2026.

What materials does Djordjadze use in her new works?

She uses plaster relief paintings with pigment worked into porous surfaces, alongside steel and aluminum sculptures. She also uses light-colored vinyl to cover the gallery floors.

Why is the exhibition titled ‘A well of night’?

The title suggests darkness, which Djordjadze counters by using light-colored vinyl on the floors and reflective surfaces, creating a contrast that alters the viewer’s spatial experience.

How does the architecture influence the art?

Djordjadze positions her sculptures in dialogue with the neo-Renaissance architecture of the Sprüth Magers building. She states that the building and the sculpture interact to determine the final arrangement of the exhibition.

Source: rss