Today’s lesson: read the fine print. While readying myself and That Dog Named Gidget to head out to the Delaware Valley Arts Alliance (DVAA) in Narrowsburg last weekend, I was distracted. The weather report, while not exactly grim, was all over the place with when and where snow was expected in amounts varying from three to nine inches, and I was in no mood for guessing games.

I was peripherally aware that the DVAA was hosting an opening reception for two exhibits: a group show titled “Assembly Required” upstairs in the Loft Gallery, and “Baubo”—downstairs—featuring the works of Brooklyn-based writer/artist Torey Akers. 

Unfortunately, I had failed to read the fine print, which indicated that there would be “coffee and conversation” with Akers beforehand—info that, in hindsight, would have served me well.

Since I was surprised (I mean “unprepared”) when I walked in to find an appreciative crowd “conversing” with Akers downstairs, I ascended the staircase to check out what was happening in the Loft Gallery first, lest that dog disturb anyone with her incessant excited-to-see-people whining.

Gallery manager Tanner Simon’s description of the exhibition upstairs states that “Assembly Required” “draws inspiration from the act of coming together to build something new and unexpected by merging distinct artistic voices through collaboration,” and that “artists, writers, performers and plants converge to co-create works that explore the delicate balance between individuality and collective effort.” OK—fairly straightforward I suppose, except for the reference to plants. Somehow, I missed the plants.

I first ran into “somatic dancer/choreographer” Maria Bacha Qamara, who explained that she had collaborated with others to create the “Womb Cove,” described as “soft pink walls, plush seating, and a dedicated womb chair, [which] invites visitors to pause, be held, and experience the work on multiple sensory levels.” OK.

Additionally, Qamara and Co. presented a “performance art” piece titled “A Conception Journey,” which “follows the experience of being an egg in the mother and grandmother all the way to the fluid river of the ovarian passage”—represented in paint on the floor—leading into Krauss Recital Hall, where observers were then “invited to marry with us—to vocalize out loud [sic] what they see and feel, which we will then turn into a poem.” OK.

Described as a collaboration between Qamara, visual artist Pam Poquette, poet guide Bruce Anspach and musician (just-plain) Willow, the performance “interweaves dance, fiber art, poetry and interactive sound to create an immersive experience.” I’d like to say that “you had to be there” but I was there, and although I grasped the concept, I am unsure what to make of it, other than a slight sense of déjà vu.

Note: upon arriving home and still scratching my head, I looked up the word “somatic,” which is defined as “of, relating to, or affecting the body especially as distinguished from the germplasm.” OK.

There are several other collaborations to take in upstairs, including the pairing of photographer David Soete and paper montage artist Paul Plumadore. Program notes indicate that Plumadore “has always admired the nature photography of Soete,” and that after conversing about this collaborative concept, Soete suggested selections from his vast catalogue and “generously allowed Plumadore to cut, reassemble multiple prints without restrictions.” The result is, as described by Soete himself, a great example of collaboration and “Plumadore’s magic.” 

Before going downstairs, I grabbed an opportunity to chat with another team, father-and-daughter artists Michael and eight-(“and a half!”)-year-old Philomene, who have been collaborating since “the onset of the pandemic” according to Dad.  Again, the program elaborates: “The ‘Shield and Gems’ paintings explore the deep bond between a father and a daughter, symbolizing the ways in which their relationship serves as a protective force through the creation of amulets. Through the act of painting” the program explains, “the artists delve into themes of legacy and transformation.” Got it. 

Making my way downstairs, I read Torey Akers’ artist statement, which notes that “Baubo” “explores unruly sexuality in a post digital context. My work builds on the history of Renaissance-era erotic nude painting,” Akers informs, “updating institutionally codified languages of desire for a contemporary audience” and that “these pieces reflect the de-territorialized experience of embodiment in all its messy, frustrating, and tyrannical iterations.” OK. 

While it was clear that Akers, who holds an MFA in painting from Cranbrook Academy of Art, has skills—I grasped the nudes, but found myself a bit nonplussed by pieces like “Venerina”—which the fine print in the program described as “oil on plexiglass with sealant, pins, glass eye.” I thought it looked like a lady swathed in caviar. Look, I never claimed to be the sharpest tool in the shed, OK? 

“Baubo” and “Assembly Required” are exhibited at DVAA through March 30. Gallery hours are Thursday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. or by appointment. 

Fun Fact: “Upstairs, Downstairs” is a British television drama which follows the lives and fortunes of the Bellamy family and their below-stairs servants in 1936.