Nealay Patel and Josh New
Josh New Gallery, 2308 E. Admiral Blvd
Until May 31
I didn’t know what to expect from the spring exhibition at Josh New’s The New Gallery, which features the works of jewelry designer Nealay Patel alongside figure photography by New—or even that it would be a dual show. I only knew that it would mark Patel’s gallery debut and a departure from the duplicative craft kits he designs for his jewelry business, SilverSilk & More. I was in for quite a few surprises.
An arresting example of the pair’s collaboration stood just inside the entryway: a mannequin clad in nothing but a beaded chain harness, adjacent to a photographic print of a masculine torso adorned with the same. What followed was a celebration of queer joy and self-expression in defiance of capitalistic constraints—including several jubilant drag performances throughout the evening.