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.
The beads in Patel’s work are made from a unique natural material: Filipino carabao horn. A type of swamp buffalo, carabao are commonly raised as draft animals for cultivating rice paddies. Following their deaths, their horns are often recycled into bone meal, gelatin, dog treats, and beads.
On the entryway mannequin, the beads are polished and set in chain link, almost resembling plastic with their glossy black appearance. Elsewhere in the collection, they bear a raw, matte finish. Emblematic of masculinity and power, the carabao horn complements Patel’s use of other organic media, such as wood and leather, yet contrasts with the delicate texture of his signature knitted-wire chain.