Winston-Salem, NC — Hanes Art Gallery at Wake Forest University is set to reopen its doors this fall with “The Darkness,” a two-person exhibition featuring works by studio art faculty Rudy Shepherd and Molly Kaderka. 

The exhibition, which spans drawing, painting, sculpture and performance, offers a dialogue between the artists’ distinct approaches to understanding the world around us.

Kaderka’s immersive installations and large-scale paintings reimagine landscapes by collapsing ground and sky into circular compositions. Drawing inspiration from geology and astronomy, she uses the centuries-old Ebru marbling technique to create surfaces that evoke both cosmic and terrestrial textures. Her works encourage viewers to reflect on awe and the mystification of place within vast natural systems. 

Shepherd’s contribution includes 46 watercolor drawings based on media images from the past three years, featuring portraits of world leaders, victims and perpetrators of crime and tributes to artists such as Faith Ringgold and Sly Stone. His sculptural works, including the “Black Rock Negative Energy Absorbers” and the ceramic “Healing Devices,” explore themes of healing and transformation, often activated through live performance.

The exhibition culminated in The Induction Ceremony, a performance by Shepherd on Oct. 16 at 6 p.m. Shepherd, performing as his character, The Healer, activated his sculptures with live, improvised music alongside musicians Elia Einhorn, Marcus Braithewaite and Mark Dixon. 

The performance invited audience participation in a symbolic release of fear and negativity, aligning with the exhibition’s themes of resilience and renewal.

“The Darkness” offers a profound exploration of cultural memory and cosmic and ecological perspectives.