Reckoning with our childhood is one of the most important steps in moving forward into adulthood. The peoples and places, traditions and mental spaces that defined our youth engrain themselves in us, becoming our home. A house is a physical space, but a home is an idea. With this in mind, the exhibition space mimics environments where participating artists discovered a sense of home. From pastoral settings such as living rooms and kitchens, to scenes that mimic the natural and manmade landmarks of each artist’s motherland, artworks will be presented in the very habitats that inspired their creation.

As recent SALT Alumni and young artists at the beginning of their professional careers, this exhibition aims to capture that moment of “emergence” from childhood to adulthood. Through their work, participating artists will negotiate how their roots and early experiences will define their artistry, and in turn, themselves.

As SALT’s mission is to “engage, inspire, and empower youth from underserved, predominantly immigrant communities in New York City…” many artists’ work investigates the cultural practices and physical attributes of their motherland. While many of the exhibition’s artists hold roots in Latin America, African and Indian cultures are also explored.