Leah Knecht | Step 2: The Progression | ace/121 Gallery
- LA Art Documents
- 5 hours ago
- 1 min read
Leah Knecht
Step 2: The Progression a
ce/121 Gallery, Glendale, CA
July 11 - August 8, 2026
This exhibition continues an ongoing series examining Asian biracial identity, racism, and the impact of historical events. Through multi-layered wall works and sculptural assemblages constructed primarily from reclaimed vintage windows and doors, the work explores themes of belonging, exclusion, and oppression.
Resin transparencies create depth and shifting reflections, while vintage ephemera provides context. Many pieces transform as viewers move through the space, revealing changing perspectives and layered narratives. The visitor is greeted by more colorful works about micro-aggressions and identity, and progressively becomes more somber.
Created in response to the current climate surrounding immigration, the exhibition examines the consequences of anti-immigrant rhetoric and fear-based propaganda. By referencing the incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II, including U.S. citizens, the work draws parallels between past and present, encouraging reflection on how prejudice can become policy and how easily history can be forgotten.
