Miami-based artists Susan Kim Alvarez and Cici McMonigle present new works at Latitude Gallery in Chinatown as part of Oh for Goodness Snake!, an exhibition curated by Heike Dempster. Timed to coincide with the Lunar New Year and the Year of the Snake, the show considers themes of transformation, renewal, and interconnectedness, drawing from mythology, personal history, and shared narratives.
Alvarez and McMonigle, longtime friends and studio mates, work with a blend of figuration and abstraction, incorporating elements of folklore, humor, and surreal imagery. Their paintings feature a mix of animals, human figures, and imaginary creatures, weaving together references to fables, family histories, and cultural symbols. Though distinct in their approaches, their works share a conversational quality, reflecting years of dialogue in the studio.
Set in Manhattan’s Chinatown, the exhibition also engages with questions of place and identity, offering a setting where themes of cultural inheritance and personal storytelling intersect. Curator Heike Dempster discusses the exhibition’s framework and the artists’ approach to its central themes.
