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Hyperallergic reviewed “Conduits of the Unseen: Women Artists Imagine Other Worlds,” an exhibition of 17 women artists at Andrew Edlin Gallery in Tribeca. The review describes how the show links spirit communication and art to challenges against entrenched social hierarchies; its claims about spirits and their messages are attributed to the artists and curator, not established as fact.
Hyperallergic has reviewed “Conduits of the Unseen: Women Artists Imagine Other Worlds,” a group exhibition at Andrew Edlin Gallery in Tribeca featuring 17 women artists whose work emerges through, or is associated with, spirit communication. The review highlights the exhibition’s argument that these practices can challenge patriarchal social hierarchies, while presenting spirit communications as artists’ beliefs and curatorial interpretation rather than independently verified events.
The review opens with works by Paulina Peavy, whose paintings are described as vivid, layered forms set against cobalt-blue walls. Peavy attributed the work to Lacamo, a nonbinary spirit she said began communicating with her in the 1930s. According to the report, Peavy believed Lacamo’s message was that humanity was evolving toward “one-gender perfection.” The account identifies this as Peavy’s understanding of the source and meaning of her work.
The exhibition brings together 17 women artists and frames their practices through the idea of communication with spirits. Curator Susan Aberth, in a lecture about the show, described a shared purpose she saw in the artists’ messages: improving the world by opposing patriarchy. The review also places the exhibition amid growing interest in occult-themed shows, arguing that this presentation stands out for asking what esoteric art might make possible socially and politically.
The report connects the artists’ histories to Surrealist “psychic automatism”, a method in which artists limit conscious control to allow unconscious thought to emerge. Aberth says André Breton took the concept from women mediums but removed its metaphysical content, reframing it as an expression of the individual psyche. That account foregrounds a history of women’s spiritual practices being taken up and reinterpreted within a male-led art movement.
Spirit Art and Patriarchal History
The exhibition’s importance, as presented in the review, lies in treating spirit-based art not simply as an occult subject but as a way to reconsider who gets credited for artistic ideas and how those ideas are interpreted. Aberth’s account of automatism links women mediums’ practices to a major Surrealist concept, while emphasizing that the spiritual framework was later removed from the version associated with Breton.
That history gives the show a broader relevance for readers interested in women’s place in modern art, the circulation of artistic methods, and the difference between an artist’s own account of a work and the way institutions categorize it. The review’s discussion of anti-patriarchal messages is the curator’s interpretation of the artists’ work, not evidence that all 17 artists share an identical belief or intention.
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From Mediumship to Surrealism
The review situates the exhibition within increased attention to occult-themed exhibitions, but distinguishes this show by its focus on the potential social meaning of esoteric practices. Its central thread is spirit communication: artists describe their work as guided or informed by entities beyond themselves, a claim the report recounts without treating it as independently confirmed.
In the historical comparison, psychic automatism is described as a practice of reducing conscious control so unconscious material can surface. Aberth’s lecture, as reported by Hyperallergic, traces the concept to spiritualist women and says Breton stripped away its metaphysical dimension. The source does not provide further documentation of that historical claim, so it is best understood here as Aberth’s account of the connection.
““Their messages are specifically meant to better the world. And how do you better the world? All of the spirits say, ‘Get rid of patriarchy.’””
— Susan Aberth, curator, in a lecture about the exhibition, as quoted by Hyperallergic
Exhibition Details Not Supplied
The source material does not state the exhibition’s opening and closing dates, whether it is still on view, or whether related events are planned. It also does not list all 17 artists or provide statements from every artist, so the curator’s account should not be taken as a complete description of each participant’s beliefs.
Spirit communication and the existence of Lacamo are presented through Peavy’s attribution and the exhibition’s framing. The report does not establish those claims as independently verifiable facts. The historical claim about Breton and spiritualist women is attributed to Aberth; the supplied material does not include additional sources or evidence to assess it further.
Check Gallery Dates and Events
Readers seeking practical information should consult Andrew Edlin Gallery for the exhibition’s dates, current availability, and any associated programming; those details are absent from the supplied report. The source material also gives no indication of a forthcoming announcement or next exhibition milestone.
Further reporting could clarify the full artist list and include more participants’ accounts of how spirit communication shapes their work. For now, the confirmed development is the review and its description of the exhibition’s 17-artist scope and anti-patriarchal framing, alongside the attributed claims and interpretations it reports.
Key Questions
What is “Conduits of the Unseen: Women Artists Imagine Other Worlds”?
It is an exhibition at Andrew Edlin Gallery in Tribeca featuring 17 women artists whose work is connected to spirit communication, according to Hyperallergic’s review.
What does the exhibition say about patriarchy?
Curator Susan Aberth said the spirits’ messages, as she interpreted them across the exhibition, were intended to better the world and reject patriarchy. That is her account of the works, not a verified statement of every artist’s position.
Who is Lacamo?
Lacamo is the nonbinary spirit to whom Paulina Peavy attributed her work. The review says Peavy reported communication beginning in the 1930s; the source does not independently verify the spirit’s existence.
What is the connection to Surrealism?
The review discusses psychic automatism, a practice of limiting conscious control. Aberth says André Breton drew the concept from spiritualist women and removed its metaphysical content when adapting it for Surrealism.
When can visitors see the exhibition?
The supplied source does not give exhibition dates or confirm whether the show remains open. Check Andrew Edlin Gallery for current visitor information.
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