Aaron Wilder, Protectorates: Hevel, 2024, Acrylic, Color Pencil, Graphite, Ink, Pastel on Cotton


 

October 3-November 29, 2025
Opening Reception: Friday October 3, 2025, 6:00pm-9:00pm

 

Charles Adams Gallery
602 Avenue J
Lubbock, TX 79401

Spanning four continents and five countries, Charles Adams Gallery is proud to announce Priority: International Juried Exhibition.

In a time marked by political division, closed borders, and rising cultural nationalism, Priority: International Juried Exhibition recognizes the quiet power of flat artworks to cross boundaries: physical, political, and conceptual. Whether traveling across oceans or arriving from the studio down the street, each artwork becomes a gesture of connection and exchange. This exhibition embraces the democratic nature of mailed and two-dimensional work to form a unified global conversation. In that spirit, packaging and postal traces remain visible as intentional elements of the installation. Curated by acclaimed curator and writer Leslie Moody Castro, Priority opens October 3, 2025, during Lubbock's First Friday Art Trail at Charles Adams Gallery. At its heart, this exhibition affirms that making space for international partnerships is not only timely, but a priority; this is how we learn, grow, and continue to make meaningful connections in the world. Featured artists are Lucie Anderson, Barón Brandin, Grace Bauder, David Clayton, Anindita Dasgupta, Markita Diaz, Natalie George, Rajorshi Ghosh, Shawna Gibbs, Robert Gideon, Susan C. Gregory, Lee Alice H. Pablo, Courtney Hughes Fadel, Aytay Khorrami Nejad, Laura Lawson, Tina Linville, Joe Lloyd, Jenna Lynch, Yuliya Makarova, Andy Mattern, Maura Murnane, Philana Oliphant, Alabaster Raven, L. Katherine Roberts, Margaret Schermerhorn, Julia Shegedin, Jane Cornish Smith, Thomas Stanley, Adam Strange, Prince Thomas, Ashley Tristan, CHet Urban, G.E. Vogt, Augustus Wendell, Aaron Wilder, and Li Zhang.

Work from Aaron Wilder's Protectorates project is included in the exhibition. A “protectorate” is a concept founded in the field of international politics. A protectorate is an independent entity who controls its internal affairs while it has ceded foreign relations to another entity in exchange for physical protection. The protectorate represents a rare status in contemporary international relations in that it is not a fully autonomous state, yet it is also not a colony or possession of the protector. “Protectorates” as an artistic project stems from a whole galaxy of planets referred to as the “alternate great foundation” from the artist's childhood. It started as drawings of planets when having to entertain himself at each parent’s workplace. Wilder's imagination was limited by some kind of writing implement and whatever scraps of paper were available. In the moment of creation and daily make believe, the complexity of this galaxy came to eventually include not only planetary geographies and histories, but also economic/political/social alliances. In the 1990s, Wilder used clip art to design flags for these planets. Sadly, all details of this galaxy were lost except the clip art flags and the planet names. The artist remembers tiny little details here and there, but almost everything has been sacrificed on the altar of memory. Artworks in this “protectorates” project are abstract re-interpretations of the flags designed in the 1990s. The “protectorates” artworks are intensely layered starting with a graphite sketch, followed by combinations of color pencil and ink, then pastel, then acrylic, then a final layer of color pencil and ink again. Layers represent the incredible complexity of this imaginary galaxy while also acknowledging that the surviving information is merely a shell with almost all details lost in decades of adulthood. Each layer partially conceals the layers beneath it and, occasionally, excavates small portions of what’s hidden underneath. Despite the lost details of the planets comprising this galaxy, all are labeled with the term “protectorate,” obfuscating the identity of supposed protector(s). If these planets (and, by extension, the banners representing them in this project) are not, in fact, protected by any other entity, how could they be “protectorates”? As a large group of mostly forgotten imaginary planets, the whole 227 of them can be considered one entity protected from any other forced-forgotten childhood trauma. Wilder sees this project as an unresolved question as well as a troubled collaboration between the artist he is now and the child he used to be. The gaps aren’t filled in, they’re partially covered and partially revealed with overlapping materials.

About Charles Adams Gallery:

Charles Adams opened his first gallery around 1970 off Bleecker Street in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village and operated his small business for more than a decade before moving back to his hometown of Lubbock, TX. In the mid-1980s, Charles Adams Gallery was born in a spot off Broadway Ave before moving to the Kingsgate Center on 82nd Street and Quaker Avenue, and then finding its current home in an old Lubbock A-J warehouse at 602 Ave. J. It was one of the first buildings in the new arts district of Lubbock and restored with the sole purpose of art in mind. In September 2022 Charles Adams retired and the business came under the ownership of Zach Morriss. Under Zach Morriss's curatorship, the gallery embarked on a new trajectory, featuring twelve unique exhibitions annually. These monthly showcases are a testament to the rich tapestry of artistic talent, both local and from afar. The gallery serves as a sanctuary for over thirty local and regional artists, providing a year-round platform for their creative expressions. The now artist-run establishment has also undergone a mission transformation, geared towards promoting both the gallery and the artists represented in the West Texas region. The intention is to increase presence and influence by entering more extensive markets, including participation in prominent art fairs and festivals, and establishing a presence on social media. Additionally, Zach has introduced an online storefront to showcase and facilitate global sales of our art collection. These strategic changes are poised to integrate the gallery into the larger art community. At its core, Charles Adams Gallery is dedicated to championing the artistry of West Texas and the broader Southwest. While we acknowledge the enduring artistic motifs often associated with our region's history, we passionately encourage our viewers to explore beyond the surface. Lubbock, TX, boasts a diverse, multicultural, and internationally influenced community of artists, each contributing their unique narratives to our collective landscape. In the heart of a burgeoning arts district, our gallery has the privilege of welcoming 5,000-7,000 attendees each month, fostering a vibrant and engaged artistic community. Charles Adams Gallery remains unwavering in its commitment to providing a fresh and transformative perspective with each passing month.