What is François Ghebaly’s “Strong Winds Ahead” trying to tell us?

On the third to last day of July, François Ghebaly’s downtown Los Angeles space on 2245 E Washington Boulevard opened “Strong Winds Ahead”, curated by Lekha Jandhyala. Set across two spaces, the group exhibition includes some of the most spellbinding artists from across Los Angeles, Berlin, New York, and Salida. On view until September 9, 2023, Jandhyala’s genteel yet unrelenting orchestration encases the overriding disquiet present in our world today.

“Strong Winds Ahead” expands on the human propensity to proliferate, manipulate, drain, and enfeeble our surroundings and those around us. The exhibition presents a gradual escape, commencing in a drained city, with its final destination cloaked in ambiguity. It attempts to encapsulate the interlude between being and non-being, history and destiny, the sharply defined and the elusive. Embarking on this theme are eighteen artists including Camille Henrot, Eli Ping, Farah Al Qasimi, Vijay Masharani, Ragini Bhow, and others.

The works in the exhibition, expressed through materials such as canvas, cotton, rawhide, microplastics, and sawdust offer an interpretation of the gradual erosion of the life we have become accustomed to, presenting a warning of what may come as a result of insatiable greed and squandering. It illuminates the “obscure” by uncovering intricacies that could be disguised or laid bare by the very essence of its meaning.

“I learn best about the world, its current political landscapes, emotions encompassing fear, joy, and pain, through the lens of artists in my proximity,” the curator says. Jandhyala’s process for the exhibition began with studio visits and multitudinous conversations with the artists in it.“In my view, curating is my own form of expression. Within each exhibition, I find fragments of myself, and I hold utmost appreciation for every artist who has graciously shared their time, studio, and invaluable insights with me.” The curatorial process for “Strong Winds Ahead” embodies a cathartic outlet for Jandhyala—death being a strong underlying theme. “I experienced so much loss of loved ones in the last year and not one death was like the previous one. I think my soul was in shock and the making of this show was my internal and personal way of processing it all. Feeling the wind one day reminded me that there are invisible forces and reminders–bright, ominous, gentle, and especially strong– all around us.” she revealed. The exhibition’s title draws inspiration from cautionary signs often encountered while journeying to California’s deserts.

Finally, François Ghebaly himself says, “These exhibitions are important for the gallery. We try to host institutional group shows at least once a year, using the gallery as a platform to amplify the voice of young curators or artists (such are Myriam Ben Salah, Franklin Melendez or Kelly Akashi), and to articulate their vision of the world today through these shows. They often take root in Los Angeles, but not always. Each show has allowed us to build bridges across generations of artists and enhance our understanding of current voices in art. These shows take a lot of work and I am especially proud of them. They are not just group shows constructed to sell art; they are genuine attempts to build a commentary and an understanding of contemporary culture and art practices. They are an important part of the identity of the gallery, and I couldn’t be more pleased with Lekha’s curation for ‘Strong Winds Ahead’.”