What do objects tell us about the way we live and who we are? And what objects are permitted to become part of our cultural history? Unnatural Histories seeks to unearth obscured stories from the past while creating a space for new stories to be told. Artists included in the exhibition shift our gaze to see the subtle or peripheral in a new way, liberating everyday objects from their usual meanings to reveal fresh narratives. The artworks often use artifacts as talismans of meaning that enable us to reinterpret the present and reinvent the future. Integral to the exhibition are artifacts from the Hall of Gowanus, an archive related to the Gowanus Canal. While many of these items seem like detritus – a preserved clothespin, a piece of plaster, a toothbrush – each has its own story to tell.

UNNATURAL HISTORIES is one of three interconnected exhibitions organized by ASSEMBLY REQUIRED (AR) that will take place in Gowanus during the month of October. AR is a collective of artists, writers, and curators who gathered during the height of the coronavirus pandemic to imagine the possibilities of mapping other futures. AR uses the transformative power of art to engage with local communities, reaching a shared understanding through multiple perspectives told through objects, stories, and experiences, gathering and assembling diverse visions of the past, present, and future.