MCLA Gallery 51 to Present “At Water's Edge: Thresholds of Memory,” Paintings by Andrae Green
June 23, 2026
Gallery 51 at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) will present “At Water’s Edge: Thresholds of Memory,” paintings by Andrae Green. The exhibition opens July 11 and runs through September 11, 2026, with a reception
Friday, Aug. 7 from 5-7 p.m.
The exhibition title captures both the physical environment and the psychological
depth of Andrae Green’s recent narrative paintings. To stand at water's edge is to
inhabit a classic liminal space—a boundary where land, air, and sea meet and dissolve
into one another. For Green, this threshold is not merely a geographic marker, but
a profound site of memory and transformation. Fragmented scenes, layered imagery,
and shifting perspectives create a feeling of dislocation. Figures often appear suspended,
or at a threshold, mirroring their unstable environments. The paintings evoke fluid,
non-linear histories that transcend a single moment, collapsing past and present into
a singular, psychological space.
Originally from Kingston, Jamaica, Andrae Green discovered art through Marvel and
DC comic books—the only art resources available where he grew up. In a community grappling
with economic hardship, social upheaval, and violence, he found refuge in art, school,
and church. These formative experiences continue to shape Green's aesthetic, balancing
existential inquiry with resilience.
Green’s notable distinctions include serving as the 2019 Experience Jamaique in Geneva
Artist-in-Residence, representing Jamaica at the Beijing Biennale on five occasions,
and acting as the U.S. representative at the Salon de Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts
at the Carrousel du Louvre in Paris. His paintings have been showcased internationally
at the National Gallery of Jamaica, Maddox Gallery in Los Angeles, and the Southampton
Arts Center in New York. His first museum solo exhibition, "Palindrome: Back to Hope,"
took place at the Art Complex Museum in Duxbury, Massachusetts. In 2025, Green was
awarded second place in the Danforth Museum annual juried exhibition and received
a non-studio residency at the Boston Art Center, which culminated in his solo exhibition
"Paradise Mash-up" at the Mills Gallery, curated by Natalie DeJesus and Tiara Brown.
Recent exhibitions include "Peripheral Visions" with partner Priya N. Green at OOO
Easthampton Project Space, "Bridges of Belonging—Where Paths Converge" at Seven Bridges
Foundation, and "Women Rising" at KNOWHEREART in Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts.
“At Water’s Edge: Thresholds of Memory" will be on view from July 11-September 11,
2026, at Gallery 51, located at 51 Main St. in North Adams, Massachusetts. An artist’s
reception will be held Friday, Aug. 7, from 5-7 p.m. This event is free and open to
the public.
Gallery hours and additional programming information are available at Upcoming Exhibitions.
About MCLA
At MCLA, we’re here for all — and focused on each — of our students. Classes are taught
by educators who care deeply about teaching, and about seeing their students thrive
on every level of their lives. In every way possible, the experience at MCLA is designed
to elevate our students as individuals, leaders, and communicators, fully empowered
to make their impressions on the world. In addition to our 130-year commitment to
public education, we have fortified our dedication to equitable academic excellence.
MCLA has appeared on U.S. News & World Report’s list of Top Ten Public Colleges for
10 consecutive years, earning the No. 6 spot on the list of Top Public Liberal Arts
Schools in the nation for 2025, after earning the No. 7 spot the prior three years.
The College’s focus on affordable education and economic prosperity is reflected in
additional 2025 U.S. News rankings: No. 5 for Top Performer on Social Mobility for
liberal arts colleges in the state and No. 2 for Top Performer on Social Mobility
for public liberal arts colleges in the country. These rankings measure how well schools
graduate students who receive Federal Pell Grants.