Bodies as Counterpoints. “I Find Rest” by V Walton and “Sarsabzi” by Misha Japanwala at Hannah Traore Gallery, New York
Misha Japanwala, Kitty Party 1,2025. Photo courtesy of Hannah Traore Gallery, New York.
Author: Yasmeen Abdallah
I Find Rest, by a Maryland-based interdisciplinary artist and educator. V Walton, and Sarsabzi by Misha Japanwala, a Pakistani artist and fashion designer Misha Japanwala are two solo exhibitions currently on view at Hannah Traore Gallery in New York. The pairing of the selections is so seamless and fluid that one might think the gallery is showing one artist with two bodies of work. The word “bodies” is key here, as that is exactly the entry point when first stepping inside.
Drawing on the Urdu word “sarsabzi,” meaning lushness, verdancy, or prosperity Japanwala’s colorful contortions of various bodily busts elegantly line the walls, well-lit and intriguing. Moving further inward, more cast sculptures are positioned on pedestals; with details incredibly clear in their depictions of skin texture, some so crisp that scars, goosebumps, and even the faint imprint of a tattoo are visible. These little moments are fascinating discoveries, illuminating how moments in our bodies can be immortalized for eternity. The scars, dimples, wrinkles, and skin tell stories that whisper like apparitions. Inspired by the Urdu word for prosperity and lushness, Sarsabzi celebrates aspects of the body that are often associated with social stigma, and pushes back at body shaming, particularly nonbinary and femme bodies. Through Japanwala’s practice, each mark is embraced with reverence, and the stories of the sitters who model for the casts through an open call process are immortalized. This celebration of true body standards is a welcome framework for the artist and designer.
Bathed in the gorgeous light of the gallery, sunlight from the storefront windows also pours in, creating an almost devotional glow amidst the fragmented body parts that conjure associations of landscapes that speak of histories and roads traversed. The thoughtful curation pushes and pulls the mind into deeply reflective corners that are exciting to uncover. As this exhibition moves further back into the gallery, it reaches an apex where it meets the work of V Walton, succinctly flowing into the second show, I Find Rest.
I Find Rest also draws from the body, but here the process is part of the reveal. Whereas Japanwala’s works speak in a language of aftermaths and arrivals, Walton brings viewers firmly into the present through a video installation that tells a story of what is on view in the room with us. As the audience watches the film, viewers become aware of how inextricable the link between process and product is for sculptor and ceramicist Walton. Filmed on Black stewarded land in Owings, MD, we witness the artist becoming one with the earth as a crater is dug for the artist to become immersed in. This melding of human and earthen bodies is a beautiful incantation that we feel in our bones. The physicality of shoveling, unearthing dirt, and extrapolating layer upon layer echoes clearly through the gallery and highlights Walton’s envisioning of the world. One becomes aware that the stunning clay and wooden sculptures aligning the walls and floor are likely born out of the very moment we are witnessing via the video projection. Walton’s gorgeous palette of rich reds and brown earthen tones is juxtaposed with Japanwala’s bright works. The body is present here as well, working hard, the physical made evident, and ultimately ending in rest.
These exhibitions demonstrate the importance of continuing to showcase the many facets of the body, at work, at rest, at play, and everything in between. This showing is a reminder that our stories are not isolated but rather are dynamic vessels housing complex systems that enable us to speak our truths and conduct our lives with diligence and dignity. Unified in humanness, we can pull from the earth the patience, respect, and dignity that are deserved by all who inhabit it through art and collective consciousness.
“I Find Rest” by V Walton is on view at Hannah Traore Gallery, New York, through October 18.
“Sarsabzi” by Misha Japanwala at Hannah Traore Gallery, New York, through December 6.
Yasmeen Abdallah is an interdisciplinary artist, curator, educator, and community organizer focused on history, contemporary culture, social engagement, and decolonial practice. Her work is in public, private, and traveling collections. She is a contributing writer for Artspiel and Urban Activist, among other publications, and is based in New York.
“I Find Rest” by V Walton. Installation view. Photo courtesy of Hannah Traore Gallery, New York.
V Walton, I Make My Way / Enter Into Another World, 2025. Photo courtesy of Hannah Traore Gallery, New York.
“Sarsabzi” by Misha Japanwala. Installation view. Photo courtesy of Yasmeen Abdallah.