The Alchemy of Art and Play

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: FEBRUARY EXHIBITION

The Alchemy of Art and Play

Exhibition Dates: FEBRUARY 6 – MARCH 1

Opening First Friday: Friday, February 5 PM to 8:30 PM

Closing Reception & Artist Talk: Sunday, March 1, 3:30 – 5:30 PM

Boston, MA — TAG Art Gallery is pleased to present The Alchemy of Art and Play, a two-part exhibition unfolding across February and March 2026, featuring different TAG-selected artist members each month. This evolving presentation explores the transformative relationship between creativity, play, and perception, inviting audiences to experience art as a space of curiosity, experimentation, and sensory discovery.

The Alchemy of Art and Play examines play not as a diversion, but as a fundamental creative and cognitive force. Through interactive installations, whimsical works, and thought-provoking pieces, the exhibition encourages viewers to loosen certainty, engage the senses, and reconnect with the instinctive pleasure of making and imagining.

Originally presented at Piano Craft Gallery in February 2023, the exhibition was widely praised for fostering joyful engagement while sustaining serious artistic inquiry. Its strong public response revealed a collective desire for spaces where humor, tactility, experimentation, and openness could coexist with conceptual depth.

Returning to TAG in 2026, the exhibition reflects the continuation of an ongoing curatorial theme developed by gallery founder and director, Claudia Fiks, one that recognizes the deep interconnection between art, play, and the brain. Contemporary research in neuroaesthetics echoes what artists have long understood intuitively: play is one of the brain’s primary pathways for learning, emotional regulation, adaptability, and creative thought.

Presented over two consecutive months, The Alchemy of Art and Play evolves organically as new artists are introduced each month, allowing for shifting dialogues, materials, and approaches. All participating artists are selected TAG members, highlighting the depth and diversity of the gallery’s creative community.

Related Public Program

Virtual Art Talk: Intuition and Structure

Tuesday, February 24 at 6:30 PM

Guest speakers include Sage Brousseau, Senior Art Educator at the Boston Children’s Museum, and Laura Petrovich-Cheney, professional artist and art educator.

The talk explores the balance between intuitive decision-making and the underlying architecture of artistic process, examining how pattern, rhythm, and repetition support creative freedom.

Drawing parallels to practices such as quilting and weaving, the conversation will highlight how structure does not limit play, but rather gives it form, coherence, and depth.

Artist talks, hands-on workshops, and live demonstrations throughout the exhibition further extend the experience beyond the gallery walls, emphasizing process, participation, and shared discovery.

As this theme continues to unfold across TAG’s programming, The Alchemy of Art and Play stands as an ongoing inquiry, affirming that play is not something we outgrow, but a vital force shaping how we think, feel, connect, and imagine new possibilities through art.

Participating Artists:

Amalia Tagaris, Angelique Luro, Barbara Fletcher, Cathy Weaver Taylor, Dan Foran, Dina Mordeno, Edward Rocha, Fernando Fula, Francine Zaslow, Joe Sikes, Jamaal Eversley, Joshua Diperri, Kat Masella, Katren Cleo, Kris Laping, Lisa Penny, Matthias Lupri, Michele Nathalie Bourthoumieux Pim, Paola Bidinelli, Paula Borsetti, Raquel Fornasaro, Randa Dubnick, Ron Roberge, Samantha Paris Estes, Sherwin Long, Simone Scholes, Warren Mather

Exhibition Details:

Location: TAG The Art Gallery, 460C Harrison Ave, Unit 2C, Boston (SoWa)

Contact: Claudia Fiks: claudia@newenglandartcenter.com

M.774-551-6824

About TAG: TAG (The Art Gallery) is a contemporary art gallery founded by Claudia Fiks in the SoWa Art & Design District. Home to more than 100 member artists, TAG presents a wide range of exhibitions throughout the year and maintains a strong presence on ARTSY, making member works accessible to global audiences.

Gallery Hours: Wed-Sunday 11am to 5pm or by appointment.

Visit NEAC website meet TAG artists members and visit TAG’s ARTSY page