Grit Gallery is
.
Grit Gallery is
“I Have Been Here All Along”
May 16-July 5, 2026
Opening reception is on Sunday, May 16 from 4–6 pm, featuring live music by the New York School of Music.
“I Have Been Here All Along” is a collaboration between photographer Erin Braden and illustrator Andre Junget, united for the first time to present a body of work that evokes a striking dialogue on identity, visibility, and the concept of self. The show runs May 16 through July 5 at GRIT Gallery in Newburgh, NY.
The artists both utilize their medium as a reclamation of space and voice after traumatic lived experiences. Erin Braden’s photographic works are primarily nude self-portraits that use the body as both medium and message, transforming the vulnerable format into a bold expression of self-empowerment and radical acceptance.“Each photograph carries emotional immediacy while maintaining a refined aesthetic sensibility, balancing softness with quiet strength,” she says.
Andre Junget’s series of hand-drawn works examine the tension between his authentic self and the public identity shaped or restricted by authority. His drawings represent the unseen self, creating strong expressions where a voice was previously silenced. The gallery will be filled with his paintings and pastels and drawings to create a visual balance.
The final piece to the puzzle was completed when the two artists creatively collide in a photography installation that tells both of their remarkable stories in real time. Together, their works create a cohesive and conceptually sophisticated exhibition that speaks to themes of autonomy, identity, and psychological depth.
Contact us for a private appointment or more information about buying, exhibiting, or volunteering.
Upcoming events
COEXHIBIT:
“Darling, Stay Close” (Main Gallery) || “In Between” (Center Gallery)
July 18 through August 23, 2026
Opening Reception: July 18 from 3-7 pm
Artist Kahori Kamiya’s paintings and sculptures explore an otherworldly sense of collective memory, quiet longing, and the unseen emotional layers carried through one’s body; these core themes are present in her new exhibit, “Darling, Stay Close,” opening July 18 and running through August 23 at GRIT Gallery in Newburgh, NY.
Kamiya’s works invite viewers into a space where closeness is felt rather than declared, shaped by a quiet depth in layers that settle beneath the surface and a sense of distance that feels almost touchable, yet remains just out of reach.
As its title declares, the exhibition centers on the word “Darling,” a term that carries a wide emotional range. Beyond romantic affection, it can be addressed to a child, a memory, a ghost or ancestor, an inner voice, or even a voice from nature. It’s a tender call whose recipient is never fully defined, and this ambiguous intimacy forms the conceptual core of the exhibition.
CO-EXHIBITING ARTIST: RUBEN TOMAS – “IN BETWEEN”
While Kamiya’s work is displayed in the main gallery, photographs by Ruben Tomas can be viewed in our Center Gallery for an exhibit titled “In Between”
Ruben Tomas is a photographer who works on a level above instinct. His subjects are not people, natural landscapes, or animals. Rather, his subject is the elusive connection between himself and what is going on around him. Inner lives seem to appear along the surfaces of bodies: eyes in partial shadow, wet hair giving temporary dimension to a face as it is drying, a mask that shows more than it hides. Ruben’s signature style is unmistakable.
Check back soon for more upcoming exhibits and community events.
Did you know you can rent our space? Reach out! We’d love to hear from you.
