And Then There Was Everything
Group exhibition now open at Joy Machine, Chicago
April 18—June 7 2025
And Then There Was Everything features paintings and sculptures by six artists who iterate on natural motifs. Taking its name from the opening line of Richard Powers’ The Overstory, this exhibition explores how pattern and repetition can inspire meditation, curiosity, and a deeper appreciation for the world around us. As Powers writes, “a good answer must be reinvented many times, from scratch,” a sentiment each artist uniquely investigates through works unbound by geography or epoch.
Joy Machine chose a selection of artworks which act as a cross-section of my recent practice, with paintings upon tins, stamps, pulleys, a matchbox, a weaving shuttle, and a rudder. The installation encourages people to get in close and explore each grouping. I’m delighted to be shown alongside Paul Briggs, Laura Catherwood, Yellena James, Jeremy Miranda and Anna Ortiz (below). Artwork enquiries can be made to the gallery directly, with selected pieces available for online purchase.
“Although working at an intimate scale, Cass zooms outward as he paints undulating waves on antique tins, matchboxes, pulleys, and more, a collection of 17 of which are installed at Joy Machine. Visible swipes of paint delineate the horizon in some pieces, while others are entirely awash in curved lines. Interested in conveying the effects of a heating planet and rising waters, Cass uses repurposed, human-made containers representative of physical constraints as metaphors for our collective limits to adapt.”
