About the Artist:
Abby Kamagate is an artist based in Columbus, Ohio. Rooted in her identity as a mother artist, observing and collaborating with the natural world are foundational to her creative process. Play, mistakes, and wonder inform her practice, which bridges multiple disciplines and mediums.
This exhibition is presented in collaboration with Reimagining Columbus.
Pecha Projects is delighted to partner with the City of Columbus and Designing Local to present Leave Good Soil, an exhibition of work by Abby Kamagate.
Leave Good Soil brings into focus the complex interconnections between individuals, historic structures, and the land, propagating questions about the stewardship of resources and knowledge for future generations. The exhibition unites four distinct series that each consider the significance of what we leave behind, initiating wider introspection into our systems, structures, and soil. Through collage, bead weaving, and installation, Kamagate assumes a hands-on approach to archiving and activating what will become the relics of our time. As seasons shift, as we age, as buildings rise and fall, and as stories are told in new ways by new voices, the original form of something inherently must change.
The exhibition builds on the transformative experience of Reimagining Columbus, a two-year initiative, supported by the Mellon Foundation’s Monuments Project, that seeks to confront the complexities of the city's namesake and history; foster inclusive conversations about cultural heritage and belonging; and envision a future where all residents feel represented in public spaces. Throughout Reimagining Columbus, the community largely revealed a deep desire for wider cultural visibility and belonging in the City’s public spaces, but Kamagate began wondering about the rooted, invisible infrastructure necessary for achieving such a vision, and the molecular and spiritual foundations from which a community and city grows. Leave Good Soil considers how, in Columbus, Ohio in 2025, our original form has changed as a result of Reimagining Columbus, and offers a space to honor the journey here.
Leave Good Soil was organized as part of Reimagining Columbus, a City-led, community-driven project funded by the Mellon Foundation’s Monuments Project, a multi-year commitment aimed at transforming the nation’s commemorative landscape to ensure our collective histories are more accurately represented. The exhibition will be on view at Pecha Projects from July 16 to September 21, 2025.