Enchanting objects spill from tiny containers in “The Box Project,” an unconventional show of 76 artists from three countries. These artworks were not originally intended for public display; rather, they were created as part of an esoteric correspondence between three interconnected collectives called “Women’s Salons” in Los Angeles, Mexico City and Paris. The women in each city meet regularly to discuss and support one another’s work. Desiring to collaborate across borders in a manner that circumvented social media’s impersonality, they organized a postal exchange of handmade pieces in boxes by members of each group. Arranged inside vitrines and across walls at SPARC, the intricate fruits of their labors include paintings, drawings, sculptures, photos, ceramics, collages, assemblages, found objects, embroidery and fiber art. Some of the boxes contain charms or relics; others take the form of games or poems. Each is accompanied by a brief artist’s statement imparting the provenance of her materials and imagery. Many interweave personal anecdotes of symbolic dreams, fairy tales, family histories, and quotidian moments alongside ruminations on larger social issues. These artists developed their own international community; the private nature and diminutive scale of their works and stories conveys a particular sincereness. The boxes were clearly meant to be handled and treasured by their recipients; but for a wider audience, the total project provokes contemplation as to what art gets shown, what remains unseen, and what is truly meaningful.

Durón Gallery at SPARC
685 Venice Blvd.
Venice, CA 90291
Show runs through Jan. 18