Opening Lines
A Pop-Up Exhibition of works in progress
September 30, 2025 4:00–7:00 PM (Performance at 5:00 PM)
American Academy in Rome, Via Angelo Masina 5, Rome
Toy Bin Art presents Opening Lines, a pop-up exhibition curated by Grace Kim, a visiting
artist at the American Academy in Rome. The exhibition will take place on Tuesday,
September 30, 2025, from 4:00 to 7:00 PM, with performance beginning at 5:00 PM.
Opening Lines features the work of fifteen American Academy in Rome prize fellow
winners, visiting artists and scholars; Cass Smith, Chuna Mclntyre, Cornelia Weiss,
David Keplinger, Henry Taylor, Jason Simanek, Jennifer Bornstein, Liz Glynn, Margo
Weitzman, Mary Corman, Mary Gillis, Paula Gaither, Samuelle Richardson, Sean Mooney,
and T.J. Dedeaux-Norris and includes paintings, drawings, sketches, poetry readings,
storytelling, and dance.
This exhibition was conceived and mounted in less than a month, making it a rare
opportunity to see projects at their earliest stage of development. Unlike traditional
group shows where works are mixed to create dialogue, each artist and scholar will have
dedicated space, allowing their distinct practices to be seen. While their mediums and
approaches differ widely, what unites them is a deep commitment to research, rigorous
exploration, and passionate engagement with their work
Living at the Academy alongside all of the fellows and visiting artists and scholars,
curator Grace Kim has witnessed firsthand the extraordinary dedication and passion this
group brings to their practice. She feels deeply honored to curate this exhibition and
inspired by the energy, curiosity, and commitment of these artists, an experience that
continues to inform and expand her own growth as a curator.
Opening Lines invites audiences to experience the very beginning of artistic inquiry,
works in progress that reveal the energy, questions, and curiosity that fuel these
projects. The exhibition encourages viewers to reflect on how these ideas may evolve,
offering a glimpse into the creative process from its first lines to the finished work.
Opening Reception
Tuesday, September 30, 2025
4:00 – 7:00 PM (Performance at 5:00 PM)
American Academy in Rome
Free to the public, R.S.V.P. toybinart@gmail.com
About the American Academy in Rome
Founded in 1894, the American Academy in Rome is the leading overseas center for
independent study and advanced research in the arts and humanities. Each year, the
Academy brings together artists, writers, scholars, and thinkers to pursue their work in a
community that fosters exchange, dialogue, and discovery.
About the Toy Bin Art
Toy Bin Art is an alternative gallery space founded by curator Grace Kim. Dedicated to
showing contemporary art in unconventional ways, it transforms nontraditional spaces
into sites for experimentation and dialogue. Each exhibition offers fresh possibilities,
inviting viewers to engage with diverse practices and the creative process itself.
@curatorgraceykim @toybinart toybinart.com. toybinart@gmail.com
