Disquiet in the Sand
August 15, 2025 – February 22, 2026
Institute for Contemporary Art (Richmond, VA)
Related Materials:
Notes:
Lily Cox-Richard’s exhibition Disquiet in the Sand centers on a constellation of multicolored scrying mirrors, inspired by the ancient practice of gazing into a darkly reflective surface to unlock insight. Along the gallery walls, faint flapping forms recall the “miracle fish,” a fortune-telling novelty made of red cellophane. Implicit in these objects of divination is an invitation—to witches, mediums, and any co-conspirators—to participate collectively in the scrying process by looking deeply into these glass portals and listening for messages that emerge.
This newly commissioned body of work grew out of the artist’s interest in landscapes that have been profoundly transformed by military and tourism activity. Over repeated visits during full-moon cycles, Cox-Richard conducted rituals that left behind impressions in the sand at White Sands, New Mexico, a place that is home to a national park and an active missile range where the first atomic bomb was tested. They then used 3D scans of those impressions—as well as others from sites with complex human histories—to create molds for the cast glass mirrors.
Cox-Richard embraces glass as a material and a conduit. These pieces function as artifacts, but also as catalysts for perceiving and interpreting wisdom hidden within the earth and ourselves. They prompt us to consider how the land can serve as both a witness and a guide amid our current global crises; how we can move forward through reflection, ritual, and community; and how listening can become a lifelong devotion.
Disquiet in the Sand was curated by Amber Esseiva, acting senior curator of the ICA.
List of Works:
Scrying Portal: White Sands, New Mexico, October 2024
cast glass, mining bits, found material, hardware
Scrying Portal: Tellen at Lake Michigan, October 2024
cast glass, cast brass, found material, hardware
Scrying Portal: Parque del jaguar, Tulum, Q.R., December 2024
cast glass, selenite, found material, hardware
Scrying Portal: White Sands, New Mexico, March 2025
cast glass, selenite, found material, hardware
Scrying Portal: First Landing, Virginia, May 2025
cast glass, driftwood, found material, hardware
Sill Swarm, 2025
multichannel video installation
editor and animator: Frances Adair Mckenzie
The Massive Ocean Inside, 2025
large video projection
editor: Frances Adair Mckenzie
Cauldron of Bats, 2025
bats in window
third eyelid blinks transparent eyeball, 2025
owl in window
Miracle Fish, 2025
risograph on glassine, cellulose acetate
Drone Chandelier No. 2, 2025
cast brass, PVD gold-plated brass, found crystal, lead crystal, lighting hardware, wiring
Viewing/resting places, 2025
tree stumps, jesmonite, cast brass
Pendulums, 2025
cast brass, plumb bobs, hardware, found materials
Disquiet Berm, 2025
repurposed glass
Candle prints/Wattle and Daub, 2016-
digital prints of mixed papers with candle sweat mounted on black PVC, gypsum cement, candles, wall
Kindling (for our secret fire), 2021
cast, modeled, and polished concrete aggregates, glass, stone, shells, gifted marbles, and other materials
Witness / American Darling, 2022-
decommissioned fire hydrant, wig, offerings
Offering Bundle 1: iron on hematite, 2024
cast iron, banded hematite
Offering Bundle 10: cast brass and spells on granite, 2024
cast brass, granite
Credits:
This project was realized with the trust, expertise, and labor of everyone at the ICA. They would like to thank their co-conspirators and collaborators: 3D Central, Aidan Phalan, Austin Reavis, Bohyun Yoon, Cassie Knudsen, Frances Adair Mckenzie, Isa Dray, Jack Wax, Jaden Lucid McKenzie, Kai Gurley, Ken Sager, Kohler Arts/Industry Residency, Laura August, Mia Feuer, Michael Jevon Demps, Min Haeng Kang, Mycelium Works Collective, Ray Crouch, Ray Fidlow, Rebecca Guanzon, Staci Katsias and The Perry Glass Studio at Chrysler Museum, George Ferrandi and The Moon. The artist honors the land, its spirits and stewards, and the ancestors and future generations of The Monacan Nation and Powatan Chiefdom.
The exhibition’s presentation at the ICA at VCU is made possible by generous support from:Markel, Nancy Graves Foundation, VCU Foundation and Ashley Kistler.
Photography by David Hale