Readymade Gallery on Cape Cod, a satellite of Freight + Volume, NYC, is pleased to present And The Band Played On, a group show dedicated to art in times of turbulence and crisis. More and more often these days, it feels as if the world is a sinking ship and that we are listing in slow motion towards the iceberg of our collective demise. A perfect storm of international wars, global warming, and the divisive political reality in our country, creates an atmosphere of overwhelming helpless dread. The courage and perseverance of artists in times like this, brings to mind that indelible image from the film Titanic of the orchestra continuing to play while the boat crumbles and sinks; whistling in the dark. 

Making art in times of crisis is at once a method of coping and comfort, a way to find meaning in the meaningless, and create a vision of solution for a better world. The exhibition takes inspiration from the coastal environs of the gallery, evoking an image of the "ship of humanity" in a literal context. And The Band Played On includes works by Tony Bluestone, Katherine Bradford, Mary DeVincentis, Peter Hutchinson, Richard Neal, Daniel Ranalli, Jackie Reeves, Peter Schenck, and Tabitha Vevers, and others, and presents a diverse look at how each artist navigates the rough waters of our collective moment, using their practice as a guiding light through the storm.  

As the opening exhibition of Readymade’s 2024 summer season,  And The Band Played On presents the beginning of a multifaceted examination of our contemporary chaos and art’s place within it. This thread will be picked up again in the upcoming group show, Ship of Fools at Freight + Volume NYC, opening on June 21st.