On Material Ground

January 9, 2026 – February 7, 2026

• Artists’ Reception: Saturday, January 10, 3 – 5 pm
• Oakland Art Murmur / First Friday: February 6, 5 – 9 pm
• Open Friday and Saturday: 12 – 5 or by appointment (e-mail mercurytwenty@gmail.com or text 510-918-9093)

On Material Ground brings together three Mercury 20 artists whose practices are rooted in the exploration of materials, form, and process, which serves as the foundation from which concepts and ideas emerge.

Andrea Guskin’s practice moves across the disciplines of photography, sculpture, and painting to create objects, images, and spaces where the familiar converses with the existential. Through layering, ripping, and transforming ordinary materials–spices, foil, thread, wool — her work explores ancestry, memory, and our methods for seeking knowledge.

Monika Mayer’s practice is rooted in an ongoing dialogue of working with everyday materials like inner tubes, canvas, paint, and found objects. Guided by an intuitive, process-driven approach, she lets new forms surface organically. Through play and transformation, her work uncovers the quiet rhythms and unexpected possibilities within the familiar.

Caity Salamanca embraces experimentation, slicing apart large repurposed canvases to create intimate landscapes. Guided by the willingness to take risks and the liberating act of cutting into older work, she opens new creative pathways. Through this transformative process, Salamanca uncovers a series of landscapes that emerge as a surprising, unexpected discovery.