Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Haven: Featuring Eric Tuck-Macalla and David Verba
October 16–November 16, 2024
UNDERSTORY @ 78th Street Studios, Cleveland, Ohio

UNDERSTORY is pleased to announce Haven, a two-person exhibition featuring the works of Eric Tuck-Macalla and David Verba. Opening on October 16, 2024, the exhibition will run through November 16, 2024, and will highlight deeply personal and evocative sculptural and visual artworks from both artists, who explore themes of shelter, vulnerability, and the complexity of inner and outer landscapes.

Eric Tuck-Macalla
A sculptor and Cleveland native, Eric Tuck-Macalla’s work draws from the fringes of society, inspired by forgotten places and overlooked spaces. His sculptures, often composed of raw and mundane materials, express deep concern for social issues, particularly homelessness and the precariousness of life on the margins. Through forms that explore structure, housing, and comfort, Tuck-Macalla reflects on the importance of shelter as a basic human right. His current work revisits these themes, using trusses and other found materials to evoke the fragility and resilience of those living unhoused. Tuck-Macalla's sculptures speak to the fundamental need for stability and the challenges faced by society's most vulnerable populations.

David Verba
David Verba, an artist and instructor at the Cleveland Institute of Art, brings his unique vision to Haven through his ongoing series Garden Studies. Verba’s paintings take an introspective look at the natural world, blending physical reality with imagined inner worlds. His works, influenced by his time in Japan and a deep connection to nature, explore the unseen energies that guide and manipulate the garden. With a cinematic approach, Verba reveals multiple perspectives—both external and internal—capturing the spectrum of emotions that a garden evokes, from the practical labor of digging to the mysterious beauty of nocturnal life.

Through the works of Tuck-Macalla and Verba, Haven offers a contemplative exploration of what it means to find and create shelter—both physical and emotional—and invites viewers to reflect on the spaces we inhabit and the unseen forces that shape them.

Exhibition Dates: October 16–November 16, 2024
Location: UNDERSTORY, Lower Level of 78th Street Studios, Cleveland
Gallery Hours: Fridays, 12–5 p.m.; THIRD FRIDAYS, 12–9 p.m.; and by appointment

UNDERSTORY is committed to challenging artistic norms, supporting new and emerging voices, and democratizing the contemporary art experience. Join us in redefining artistic boundaries and making art accessible to all.

For more information, please contact:

Susan Snipes
+1 216-282-3966
susan@understory.art
@understory.art.cle