MAI LA THAI
ARTIST STATEMENT
For the first time, Between Branches spans two New York Public Library branches in Manhattan, each hosting a unique part of this dual exhibition.At the 53rd Street Library, “The Light Thereafter” explores the beauty of rural landscapes, focusing on a lone tree along misty morning roads in America’s countryside. These works reflect the passage of time and nature’s enduring presence, highlighting a quiet connection between land and memory.
At the Hudson Park Library, “The Light Hereafter” presents a solitary tree alongside abstract images of color and light. Together, these exhibitions bridge the gap between the tangible and the intangible, symbolizing connections between air and ground, reality and imagination, the transient and the permanent.
ARTIST BIO
Mai La Thai is an award-winning interdisciplinary artist, designer, art director, and photographer, known for her abstract Light Series photography, which experiments with light, liquid, and color. She works with traditional and digital media, including paint, pencil, and ink. Having begun her artistic journey as a teenager, Mai has earned numerous accolades throughout her career, including first place in the 2019 PDN Photo Annual and three Honoree titles at the Webby Awards for her innovative short films. She holds a BFA from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. Mai’s creative journey has been featured in Forbes, and she collaborated as the photographer for a story that earned Editor’s Pick recognition for its coverage of U-2 flight training. Her work has shown nationally and internationally in juried festivals and galleries, as well as select museums. Based in New York City, Mai continues to explore and push creative boundaries.
"The Light Hereafter"
Hudson Park Library (West Village)
66 Leroy Street, New York, NY 10014
Date: 11/01/24–12/31/24
Opening Reception:
Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024
6:00 PM–7:30 PM
"The Light Thereafter”
53rd Street Library (across from MoMA)
18 W. 53rd Street, New York, NY 10019
Date: 11/09/24–01/31/2025
Opening Reception:
Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024
3:00 PM–5:30 PM
Artist Talk: 11/22/24 12:00 –1:30 PM
Images: Moon and Tree, 60" x 40" , Lone Tree 20" x 13"