A new collaborative exhibition titled *Tension & Tenderness: The Domestic Surreal* has opened at Ferris State University’s Kendall College of Art and Design (KCAD) in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The show unites artists Michael Pfleghaar and Lisa Walcott, who explore the hidden forces within everyday domestic life. Pfleghaar’s paintings blend queer-coded interiors and still-life scenes with abstract elements, while Walcott’s kinetic sculptures repurpose household objects like brooms and drying racks to evoke gravity, breathing, and tension. The exhibition is curated by KCAD Exhibitions Director Michele Bosak and runs through November 15 in the KCAD FLEXgallery.
This exhibition matters because it reframes the ordinary as a site of deep emotional and psychological resonance, challenging viewers to reconsider the objects and spaces they inhabit. By pairing Pfleghaar’s contemplative paintings with Walcott’s subtly moving installations, the show highlights how art can illuminate the invisible forces—care, maintenance, identity—that shape our lived experience. It also underscores the role of regional university galleries in fostering innovative, dialogue-driven contemporary art that connects local artists to broader national conversations.