Nickola Pottinger's first solo museum exhibition, "fos born," is on view at the Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum through January 11. The show was deeply influenced by her pregnancy with her daughter Zora, which she discovered shortly after securing the exhibition. Pottinger's work has evolved from paper pulp wall reliefs into figurative sculptures that incorporate Jamaican folklore, family history, and personal artifacts, such as a cast of her pregnant torso and hair clips from her childhood. Her husband, fellow artist Zahar Vaks, assisted in creating the silicone mold for one piece moments before she went into labor.
The exhibition matters because it marks a significant milestone for Pottinger, a rising artist first noticed at the 2021 New Museum Triennial, and showcases her shift into three-dimensional work that blends personal narrative with broader cultural heritage. By embedding hidden symbols and references to Jamaican spirits ("duppies") and ancestral guardians, Pottinger creates a secret visual language that speaks to underrepresented stories and traditions. The show highlights how motherhood and cultural identity can directly shape artistic practice, offering a model for integrating life events into museum-quality work.