The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum in Ridgefield, Connecticut, has announced a new recurring exhibition series called the Aldrich Decennial, which will take place every ten years. The inaugural edition, titled “I am what is around me,” runs from June 7, 2026, to January 10, 2027, and features 40 artists living and working in Connecticut who have not previously exhibited in the state. Organized by chief curator Amy Smith-Stewart and curatorial and publications manager Caitlin Monachino, the survey spans the museum’s entire campus and includes high-profile names such as Dominic Chambers, Tammy Nguyen, Em Rooney, Aki Sasamoto, and Julia Wachtel, with artists ranging in age from Lucy Sallick (born 1937) to Remy Sosa (born 1995).
The Aldrich Decennial is notable for its unusual decennial pacing, a rarity in the art world where most recurring exhibitions are biennials or triennials; the only other major decennial is Sculpture Projects Münster in Germany. By focusing exclusively on Connecticut-based artists who have not shown in the state before, the museum aims to spotlight local talent and underscore Connecticut’s historical role as a home for visionary artists like Josef Albers, Louise Bourgeois, and Alexander Calder. The series reinforces the Aldrich’s mission as the state’s only contemporary art institution and offers a fresh model for regional surveys, emphasizing community-rooted work with global resonance.