Paul McAdory in THE PARIS REVIEW

Paul McAdory’s new essay, “If You Build It, Will They Come? On the Sperm Racing World Cup,” has been published in The Paris Review.

In the piece, McAdory follows the strange and increasingly public world of competitive sperm racing, tracing the spectacle through questions of science, masculinity, performance, self-optimization, and the attention economy. What begins as an investigation into an improbable new sport becomes a sharp and personal meditation on production, anxiety, and the sometimes uneasy relationship between making something and finding an audience.

Read the essay: The Paris Review

Emily Janowick’s "Long Walk" Opens at SUNY Purchase

Catwalk Institute is pleased to share that artist Emily Janowick will open her solo exhibition, Long Walk, on August 26, 2026, at the Richard and Dolly Maass Gallery at SUNY Purchase College. Long Walk reflects on mortality, grief, transformation, and the ways life persists through change. The exhibition is the culmination of Janowick’s time as the Windgate Artist in Residence at SUNY Purchase.

Opening Reception: August 26, 2026, 6–8 PM
Richard and Dolly Maass Gallery, SUNY Purchase College
Purchase, New York

Adin Dobkin, Announces New Book

Adin Dobkin

Catwalk Institute is pleased to share the forthcoming publication of These Bones Can Speak: A Border Fable of the Progressive Era by Catwalk alum Adin Dobkin, coming January 26, 2027, from Little A.

Dobkin’s new work of narrative nonfiction explores the life of José Tomás Canales, a Tejano legislator who, in 1919, undertook an investigation into the Texas Rangers and their violence along the U.S.-Mexico border. Moving between political biography, border history, and historical essay, These Bones Can Speak examines the intertwined histories of land, labor, reform, political power, and state violence—and asks difficult questions about how individuals respond when confronted with deeply entrenched injustice.

The book grew from years of archival research and an evolving effort to understand Canales: what compelled him to challenge the Rangers, the forces that shaped his decisions, and the limits of political reform. Dobkin describes the result as an intentionally hybrid work that follows his own process of historical discovery.

These Bones Can Speak will be published January 26, 2027. The book is available for preorder through major booksellers, including Bookshop.org.

Learn more about Adin Dobkin and the book:
Adin Dobkin

Kelsey Shwetz at Winston Wächter Fine Art in New York

Catwalk Institute is excited to see alumna Kelsey Shwetz included in Let’s Escape the Ordinary, a group exhibition curated by Natasha Schlesinger at Winston Wächter Fine Art in New York. The exhibition brings together eleven artists whose work explores landscapes, dreams, possibilities, and ways of stepping beyond the ordinary. Shwetz’s paintings explore abstraction emerging from the observed world and the experience of occupying multiple spaces at once.

Let’s Escape the Ordinary
Winston Wächter Fine Art
530 W 25th Street, New York, NY
July 22–August 28, 2026

View the exhibition at Winston Wächter Fine Art

Daphne Kalotay’s Blue Hours Coming to Audiobook

Catwalk Institute is delighted to celebrate the upcoming audiobook release of Daphne Kalotay’s award-winning novel Blue Hours, arriving September 1 and performed by AudioFile “Golden Voice” narrator Julia Whelan. We’re always proud to see the work of Catwalk artists reach new audiences, and Kalotay’s “spellbinding” (Booklist) mystery is a wonderful example of the lasting impact of their creative work. Linking early-90s Manhattan with northeastern Afghanistan in 2012, Blue Hours centers intrepid women in a “rich and layered” (Boston Globe) story exploring America’s role in a conflicted and interconnected world.

Catwalk Institute Welcomes Scholars for Olana Exhibition Opening

Catwalk Institute is honored to host visiting curators and distinguished art historians from The Olana Partnership this weekend in celebration of the opening of Frederic Church: Global Artist at Olana State Historic Site in Hudson, New York.

We are especially pleased to welcome Dr. Tim Barringer and Dr. Jennifer Raab of Yale University, who co-curated the exhibition together with Elizabeth Kornhauser, as well as Dr. Mary Roberts of the University of Sydney. Barringer, Raab, and Kornhauser also co-edited the accompanying publication released through Yale University Press in conjunction with the exhibition.

This gathering reflects the continuing cultural and artistic dialogue rooted in the Hudson Valley landscape. Included here are two intimate paintings by Frederic Edwin Church.


Clouds Over Olana, 1872

Sunset from Olana,1870

These together create a quiet visual exchange across the Hudson River between Olana and the landscape surrounding the Catwalk property. Seen together, the works evoke the enduring relationship between art, atmosphere, history, and place that continues to inspire artists, scholars, and visitors today.

Catwalk Institute is grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with The Olana Partnership and to support conversations that connect contemporary artistic practice with the rich cultural history of the Hudson Valley.

Artwork Credits:

Frederic Edwin Church, Clouds Over Olana, August 1872. Oil on paper. New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, Olana State Historic Site. Gift of Olana Preservation, Inc. and Museum Purchase, OL.1976.1

Frederic Edwin Church, Sunset from Olana, July 2, 1870. Oil on academy board. New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, Olana State Historic Site. Gift of Olana Preservation, Inc. and Museum Purchase, OL.1976.8

What a meaningful day at Catwalk Institute, celebrating trees, creativity, and community.

This year’s gathering brought together students, artists, educators, and local leaders—with a strong presence from the Village of Catskill Tree Council and Catskill Central School District, including members of the Catskill Elementary Student Council. It was especially powerful to see young voices actively shaping the moment.

A highlight was a beautiful piece by Catwalk artist Jean Zimmerman, read by students Katie Henderson and Brynn Jordan—grounding the event in reflection and hope for the future.

We also shared music, student presentations, and remarks from community members, creating a space that felt both thoughtful and alive.

Huge thanks to Malcarne Tree Services for donating and planting a Swamp Oak, and to everyone who helped make the day so special.

Marion Spencer Premieres h o r i z o n in NYC

photos by Carey Kirk, Anna Maynard & Dylan Angell

Catwalk Institute proudly celebrates Marion Spencer as she presents the NYC premiere of her new evening-length interdisciplinary dance work h o r i z o n, running May 13–15 at Target Margin Theater. The project brings together a dynamic ensemble of performers, sound and lighting designers, and collaborators in an ambitious exploration of movement, presence, and collective experience.

Ahead of the premiere, Spencer will present h o r i z o n tentacle, an experimental gallery iteration on May 3 at Fridman Gallery, offering audiences an intimate entry point into the evolving work.

In addition, Spencer recently shared her developing solo project ecdysis in Durham, following her residency with the American Dance Festival. Presented across multiple venues, the work continues to expand through performance and collaboration.

EVENT DETAILS

h o r i z o n
May 13–15, 2026 · 7:30 PM
Target Margin Theater

TICKETS

h o r i z o n tentacle
May 3, 2026 · 7:00 PM
Fridman Gallery

TICKETS

http://www.marion-spencer.com/