Peabody Essex Museum x Jack Shainman: Present Tense NYC Gathering

Present Tense in Tribeca: PEM Unites Art Patrons, Nick Cave & Shelagh Keeley at Jack Shainman

On February 28 2024, the Peabody Essex Museum (PEM) stepped beyond its Salem home to host an invite-only Present Tense Initiative reception inside Jack Shainman Gallery’s freshly opened Tribeca flagship (46 Lafayette Street). Surrounded by Nick Cave’s towering bronze “Amalgam (Origin)” and other works, museum leaders, patrons, and art-world insiders raised a glass to celebrate the launch of Shelagh Keeley’s new artist book, a publication rooted in her monumental wall drawing commissioned by PEM. The evening featured a fireside conversation between Keeley and PEM Head Librarian Dan Lipcan, highlighting the museum’s drive to spotlight boundary-pushing contemporary voices.

Scroll on for the photo story and see how Present Tense energy and Tribeca’s newest art space converged in one unforgettable night.