Traveling exhibition curated by Amber Esseiva explores the life and enduring influence of pioneering architect, educator, and artist Amaza Lee Meredith through newly commissioned works by leading contemporary artists.

FEATURING:
AD—WO (Emanuel Admassu and Jen Wood), The Black School (Shani Peters and Joseph Cuillier), Lukaza Branfman-Verissimo, Kapwani Kiwanga, Abigail Lucien, Practise (James Goggin and Shan James), Tschabalala Self, and Cauleen Smith, Donnamarie Barnes, Michael Butler, and Hank Willis Thomas.

The Church is proud to present Dear Mazie, a major group exhibition curated by Amber Esseiva, Senior Curator and Director of Curatorial Affairs at the Institute for Contemporary Art at Virginia Commonwealth University (ICA at VCU), opening Saturday, October 3, and on view October 4 through December 27, 2026. Inspired by the life and work of Amaza Lee Meredith (1895–1984)—the first known Black queer woman to practice architecture in the United States—the exhibition celebrates Meredith's extraordinary contributions to architecture, education, community building, and Black cultural history while examining her continued relevance through the work of contemporary artists, designers, and architects.

Organized by ICA at VCU, Dear Mazie, marks an important milestone for The Church as the institution's first presentation of a traveling exhibition developed by another museum. Following acclaimed presentations in Richmond, Virginia, and at the California African American Museum in Los Angeles, the exhibition arrives in Sag Harbor, where Meredith's legacy remains deeply rooted through Azurest North, the historic waterfront community she co-founded in the 1940s as a haven for Black families during segregation.

Meredith's remarkable life defied convention. An artist, educator, designer, and architect, she created spaces that embodied self-determination, beauty, and belonging while forging a path in professions that largely excluded Black women. Dear Mazie, considers her legacy not as a historical footnote, but as a living framework through which contemporary artists engage questions of place, identity, gender, sexuality, architecture, memory, and community.

Curated by Amber Esseiva, the exhibition brings together newly commissioned works by eleven internationally recognized artists, architects, and collaborative practices whose responses illuminate Meredith's multifaceted life and enduring influence. Featured artists include AD—WO (Emanuel Admassu and Jen Wood), The Black School (Shani Peters and Joseph Cuillier), Lukaza Branfman-Verissimo, Kapwani Kiwanga, Abigail Lucien, Practise (James Goggin and Shan James), Tschabalala Self, and Cauleen Smith. At The Church, the exhibition will be further expanded through newly commissioned works by East End artists Donnamarie Barnes, Michael Butler, and Hank Willis Thomas, strengthening the dialogue between Meredith's legacy and the community she helped shape.

Few places are better suited to host Dear Mazie, than Sag Harbor. Meredith's vision helped establish Azurest North as a place of refuge, creativity, and Black excellence on the East End, and her influence remains woven into the cultural history of the village. Her significance to the community is reflected even in The Church itself, where she is among the local icons depicted on the building's celebrated windows. Bringing this exhibition to Sag Harbor represents both a homecoming and an opportunity to introduce broader audiences to one of the region's most important yet underrecognized cultural figures.

"Dear Mazie, embodies The Church's mission to connect art, history, and community through exhibitions that deepen our understanding of the place we call home," said Sheri L. Pasquarella, Executive Director of The Church. "Amaza Lee Meredith transformed Sag Harbor through her vision, courage, and creativity. Her contributions continue to reverberate here, and are of both regional and national importance. We are honored to welcome this remarkable exhibition to the very community where so much of her legacy continues to resonate."

"Meredith imagined architecture not simply as the construction of buildings, but as the creation of spaces where people could live with dignity, joy, and freedom," said curator Amber Esseiva. "The artists in Dear Mazie, extend her vision into the present, demonstrating how her work continues to inspire new conversations about belonging, design, and collective futures."

The exhibition concludes The Church's 2026 exhibition season, a year-long exploration inspired by the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States. Across four exhibitions, guest curators have examined pivotal figures, movements, and ideas that have shaped American cultural history from fresh and often overlooked perspectives. Dear Mazie brings this season to a powerful close by centering the life of an extraordinary visionary whose story expands our understanding of American art, architecture, and community.

An opening reception and a series of public programs—including artist talks, lectures, and community conversations—will accompany the exhibition. Additional details will be announced by The Church in the coming weeks.

The exhibition's presentation at the ICA at VCU is made possible by generous supporters including:

• Terra Foundation for American Art

• Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts

• Virginia Humanities

• Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts

ABOUT THE CURATOR

AMBER ESSEIVA is a Swiss-Senegalese-American curator and educator specialized in producing contemporary art exhibitions and programs by national and international mid-career and emerging artists. Esseiva is currently the Senior Curator and Director of Curatorial Affairs at the Institute for Contemporary Art at Virginia Commonwealth University (ICA VCU). A VCUart