Sierra Merda Solo Exhibition Venus From The Block
From the depths of London’s squats to suburban towns in upstate New York, Sierra Merda’s modern muses come to SLA Art Space.
Venus from the Block, the first solo exhibition by international artist Sierra Merda.
The exhibition features 8 paintings (oil on canvas, paper, and panel) created in New York between 2023 and 2025.
Venus from the Block explores beauty as something earned rather than inherited. Lives shaped by surviving the damage meted out by our world result in unique individuals whose strength reaches us as beauty. This beauty is no abstraction; it is a presence. Merda’s work rejects the simple perfection of traditional Venus imagery, embracing the three-dimensionality that its shadows create. Like Rembrandt before her, she sees shadow as the absence of grace, suffering reaching for light.
About the Artist
Sierra Merda, who previously presented work under a different name, is a Lithuanian—born, London—raised painter and draftsperson currently based in New York City.
She earned her B.A. in Painting and Drawing in 2013 from the University of Northampton and, in 2025, completed her MFA in Painting (Anatomy Track) at the New York Academy of Art, where she was awarded a postgraduate Chubb Fellowship (2025— present).
Merda has participated in many group exhibitions across the UK, Europe, and the United States, with Venus from the Block marking the 50th exhibition and first solo exhibition in her twelve-year career.
Her work is rooted in punk, feminist, and underground visual cultures, alongside a sustained engagement with classical art. Merda’s practice subverts historical iconography while exploring contemporary lived experience, examining the body, beauty, and survival through painting.
About SLA ART SPACE
Established in 2014 by the Lithuanian Alliance of America, SLA Art Space is a Lithuanian cultural institution that is dedicated to creating and offering a wide range of cultural events, including live performances, film screenings, panel discussions, and gallery exhibitions.
While the SLA Art Space mission is focused on the cultivation, presentation, and preservation of Lithuanian culture, it is equally determined to operate in a multicultural and inclusive manner, housing and promoting artists and performance events that fully reflect the cultural diversity of New York City, inviting audiences of all ages and backgrounds to engage and share culture and art.
For press inquiries or further information, please contact:
Francine Rogers
francinernyc@gmail.com
Sierra Merda Instagram
Time: 5:00-9:00 pm EST
Free!
