Portals, Pathways, and the Space Between Us


Portals, Pathways, and the Space Between Us, is an exhibition in collaboration with The Carnegie, Covington, Kentucky, that explores placemaking, shapeshifting, and the temporalities of Kentucky through the Ohio River.
The river is a point of study and departure, its historical significance rooted in division and symbols of freedom. The river acts as both a border and a point of shared connection—the complexities of this contradiction are unique to Kentucky, revealing the nuances of placemaking and identity. Anthropologist Kathleen Stewart states, “From the perspective of acts of place and its sensory materiality, place is something that throws itself together in moments, things, in aesthetic sensibilities and affective chargers.” Placemaking transcends historical markers but is rooted in everyday occurrences, the buildup of relationships, colloquial sayings, the environment, shared sentiments, and bodily gestures. This exhibition examines scenes of Kentucky placemaking that hold resonance, reverence, and vibrancy through texture, aural and oral signifiers, myths, and gestures that are specific to the region.
This exhibition consists of outdoor video programs that will take place throughout the state of Kentucky. The exhibition will travel to six different venues occurring once a month from June to November 2025. The participating venues are Institute 193 (Lexington, KY), KMAC (Louisville, KY), Josephine Sculpture Park (Frankfort, KY), Bernheim Forest and Arboretum (Clermont, KY), The Carnegie (Covington, KY), Eastern Kentucky Gallery (Richmond, KY).
Portals, Pathways, and the Space Between Us is curated by Sso-Rha Kang, Curator at The Carnegie, and is part of KADIST’s ongoing international program Double Takes, which activates film and video works through physical and online presentations at partner institutions and on KADIST.tv.
Sso-Rha Kang is an educator and curator based in Cincinnati, OH. She is the Curator for The Carnegie (Covington, KY). From 2021-2023 she served as the Director of Galleries and Outreach at Northern Kentucky University where she curated exhibitions, performances, and organized events with an emphasis on cross disciplinary collaboration. Her research interests delve into areas of institutional critique, blankness, and aesthetic experience. She has taught from 2017-2023 at institutions such as, The University of Cincinnati, The Art Academy of Cincinnati, and Northern Kentucky University. Additionally, she has curated exhibitions for Wave Pool, Pearlman Gallery, Third Space Gallery, The Weston, and The Contemporary Arts Center. She was one of two Consulting Curators for the state of Ohio in the exhibition New Worlds: Women to Watch (2024) for the National Museum for Women in the Arts in Washington, DC.
The Carnegie is Northern Kentucky’s largest multidisciplinary arts venue providing theatre events, educational programs and art exhibitions to the Northern Kentucky and Greater Cincinnati community. The Carnegie facility is home to The Carnegie Galleries, the Otto M. Budig Theatre, and the Eva G. Farris Education Center.The Carnegie is supported by the generosity of tens of thousands of contributors to the ArtsWave Community Campaign. The Carnegie receives ongoing operating support from the Kentucky Arts Council, City of Covington, Kenton County Fiscal Courts, Carol Ann & Ralph V. Haile, Jr. Foundation, the Greater Cincinnati Foundation, and Cincinnati International Wine Festival.