Review: “Tender Is the Night”
Installation view of Tender is the Night at Picture Theory. Courtesy of Picture Theory.
Within Tender is the Night at Picture Theory, interior and exterior worlds blend to reveal the memories, dreams, and identities of the artists Alexandria Couch, Kimberly Heard, and Tuere Nicole. The collection of works anchors itself in a world between figuration and abstraction. As viewers explore the liminal space, they discover recurring motifs that come together to reveal the artists' distinct yet complementary practices.
Installation view of Alexandria Couch’s works in Tender is the Night at Picture Theory. Courtesy of the artist and Picture Theory.
Couch works in layers, often crossing mediums such as paper, canvas, embroidery, and paint to weave a contemplative and somber tale within her constructed scenes. Through these materials, she builds robust environments in which her pensive figures offer viewers a glimpse into a quiet moment of contemplation. She crowns a few works with found objects typically meant for architectural spaces, such as a bed frame from a room and a garden gate. The addition of these found objects situates the works in an imaginary space that welcomes the audience’s gaze, while simultaneously suggesting a portal for entry into the work's two-dimensional plane. Through meticulous assembly of materials, colors, and figures, Couch creates a sense of depth in her work.
Installation view of Kimberly Heard’s works in Tender is the Night at Picture Theory. Courtesy of the artist and Picture Theory.
Heard uses a monochromatic palette of oils to focus on emotional depth in her works. Upon first glance, the pieces are a visual puzzle with a sketch-like quality. Many of the works are elegantly rendered in washes, which give the figures a ghostly appearance. While the contexts for many of these seemingly domestic scenes remain cryptic, their affect is palpable; titles such as Sienna #1 (2025), Sienna 2 (2025), and Dehiscence #6 (2025) lead us to focus on the pictorial and the artist’s material gestures. The moments she creates are points of focus inside a cerebral landscape, where the details are ungraspable, but the ambiance and its impact on the artist are clearly legible.
Installation view of Tuere Nicole’s works in Tender is the Night at Picture Theory. Courtesy of the artist and Picture Theory.
Nicole’s portraits offer snapshots of girlhood and its community through floral framing and pastel colors. The small canvases feel similar to photographs from a family album. The nostalgic figures are reminiscent of those one’d be familiar with in a matriarchal structure: sisters, mothers, and companions in girlhood. The floral background that surrounds its protagonists imbues portraiture with a sense of care. Their bodies are the focus; other details, such as clothing, are only outlined, allowing the background to seep through the figures. The women’s identities or roles are noted in the work’s titles, Caretaker (2025), Sisters (2025), Juliana (2025), etc. Nicole offers love to the women she tenderly paints, anchoring their memories in the permanence of their visual representation.
Tender is the Night is named after F. Scott Fitzgerald’s 1934 novel, which uncovers the tragic lives of the wealthy beneath a glitzy facade. As its namesake suggests, these artists come together to peel back the corporeal facade to reveal the memories, dreams, and people that have impacted their practices. This exhibition is an invitation into their inner worlds; it presents a treasure trove of discovery, inviting viewers to reflect on those who have influenced our consciousness.
Tender Is the Night was on view at Picture Theory, New York, from January 15 to February 14, 2026.
