Nat Decker: Bad Topology / Ceradon Gallery, Los Angeles

Nat Decker's exhibition, “Bad Topology”, explores the intersection of topology, disability, and the digital age. Topology, a mathematical field studying the properties of shapes under deformation, parallels the treatment of disabled bodies, often viewed as "bad topology" that requires fixing. Through sculptural works like “Body Topology (2024)” and the video “Bad Topology (2024)”, Decker challenges this notion, proposing that disability can be a space for exploration and adaptation rather than a problem to solve. The exhibition employs multimedia works, such as “Point to Point Topology (2024)”, to visualize digital network structures, illustrating how the internet enables connections for disabled individuals facing accessibility barriers.

Decker critiques physical spaces, exemplified by the inaccessible Ceradon Gallery, while also advocating for future accessibility improvements. The exhibition employs "topological puzzles" to symbolize the challenges faced by disabled individuals in navigating social and institutional environments. Decker, a Los Angeles-based artist, integrates technology and accessibility into their practice, reflecting on the complexities of the disabled experience. **Bad Topology** serves as both an artistic statement and a platform for broader discussions on how art spaces can evolve to become more inclusive and responsive to diverse needs.

Ceradon is LA’s first trans-established gallery. Founded by Andra Nadirshah & Stevie Soares in 2024. Ceradon specializes in cultivating the work of nexus artists including but not limited to the craft of DJs, economists, sculptors, writers, architects, designers, and painters. We are keenly interested in developing the practices of artists working across mediums, economies, and worlds. As trans people are made to seek radical honesty with their own identities, we believe we, as gallerists, are uniquely able to recognize radical honesty in the work of artists. Ceradon consists of our two co-directors and a board of advisors composed of local & international community leaders.

Nat Decker: Bad Topology / Ceradon Gallery, Los Angeles. Opening reception, October 11, 2024.