Leonardo Madriz's 'Do Not Be Afraid' Exhibition at Parent Company Explores Precarity Through Assemblage Sculptures

Leonardo Madriz's exhibition 'Do Not Be Afraid' at Parent Company features five gangly, knotted sculptures that anthropomorphize as sentinels. These works incorporate rope, resin, and found objects like rebar, street detritus, and personal items such as credit card fragments. Madriz's sentinels, including 'Sentinel Adorned in the Leavers' Wake' (2025) and 'Sentinel of Lacrimosa Guerrero' (2026), use knots like the manger's hitch and surgeon's loop to link components, creating linear narratives. The sculptures reflect contemporary precarity, with elements like a counterfeit Rolex and a Vietnamese-made U.S. flag in 'Down Is the New Up (Möbius Recalibrates)' (2025) commenting on economic struggles. Madriz's approach recalls post-war artists like Louise Nevelson and Joan Miró, as well as more recent figures like Simone Leigh and Arthur Simms, though his works emphasize weight and weariness rather than containment. The exhibition, organized by the gallery, runs through May 2 at Parent Company's Lower East Side location in Manhattan.