Tempo Rubato presents Monique Rollins's latest drawings as an exploration of rhythm, movement, and emotional expression through abstraction. Borrowing its title from the musical term describing the subtle stretching and compressing of tempo for expressive effect, the exhibition reveals how Rollins orchestrates form and color with a similar sensitivity.

Expanding beyond the restrained palette of black, white, and orange that characterized her recent work, Rollins introduces vibrant ruby reds that intensify the visual cadence of her compositions. In WhyNot__!! (2026), charcoal and Conté crayon sweep across the paper in broken, looping, and angular forms that echo the syncopated energy of jazz. Each mark feels deliberate, balancing spontaneity with precision to create compositions that pulse with movement and invite viewers to experience drawing as both a visual and rhythmic language.

Rather than depicting sound, Rollins translates its expressive qualities into form. The tension between repetition and improvisation, order and spontaneity, allows each composition to unfold over time, encouraging sustained looking. Like a musical performance, the works reward close attention, revealing subtle shifts in tempo, balance, and emotion that transform the act of viewing into an experience of movement itself. Rollin’s drawings give us something to dance to.

--Curated by Phoebe Caswell