Gallery Naga presents Shared table, an exhibition by American artist Lucy Beecher Nelson, on view from October 9 to November 14, 2026, in Boston. Through a series of watercolors depicting antique china, Nelson explores the emotional and cultural significance of domestic objects passed down through generations. Drawing on her own family’s collection, much of which remains stored away, the artist reflects on the enduring appeal of these delicate pieces and the changing rituals associated with formal dining.

Nelson’s paintings portray plates, bowls, sugar bowls, and other tableware, carefully attending to their decorative patterns, material qualities, and signs of damage. Works such as Kenilworth (Shattered), Corsage (Broken plate), and Gold limoges reveal a tension between beauty and fragility, preservation and loss. By rendering these familiar objects in watercolor on paper and panel, the artist gives renewed visibility to items that have become increasingly impractical in contemporary life, inviting viewers to consider the stories and memories they hold.

At the heart of Shared table lies an inquiry into inheritance, family, womanhood, and the expectations attached to the idea of home. The china functions as more than a collection of treasured possessions: it embodies the tastes, aspirations, and domestic traditions of the women who selected and preserved it. Through these intimate still lifes, Nelson considers how objects connect past and present, prompting reflection on what is carried forward, what is questioned, and what remains meaningful even as the customs surrounding it fade.