Abstracts, still lifes, portraits, and even sculpture were submitted for this open call, raising questions about what pairings and groupings actually mean. Almost immediately, even the most everyday objects were elevated into powerful symbols, the seemingly banal imbued with meaning. But what most intrigued me was the quiet tension that pairs can also represent: in addition to togetherness, it also implies compromise and the need to let another shine. Thank you to all of the artists that encouraged me to think about these nuances. - Kate Kelly