HELENA CALMFORS CELEBRATES DEBUT SOLO SHOW “FLORAL DISCIPLINES” AT THE UNTITLED SPACE

HELENA CALMFORS CELEBRATES DEBUT SOLO SHOW “FLORAL DISCIPLINES” AT THE UNTITLED SPACE
– View Photo Gallery 

The Untitled Space in Tribeca was abuzz last Thursday, October 23rd, as guests filled the gallery for the opening reception of Helena Calmfors: Floral Disciplines. The debut solo exhibition by Swedish-born, Brooklyn-based artist, performer, and BDSM professional Helena Calmfors drew a vibrant crowd of collectors, artists, and art enthusiasts who mingled over glasses of white wine while exploring the artist’s evocative works. Curator Indira Cesarine, who organized the exhibition, joined guests in celebrating the opening night, which marked another milestone for The Untitled Space’s commitment to bold, socially engaged contemporary art.

The gallery’s luminous setting was a fitting counterpart to Calmfors’ sensual, defiant works—watercolors and photographic self-portraits that merge floral symbolism with fetish iconography. Across the walls, flowers intertwined with cuffs, masks, and lace, capturing a tension between submission and command that underpins her practice. “Through the lens of BDSM, I explore how desire, power, and objectification coexist, particularly within queer femme identity,” Calmfors has said of her work. “My paintings and performances challenge the patriarchal and heteronormative frameworks that have long shaped how lesbian identity is viewed, performed, and policed.”

The exhibition, curated by Indira Cesarine, invites viewers to confront the complexities of eroticism, vulnerability, and power through a feminist lens. Cesarine noted, “Helena’s work embodies the kind of fearless vulnerability that defines contemporary feminist art. Her ability to merge softness with strength—to make the erotic both tender and political—invites a necessary dialogue about control, identity, and power.”

The evening’s energy reflected both the intimacy of Calmfors’ subject matter and the community surrounding The Untitled Space. Guests lingered late into the evening, taking in the artist’s layered explorations of identity, visibility, and defiance. The exhibition follows Calmfors’ previous participation in the gallery’s group shows REBEL (2022) and UPRISE 2025: The Art of Resistance, marking her continued evolution as a vital voice in contemporary queer and feminist art.

“Helena Calmfors: Floral Disciplines” is on view at The Untitled Space through November 7, 2025.

Exhibition Details
HELENA CALMFORS: FLORAL DISCIPLINES
October 23 – November 7, 2025
The Untitled Space | 45 Lispenard Street, New York, NY 10013

Socials: @helenacalmfors @untitledspaceny

Event photos by Chia-Ta Tsai, and Kiley Cacace