Gathering What’s Tangible brings together Open MFA’s collective response to the pandemic in the form of craft. In March 2020, the pandemic caused Open MFA’s meetings to come to an abrupt stop. Zoom and virtual meetings were a poor substitute for the participatory and energetic events held prior to the pandemic. During this time of isolation and anxiety, artists turned towards materiality–many incorporating craft for the first time–as a means of connection and comfort. Open MFA's inaugural exhibition draws connections between these works and rekindles a community founded on tactile and playful discourse.

"Reflecting on the artists and works selected for the Raven Tower pop up, the viewer is pushed through a lifecycle of accepting Houston—reflecting on the culture of the city, our bodies that work hard to create and manipulate our landscape and the re-categorization of what our skyline stands for, the pains of expansion and gentrification, yet the celebrations of new frontiers and access that cities of similar size and capacity cannot harness..." [Excerpt from curatorial statement, Megan Olivia Ebel]