Tonight, the Paul Kasmin Gallery will introduce Junkies’ Promises, a group exhibition inspired by William S. Burroughs’ 1953 novel, Junky, in which he details the life of a heroin addict and dealer in 1950s New York. Iván Navarro, the exhibition’s curator, explored the similarity between the daily operation of junkies and artists. He said, “I became fascinated by the way Burroughs fictionalizes survival as a junkie, especially with minimal economic resources and using improvised strategies to reach a goal.” Junkies’ Promises investigates these similarities through works in photography, video, and sculpture where light serves as both the central theme and vital ingredient. Individuals get the chance to understand how people live with light without truly understanding its actual power.

Some of the talented artists featured are Deborah Kass, Jill Magid, Matthew McCaslin, Josiah McElheny, Alejandra Prieto, Pipilotti Rist, and Courtney Smith.

If you can’t make it to tonight’s opening, don’t sweat it! Junkies’ Promises will be on display until August 16.