The Contemporary Austin will presents "Nature Never Loses," the first in-depth museum survey of artist Carl Cheng. The exhibition brings together six decades of Cheng’s prescient, genre-defying work that operates at the intersection of identity, technology, and ecology.

Cheng first developed his practice in Southern California in the 1960s, amid political unrest, an interdisciplinary art scene, a booming post-war aerospace industry and a rapid development of the region’s landscape. The artist’s practice incorporates a variety of materials and media and engages with environmental change, the relevance of art institutions to their publics, and the role of technology in society—topics that are increasingly urgent in our contemporary moment.

"Nature Never Loses" highlights the innovative and interdisciplinary nature of Cheng’s ever-evolving practice, one which has been largely excluded from art historical narratives to date. The artist’s vast oeuvre and archival material have been distilled into a survey of more than 60 objects as well as documentation of past installations and public artworks.

Cheng's inventive lexicon, includes photographic sculptures, the creation of “art tools” employed in the production of artworks, “nature machines” that anticipate an artificial world shaped by humans, and site-specific interventions aimed at engaging broad audiences.

The exhibition will remain on display through December 8.