ReflectSpace debuts a new exhibition titled ReCoding the Codex: Cultural Heritage through Language on Saturday, July 25, 2026 from 6:30pm – 8:30pm. It runs through October 10, 2026. Located inside Glendale Central Library, ReflectSpace officially opening in 2017 and has been offering striking exhibitions. The group show investigates the complex connections between language, social justice, and cultural heritage. Historically, a codex is a book. Therefore, the artists use it as a starting point to reimagine how people see, interpret, and understand language. Thus it is fitting for it to be held at the Glendale Library, a home for books and language.

July-October 2026 ReflectSpace

Bryan Ida, Kimiko Kitagaki, 36 x 28 inches, Ink on panel, 2022. Image courtesy of the artist

Through drawing, painting, sculpture, installation, and video, the artists transform script, handwriting, calligraphy, historical records, and archival and commercial texts into powerful artistic expressions. As a result, they illuminate social justice issues that shape their cultural communities. Artists based in the United States and Korea address colonization, Japanese American incarceration, and the exploitation of agricultural workers. Together, they create an international dialogue about the enduring power of words and text.

Meanwhile, the PassageWay features works from Self Help Graphics & Art, the renowned East Los Angeles arts institution. These pieces, drawn from its extensive print and monograph collection, expand the exhibition’s central themes.

Artists include: Hyun Ho Hwang, Bryan Ida, Jin Woo Kim, Narsiso Martinez, Jung Min Park, and artists from Self Help Graphics & Art. It is curated by Ara and Anahid Oshagan and Monica Hye Yeon Jun.  The exhibition continues ReflectSpace’s cultural heritage series, launched in 2025 with Reimagining Algorithms: Cultural Heritage in the Age of AI. Sponsored by the Glendale Arts & Culture Commission through the Urban Art Fund, this exhibition invites the public to engage with history, recognize overlooked voices, and discover how language can preserve culture while inspiring dialogue and social change.

On view: July 25 – October 10, 2026

What: ReCoding the Codex: Cultural Heritage through Language
Where: ReflectSpace / Glendale Central Library, 222 East Harvard Street, Glendale, CA 91205
When: Saturday, July 25, 6:30pm – 8:30pm
Website: https://www.reflectspace.org/