SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. – The Harold J. Miossi Art Gallery at Cuesta College presents Web of Love, a solo exhibition by interdisciplinary artist Samantha Nye, opening Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026. The exhibition runs through March 13 and features an immersive, participatory video installation that examines intimacy, desire, and systems of care through video, sculpture, and performance.
A recent recipient of major awards from the Guggenheim Foundation and Creative Capital, Nye brings a richly layered practice to Web of Love. The exhibition centers on a near shot-by-shot remake of the 1966 Scopitone film of the same title, with Scopitone films being early precursors to contemporary music videos, originally viewed in 1960s and 1970s nightclubs on machines that combined jukeboxes and television screens. Nye’s adaptation stars celebrated artist-activists and Guggenheim Fellows Annie Sprinkle and Beth Stephens, with music by Erin Markey. It was filmed on location in San Luis Obispo at the Madonna Inn, Sycamore Springs, and in a custom-built, faux heart-shaped hot tub suite inspired by 1970s romance resorts.
Carpeted wall-to-wall in lipstick-red shag, the exhibition features an interactive sculptural lounge embedded with four pink, heart-shaped hot tubs sourced from the iconic (and now defunct) Poconos Palace Honeymoon Resort. The installation invites visitors to recline inside the work and experience the four-channel video alongside a series of video sculptures.
“Blending nostalgia, intimacy, and humor, Web of Love invites audiences to consider how desire, care, and fantasy are shaped by architecture, media, and shared social space,” said Nye.
The opening reception for Web of Love takes place Thursday, Jan. 29, from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m., and includes an artist talk in Room 6301 at 6 p.m. A livestream of the talk will be available at bit.ly/weboflove.
Nye’s exhibition follows a special, free public program at Cuesta College’s Harold J. Miossi Cultural and Performing Arts Center on Wednesday, Jan. 28, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The evening features an artist talk with Sprinkle and Stephens and a screening of their 2025 documentary Playing with Fire: An Ecosexual Emergency. Advance reservations are required at eventbrite.com.
According to Miossi Art Gallery Coordinator Tim Stark, the program blends together contemporary art practices that explore intimacy, ecology, and community, examining how care and resilience emerge in response to a changing world.
About the Artist
Samantha Nye is an interdisciplinary artist working with video, installation, sculpture, and performance to explore intimacy, desire, vulnerability, and systems of care. Her work draws on popular culture, queer histories, and immersive environments to examine how social and architectural structures shape love, fantasy, and emotional labor. Nye has received prestigious awards from the Guggenheim Foundation and Creative Capital, and her work has been exhibited internationally at museums, galleries, and film festivals. Her lush, participatory installations invite viewers into spaces of tenderness, humor, and embodied connection.
Gallery Information
The Harold J. Miossi Art Gallery is located in Room 7170 on the Cuesta College San Luis Obispo Campus. Admission is free, and parking in Lot 2 is complimentary during gallery events. Regular gallery hours are Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and by appointment.
For more information, visit the Harold J. Miossi Art Gallery webpage or contact Tim Stark at timothy_stark@cuesta.edu or (805) 546-3202.
About Cuesta College
Cuesta College empowers students to imagine and achieve brighter futures through high-quality
education, personalized support, and a welcoming community. With a main campus in
San Luis Obispo, a North County Campus in Paso Robles, a South County Center in Arroyo
Grande, and a variety of online offerings, we offer opportunities that inspire growth,
spark innovation, and open doors, helping every student succeed on their unique path.
Learn more at cuesta.edu.