At ICP on NYC's Lower East Side, Laia Abril Takes On Rape and Institutional Failure

The International Center of Photography on the Lower East Side is showing Laia Abril: On Rape and Institutional Failure from October 15, 2026, through January 11, 2027. The exhibition centers on the second chapter of Abril's ongoing project A History of Misogyny and looks at different forms of violence against women across history.

Abril combines photographs, compiled testimonies, archival materials, select objects, and installations with sound and video. The aim is to show how gender-based stereotypes, together with prejudices and misconceptions found around the world, have fed a systemic rape culture that still exists today.

Her focus is on institutions rather than individuals. By avoiding victim-blaming narratives, she addresses the lack of social accountability that has let offenders and enablers escape justice. The show was first presented in 2020, soon after the initial allegations against Harvey Weinstein and other powerful men. ICP notes that #MeToo has produced few sustained consequences and little systemic change, and frames the exhibition as a chance to confront the long history of silencing victims and the transgenerational trauma that followed.

Abril, born in 1986 and based in Switzerland, is a research-based artist working in photography, text, video, and sound. Her work is held by institutions including the Centre Pompidou and the V&A. The exhibition is curated by ICP's Sara Ickow. Because the material is heavy, ICP provides a link to resources and hotlines for visitors who feel distressed. Tickets are sold through ICP's website, and the museum's main entrance is at 84 Ludlow Street.