Numerology, myth, and memory converged in Inga Somdyala’s exhibition “Adamah,” which included paintings; small and large flags made with soil, ocher, clay, and canvas; and video installations exploring notions of heritage, lineage, and national identity. Through the exhibition title, language seeps into various paths: Adamah is not only a root word for “ground” and “earth” in the Hebrew language, but also the Adam of the Bible—creation, beginning, and end.

The show began with Somdyala’s recollection of his grandmother’s burial; he presented a pair of Nike Stefan Janoski sneakers he wore as he