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Mark Flood, “Seer Company,” 2015. Courtesy of the artist and Marlborough Gallery.

The artist Mark Flood plays curator this winter with “The Future Is Ow” at Marlborough Chelsea. The prophetically titled exhibition gathers together the most futuristic work of the Houstonian’s artist circle, which includes Chris Bexar, Paul Kremer, El Franco Lee II and Susie Rosmarin. Billed as a group show governed by a common interest in digital printing, it celebrates years of fruitful friendship both in and out of the studio — and the informal layout, which includes a mattress floor and plywood fortresses, is more reminiscent of a clubhouse than an exhibition. “I get the idea and the title for a show at the same time,” explains Flood, who has been collecting his peers’ work for decades. “I don’t think the future is going to look like a James Bond movie; I think it will be some shelter where everyone sits on the floor surrounded by art.” Here, a look at Flood’s brave new world.

Mark Flood

The exhibition also features several pieces of Flood’s own work. Notably, a painting that spells out “YOLO,” a piece from Flood’s recent “LOL” series, adds a tongue-in-cheek lightness to the show. When questioned about their gregarious leader, the participating artists recall funny encounters and long-held friendships. “Mark is always putting people together,” Rosmarin says. The dark-humored Flood seems equally surprised by the natural chemistry of the show: “It all happened in the nick of time. I didn’t want things to be contrived or forced, but in the end it all came together very organically. I usually hate themed group shows, but here I am.”