Exhibitionism

A PEEK AT WHAT’S SHOWING AROUND TOWN

Irene Kung: Gingko Tree 2018, pigment print on rag paper

Chiaroscuro Contemporary Art, 558 Canyon Road, 505-992-0711 Swiss photographer Irene Kung presents nine largescale arboreal portraits in Trees II. Kung’s imagery is digitally manipulated to reduce background elements, lending her subjects the full power of their singular beauty and hallowed presence. “In my photographs, I am able to return the tree to what I felt standing in front of it,” she states. “This is the way I perceive my work, stripping away what is not essential in order to show a tree as it really is, as I feel it.” Trees II opens Friday, June 8. There is no reception.

Esteban Vicente: Untitled 1996, oil on canvas

LewAllen Galleries, 1613 Paseo de Peralta, 505-988-3250 Early Abstract Expressionist Esteban Vicente (1903-2001) found inspiration in the landscapes of his native Spain as well as his Bridgehampton garden in New York. His Garden Paintings, made in the last decade of his life, reflect the ephemerality and simplicity of organic forms, exploring relationships of light and space. The Garden Paintings, an exhibition of this series, opens on Friday, June 8. Also on view is Intersect, an exhibit of Matthew Curtis’ glass sculptures. The reception for both shows is at 5 p.m.

John Yoyogi Fortes: Shroud of Bad Ideas/Parasitic Knowledge 2016, acrylic, enamel, glitter, charcoal, collage on canvas

GalleryFRITZ, 540 S. Guadalupe St., 505-820-1888 Deborah Fritz, owner of Canyon Road’s GF Contemporary, celebrates the opening of her new space in the Railyard this month. GalleryFRITZ’s focus is on emerging, mid-career, and established contemporary artists. The roster of represented artists includes Tim Jag, Paula Castillo, John Yoyogi Fortes, and others. Castillo’s work was recently selected for inclusion in Heavy Metal: Women to Watch 2018, the fifth in a continuing series of shows presented by the National Museum of Women in the Arts (NMWA) in Washington, D.C., and opening on June 28. The reception for GalleryFRITZ’s grand opening is Friday, June 8, at 5 p.m. A $25 per person cocktail party and send-off for Castillo takes place on Thursday, June 14, at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are available at newmexicowomeninthearts.org and benefit the New Mexico chapter of the NMWA.

Les Namingha: Urban Polychrome Pots 2018, acrylic on clay

King Galleries, 130-D Lincoln Ave., 480-440-3912 Urban Polychrome, an exhibition of Les Namingha’s works in clay and on canvas, continues through the month of August. The show is designed by Namingha (Hopi/Zuni) with rotating pieces and works, as well as an interactive component. The idea behind the installation is the layering of memory and experience. “The concept of layering is inherent in our mortal journey,” he states. “As time moves forward, our memories become layered. Some memories remain vibrant, others faint or hazy. Yet others, obscure or even hidden.”

Bjorn Amelan: #14 2016, Sumi and colored inks on late 18th/early-19th century linen

Peters Projects, 1011 Paseo de Peralta, 505-954-5800 “The idea is not to control it, but ride it until it falls into place,” Bjorn Amelan said about his ink paintings made on antique linens. “The process is all stream of consciousness, without clear cultural references.” Amelan began sourcing his canvases from French textile dealers several years ago, using them as the surface for intricate compositions that bear elements of landscape painting and linear abstraction. Seven Paintings, One Sculpture ,an exhibit of his works, opens in conjunction with four other shows at Peters Projects on Friday, June 8: Everywhen: Indigenous Photoscapes by Cara Romero, Vasa Vasorum: The Vase in Contemporary Art and Design, Anthroposcenic: Fire by Robert Welkie, and Quadrivium: Four Native Artists. The reception for all shows is at 5 p.m.