EXHIBITIONISM
A PEEK AT WHAT’S SHOWING AROUND TOWN
Gendron Jensen, Untitled (BIDDEN V) (2010, detail), pencil on paper
5. Gallery, 2351 Fox Rd., No. 700, 505-257-8417, 5pointgallery.com For more than 50 years, artist Gendron Jensen has found inspiration in the animal bones he discovers while hiking — first in the north woods of Minnesota and more recently in the lands surrounding his home outside Taos. Using graphite and stone lithography as his mediums, he re-creates the bones of wild animals, such as owls, ravens, turtles, and beavers and renders them in intricate, faithful detail. Unidentifiable as specific species to the untrained eye, these animal bones look almost sculptural or like odd relics from some unknown culture. His drawings reach sizes as tall as 7 feet. BIDDEN, an exhibition of his work, opens with a 5 p.m. reception on Friday, May 31. The show is on view through July 5.
Lynden St. Victor, Aries, Zodiac series (2019), acrylic, ink, and oil on canvas
Pop Gallery, 125 E. Lincoln Ave., Ste. 111, 505-820-0788, popsantafe.com In his first major show at Pop Gallery in 13 years, self-taught hyper-surrealist painter Lynden St. Victor unveils his newest body of work inspired by the signs of the zodiac. He peoples worlds both alien and familiar with solitary enigmatic heroes and antiheroes in narrative, bold, and cinematic works. His characters are eccentric loners on the outskirts of society, mysterious figures inhabiting forbidding landscapes, and adventurers forging their own paths with a sense of defiant individualism. St. Victor, under the pen name Vic Lee, is also the creator of the popular comic Pardon My Planet. The exhibit opens with a 6 p.m. reception on Friday, May 31, and runs through June 30.
Z.Z. Wei, Left Behind (2019), oil on canvas
Blue Rain Gallery, 544 S. Guadalupe St., 505-954-9902, blueraingallery.com Combining imagery inspired by his travels along America’s highways and byways with his experience growing up in China during the Cultural Revolution, artist Z.Z. Wei creates moody compositions that capture the spirit of his adopted home. His semi-abstract American landscapes — where rusted and abandoned automobiles, weathered barns, and farmhouses stand witness to the slow passage of time — are tinged with a sense of melancholy but also a feeling of tranquility. Solitude: New Paintings by Z.Z. Wei opens with a reception at 5 p.m. on Friday, May 31, and is on exhibit until June 15.
Terran Last Gun, Untitled (2019), serigraph
Hecho a Mano, 830 Canyon Road, 505-916-1341, hechoamano.org Contemporary artist Terran Last Gun draws from the geometric visual language of his ancestral heritage in compositions that reflect Color Field, Pop, and Minimalist aesthetics. Originally from Browning, Montana, Last Gun earned degrees in museum studies and studio arts from the Institute of American Indian Arts. He often incorporates Blackfeet motifs into his bold and graphic works on paper. “My artwork can be seen as visual records of a layered experience of being Amskapi Piikani (Blackfeet) of Montana,” he wrote in a statement. “I use a range of materials and approaches to making art. Whether it’s printmaking, photography, or painting, I continue to explore color, form, composition, and memory when creating visual narratives.” A self-titled exhibition of his work opens with a reception at 6 p.m. on Friday, May 31, and is on view through June 22.
Frank Ettenberg, The Runaround (1993), monotype
Vital Spaces, 310 Johnson St., vitalspaces.org The monotypes, early drawings, paintings on paper, and recent sketches of abstractionist Frank Ettenberg are on view, along with works by his regional contemporaries, in the pop-up exhibition and benefit sale Frank and Friends: Works on Paper. Ettenberg, who was diagnosed with dementia and moved into an assisted living facility in 2018, continues to create artwork despite his condition. Ettenberg’s works cover periods throughout his career in Santa Fe and Vienna. All sales go to support Ettenberg’s continued memory care. A closing reception will be held at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, June 5.