BETWEEN WORLDS

The latest at Sandy Carson is stunning

On January 19, the Sandy Carson Gallery at 760 Santa Fe Drive will be closing its exhibit, "Between Worlds." The exhibit, which covers a variety of media, mostly focuses on paintings and other wall installations, showcasing the works of Teresa Camozzi, Francine Matazzaro, Santiago Perez, and Michael Wilson.

Santiago Perez's oil paintings command attention at the gallery entrance. His large canvases play with the role of the horse in metaphysical imagery; the horse has been seen as a transport to other worlds and the realms of death in mythologies ranging from the Celtic to the Mongolian. His rich images capture the vibrant colors of horses in deep browns, blood bays, roans and grays.

The latter animal, which dominates The Aviator, emphasizes how overwhelmed a person can feel when confronted with the infinite. The prone horse is ridden by a tiny, naked cherub in a pilot's hat, warily glancing behind him as he is made the object of spectacle by a circus ringleader. The many colors used to create the horse's overall dappled color don't detract from its impression of massive couched power. One waits for it to heave to its feet and begin its journey.

Michael Wilson's smaller acrylic-and-oil paintings display a lighter touch, but a similarly luminous use of color. His delightful Fortune Cookie is divided into two world-scenes: a gold-infused space occupied only by a woodpecker, and a rolling green open space overlaid with sun-spot diamonds. A delicate red image, like an exploded flower, bridges the two worlds.

Sandy Carson's and gallery director Mark Masouka's collection overall examines the show's theme in a mixture of traditional and unexpected ways, while avoiding the overused. Masouka, who also curated and presented the Colorado Biennial at the Museum of Contemporary Art/ Denver this year, shows a steady hand in the assemblage of the group.
--Kate Williamson