Altered States

This group show curated by Heather Marx is entitled Altered States, which may suggest the consciousness-expanding pharmacology of 1960 counterculture or the 1980 Ken Russell movie about the dangers of immersion tanks. The reality is less sensational but more interesting. The nine California artists selected for this show — Kim Abeles, Mari Andrews, Chris Duncan, Tanja Geis, Sonja Hinrichsen, Jay McCafferty, Klea McKenna, Sam Perry, and Victoria Wagner — share a commitment to craft, materials, and process that is noteworthy in our digital-deluge era of multitasking simultaneity. The press release states: “This exhibition highlights the natural cycles of our complex environment and offers visitors an opportunity to slow down and reflect on the interconnectedness of the sun, moon, air, and tides.” All the artists live near the Pacific coast and embrace natural materials and processes, and produce generally abstract or conceptual work strongly shaped by their working methods and methodologies.— DeWitt Cheng