Dan's Papers - May 22, 2009

The word "light" ("lux") has many literal and figurative meanings that are particularly important here on the East End - obviously artists have been attracted to this area for years because of the light. Light is also essential for another art form, namely photography.

The connotative use of "light" is salient as well. Think of the expressions: "The light at the end of the tunnel;" "You'll never see the light of day;" and "Let there be light." Now that we think about it, the word "light" might be the most essential word in our entire language, considering that the last statement cited above comes from the Bible.

East Hampton's Solar Gallery, a small but idiosyncratic and creative venue in owner Esperanza Leon's home, has a current show that relates directly to the notion of light: a photography display using gallery artists who focus on light as both a subject and a technique. It is also fitting that this exhibit is about light since the gallery's name, Solar, suggests a system defined by light itself.

Miquel Salom's series, "Esperant," was originally shown in Majorca where the artist lives and works, and we can certainly feel the locale's vibrant spirited colors and movement exploding before us. His work is described in terms of light, especially how illumination recreates "depth, texture and thus involves poetry, mystery, and spirituality..."

To this critic, Salom's images would be perfect to represent Solar Gallery itself, the circular configurations signifying the never-ending discovery of life forces, the movement suggesting the lack of stasis.

Alicia Weiser's work also evolves around movement, her expressionistic portraits of dancers recalling the "hippy era" of the late 1960s. The blurred images evoke a physicality akin to kinetics, where the viewer actually feels the sense of movement.

Lucia Pizzani's mosaic piece is more abstract, but the movement is there, nonetheless, recalling reflections in the water which change and vibrate. Strangely, it also reminded this critic of the opening image in the HBO TV series, "In Treatment," where the fluidity of life experiences is like human behavior (the series' theme).

Walter Sanchez' photographs are more realistic and not created out of movement. Yet it is the composition of the artist's boats and the expressionistic lighting that are evocative. In a way, there is movement after all: the effect of time and erosion on the boats. Thus, movement in time becomes a potent metaphor.

Lihie Talmor, an Israeli resident who lived in South America, uses movement from various states of existence as a metaphor in her solarplate etchings. Her images are abstract and blurred, recalling at once some mysterious place that is evolving from reality to fantasy and back again.

Richard Garet's photographs are abstract as well, but their geometric forms make them special, as do their lighting features, which have been compared to those of Dan Flavin. The series, titled "Time Frame," is also evolving, much like those by Talmor.

Finally, the "Citiscape" series by Santiago Garza represents ultimate movement and light when night shots are taken from an airplane window.

"Fiat Lux" will be on view until June 1 at Solar Gallery. Call 631-907-8422 for information.