Counterpoint

Counterpoint features concurrent shows by two Albuquerque artists—Semaphore, a multi/mixed media installation by Bruce Davis, and Inside the Blue Studio, a selection of works by painter and printmaker LaVerne Harper. An ancillary exhibit in Gallery X features earlier works and the origins of the artists’ ideas for their respective shows.

Counterpoint is on view in N4th Gallery and Gallery X through June 30, 2023, with an opening reception on Friday, May 12, 5-8 pm. Overall, the juxtaposition of the 2D and 3D works of art offers the viewer a refreshing counterpoint of media and meaning.

In creating Semaphore, a site-specific installation, architect, and artist Bruce Davis draws upon his experience with raw and reclaimed construction materials to explore space and material using lights, motors, and sculptures that frame and activate the space. The addition of light and sound inspired Davis to present the totality of the work in what he calls Semaphore Transception Events, which will be held in N4th Gallery on Wednesday, May 17, and Friday, June 23, from 9 pm to 11 pm.

Laverne Harper’s selection of paintings for Inside the Blue Studio pays homage to Matisse’s The Red Studio. Like Matisse, Harper gives a glimpse into the privacy of her studio and the paintings created therein through a daily practice she likens to a search for “self.” Harper is known for her evocative paintings and prints of the everyday iconography of Albuquerque and the surrounding area.