Cold Sweat is a three-person exhibition of new work by Rita Bard (Santa Fe, NM), Loc Huynh (Denton, TX), and Laura Wacha (Bernardo, NM). In uncertain times such as these, humor is a tool that can give us relief while simultaneously sharpening one’s critical engagement with a subject. All three artists in this exhibition employ humor to engage with a pastiche of considerable topics: Comics, Pop art, theater, television, interpersonal dynamics, politics, and popular culture are but a few references that come to mind when viewing the work of the these highly energetic and colorful artists. The writer Kimberly Drew states, “anxiety is the opposite of freedom. Anxiety is like wading in fear. We’re all buoyed by what we have and what we’re willing to do to keep it. And there’s a fine line between inner peace and ignorance.” These artists, like us, are dealing with personal and collective anxieties, and through their individualized freedom of expression, they help both artist and viewer grapple with both complex and mundane issues.
Exhibition dates: October 27, 2019-February 1, 2020