Devotions was a group exhibition at Lyles and King featuring work of trans femme artist Marcel Alcalá, Ren Light Pan, Paola Angelini, and Brian Oakes. Her paintings stand out among the other artists showing at the gallery thanks to their vibrancy, impasto technique, and confrontational nature. They are a breath of fresh air and an exciting inclusion in the show. Alongside Alcalá's works were Ren Light Pan’s multimedia prints and experimental 2D works, sculptural low-hanging lamps by Brian Oakes, and other paintings from Angelini. While the exhibition itself was eclectic, it seemed to work in Alcalá's favor. The techno-inspired lamps pulled the warmth from Alcalá’s paintings into the center of the room. The ghastly well dressed femmes of Alcalá's works are painted simply, not restricting themselves to realism or anatomy. Instead, her work is very gestural, with some areas even wandering into impressionistic territory. The harsh lines on the figure in her painting Looking Back contrast with the ambiguity of the floral tapestry and shadowy back turned to the viewer is appealing. Alcalá's style is welcoming and cozy, which is complimented by the size of her canvases. Her small and intimate paintings fit nicely with the low ceilings the gallery, and with the subject matter of Pan's works. Pan's print style paintings feature sultry girls in a monochrome palette, girls that are much more realized than the figures in Alcalá's paintings. But they are brought together by the same sense of emotion. The other paintings in the show, by Angelini were outshined by the brightness and characterization of Alcalá’s work. Angelini had very intricate large scale works next to Alcalá. They used similar color palettes, but the complexity and detail in Angelini’s work felt a little lost. Her paintings, welcoming at least 48 inches wide, were full of imagery and imitated the clutter of altars and the close details of textile works. While they could hold their own in a different context, the works are at a disadvantage in this show.
I enjoyed your review of Devotions at Lyles and King, you captured the energy of Marcel Alcala’s work and I appreciate the historical context of painting styles included. That said, there were a few small grammatical errors in the response that could be addressed. The introduction sentence could say “featuring” instead of “features”, the second sentence should state Marcel Alcala’s name, and later on the word “of” is missing between ceilings and the gallery. Additionally, I think the conclusion could be strengthened by addressing the overall show rather than just one artist. I find that the strength of your review lies in your descriptions of the work and ability to keep it concise.
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