At Home, At Galatea

by Mina Kang

The Summer Members’ Exhibition at Galatea Fine Art, with its many shades and styles, evokes both nostalgia and comfort. With artwork submitted by its each of its members, Galatea composed a diverse, but cohesive exhibit that conveys an array of emotions. Paula Estey’s “Across Time,” a mixed media on birch plywood composition, strikes you with its sad poetic lines that sing the pain of loss: “But a shadow lingers / Where a storm once was / And I swear I felt your hand across / The atoms of time / I swear.” The accompanying black and white photos remind you of the family albums that have been sleeping beneath your bed, and perhaps inspire you to revisit them. “Hopperesque Truro,” a photograph of houses lined against a sunset, harbors a similar nostalgia. The houses, in dark monochrome, seem lonely.

If you’re worried about delving too deep into the past, Mengting Yu’s “Reflection” will bring you back to the present. Its ambiguous female figure will push you to reflect on yourself in the now. The colors are pale but somehow sobering, and you’ll find yourself suddenly self-reflective. Or you might enjoy Martha Stone’s refreshing “New Field” landscape painting that will either get you daydreaming or recalling some of the memorable scenic views you’ve experienced in your lifetime and the wonder you felt gazing out at them.

With pieces arousing feelings we all commonly experience, this exhibit feels like home. The exhibition’s over 20 different artists offer plenty to connect with.

The exhibition will be up till this Friday, July 29 at Galatea Fine Art, 460B Harrison Avenue in Boston. For more information, visit galateafineart.com or call (617) 542-1500.