DOUBLE MEANINGS AT WORK: ROY AND LAU’S ABSTRACT CONNECTIONS AT MONTSERRAT

It’s difficult to make out what you’re looking at.

At first, it seems vaguely like an upside-down human head. But what would serve as a skull is a black vessel imprinted with flowers and leaves, and a raven ponytail grows out a would-be neck. Then there are the tan and lace-like patches creating a checkered patchwork across what would be a face, and the cream-colored nodules and protuberances growing nearly everywhere — some of which resemble reproductive organs.

Meanwhile, a vastly different piece holds a similar curiosity: The silhouette of a chicken runs across dozens of rectangles on a Japanese paint color chart; the many hues arranged in neat rows include “luminous lemon,” “primary magenta” and “leaf green.”

The former, “Ch’ing Nasty,” is a paper and hair collage by Jessica Lau; the latter a monotype by Rob Roy.

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