March 07/ WM issue #1: Lucky Stars/Leigh Salgado at Patricia Correia/Faufitown Projects

Pubescent Beatnik Cha-Cha’s  With Lucky Stars

Exhibition Dates: January 13-March 3, 2007
Patricia Correia Gallery / Faufitown Projects
Bergamot Station – Santa Monica, CA

by Sandra Vista, whitehot magazine, Los Angeles

Leigh Salgado-Pubescent Beatnik 
Project Room 1

Leigh Salgado’s solo exhibit is like taking an espresso shot of someone’s id. Abstractions of fishnet stockings, corsets, and brassieres pulsate on the walls. During our gallery interview, she intimated that her works were echoing memories of her childhood while being embraced in her mother’s arms. (Embraced in her mother’s arms is the way I pictured her getting her life lessons). She said that a kid is sexual and has erotic feelings.

These early sexual and psychological experiences are materialized in her labor intensive works on paper. Leigh’s paper works are perpetually on point with carved organic shapes that pierce the paper. Also the designs are burned in and pierced with grommets. The grommets are a new variable in her work. She said they represent those harsh moments we all experience in our lifetime.

Leigh’s visual intentions are deliberately provocative, a source to evoke sensual feelings and space for romantic “goo-goo”. During our visit at the gallery, Patricia Correia came by and asked Leigh if she was interested in doing a commission based on “Femme Fatale 2006 (12”x 9”). The piece, which was already sold, was reminiscent of a sweetheart valentine and maternal nurturing. Hurray for an encore of the art piece and the entire exhibition!

Lucky Stars-Inaugural Group Exhibition @ Faufitown Projects

Lucky Stars is a group exhibit on display in Project Room II at Patricia Correia’s Gallery. There is a definite tie between Pubescent Beatnik

(Leigh Salgado), and Lucky Stars because both exhibits are reminiscent of childhood memories time warped with current representations. If your childhood took place sometime in the l950’s, 60’s, 70’s and beyond, you are bathed in flashbacks.

Upon entering Project Room II, the viewer needs to decide whether to approach the exhibit to the left or to walk straight ahead. There is a barrier dividing three quarters of the gallery that prohibits the flow of the space and a full view of all the work.  I went in through the left and was immediately intrigued by Jack Howe’s installation that looked like a spiritual niche. The major portion of the artwork has a feeling of a neighborhood with Jack Howe’s assemblages serving as the spiritual welcome wagon. 

Cassandra Simon’s mixed-media drawings are personalized with images of a station wagon from the l960’s and post World War II home. I can imagine her walking down the walkway of the home. Her choice of collaged paper patterns add to the lyrical essence of her works.

On the opposite side of the gallery are Noah Becker’s paintings which resemble layers of memories.Each painting’s composition gives the impression of individual islands with Bosch-like scenes.

The group show was previously exhibited at the Bridge Art Fair in Miami 2006. The bold colors and patterns of many of the works along with their fantasy imageries were probably at home in Florida as they are welcome in Los Angeles.

http://www.correiagallery.com/index.html

http://faufitownprojects.com/

http://www.leighsalgado.com

Visit Leigh Salgado's website for more on this artist.