Exhibition Review: Leo Villareal | Interstellar
© Leo Villareal
Written by Max Wiener
Photo Edited by Max Wiener & Athena Abdien
In Interstellar, Leo Villareal uses the capabilities of modern technology to create stunning art, altering our perception of the known and unknown.
When you go to Pace Gallery, you usually enter a world where the unknown becomes reachable. Many of their artists, like Todd Paglen, use modern technology's incredible capabilities to create profoundly stunning works of art. Leo Villareal, being no stranger to Pace (this is his seventh show with the gallery), fits the bill once again with his stunning new exhibition entitled Interstellar. Much like Christopher Nolan’s eponymous film, this series grabs you by the shirt and throws you into the unknown, making you question what you’re truly looking at. The series opened on March 17 and is closing soon on April 29.
Using LEDs and custom computer software, Villareal takes us through space as if he were Buzz Aldrin. His command of the subject matter is uncanny, and he makes the unknown feel incredibly familiar. Set amongst the dark interior of Pace, each piece is a beacon of light, lit up by the Technicolor magic splashed on the walls. Each separate piece feels like a planet unto itself, and you feel locked in its orbit as you move closer to work. The pieces are much larger than Villareal’s other works, spanning several feet and touching almost colossal in person. However, this brings you closer to the subject and immerses you further into each piece. The nebula lights seem to enter you as you move closer to the image. The pinks and the blues feel like they’re hugging you, gently easing you into their world with a seductive touch. Even an entity like outer space feels attainable through Villareal’s presentation.
© Leo Villareal
Even while intentionally blurring the images, the colors in Villareal’s pieces are so unbelievably stunning, reminiscent of a Lichtenstein lithograph. It’s sharp and cutting, and it draws you in immediately. A first glance would have you focusing on a yellow, but then a delightful splash of orange brings you deeper into the work. The vast majority of space - the black, infinite mass - is less ripe for creation, but these bursts make it more enticing. You can’t take your eyes off of them.
© Leo Villareal
Images of space, especially in recent years, are lauded for their sharp accuracy of the subjects and the ability to capture something so far with such precision. This narrative explains itself, offering little wiggle room with interpretation; a picture of the Moon is a picture of the Moon. Villareal, however, saw the fork in the road and went his separate path, creating works that ask you to control your interpretation and come up with your conclusions. This is radical and allows this exhibition to be one of the most transformative viewing experiences for attendees. You’re not looking at a clear, lucid image of Jupiter. You see the bulk of humanity’s accurate perception of outer space: blurry, clouded, etc. Villareal invites you to form your own opinion and conclusion, and as you leave Pace, you’ll wonder what each image's truth is.
© Leo Villareal
