Palm Springs, CA

PRELUDE TO THE HEAT, a Group Exhibition, opened yesterday at JAMES BACCHI CONTEMPORARY and not a moment too soon.  Palm Springs is heating up!

For the past year and a half, Veteran Curator and Art Consultant James Bacchi has shown his own brand of hotness to Palm Springs, introducing his impressive roster of California and New York Artists in an intimate, black and white space at The Shops at 1345 on North Palm Canyon Drive.

(PRELUDE TO THE HEAT Spotlighting works by Lucky Rapp, Fernando Reyes, Mark D. Powers and Will Valle)

PRELUDE TO THE HEAT exhibits a Curator mastering The Art of The Group Show. Bacchi’s assemblage of works by featured artists, for the first phase of this rotating exhibition, include Marc Lambrechts, Serena Bocchino, Maxine Solomon, Andrea Arroyo, Gioi Tran, Carrie Ann Plank, Carolyn Meyer, Mark D. Powers, Lucky Rapp, Fernando Reyes, Will Valle, James Bacchi, Mark Tennant and John Wood.

(Carolyn Meyer, Palm Springs Nights, 20”x16”, oil on canvas)

This diverse mix of paintings works on paper, mixed media, photography, and glass is an exquisitely wrapped sample box of eye candy for contemporary art collectors. The Impasto paintings by Carolyn Meyer and Gioi Tran sumptuous in contrast to Carrie Ann Plank’s slick, hauntingly beautiful kiln glass and silver installation.   

(Carrie Ann Plank, Vestige Cast Skin, 36”x36”, kiln glass and silver)

Paintings by Mark Tennant, Will Valle and Mark D. Powers are exceptional and offer more nostalgia than one could hope for at the thought of Summer.

(Mark Tennant, Lawn, 24”x20”, oil on canvas)

(Will Valle, Midnight Pink Lemonade III, 22”x18”, resin and acrylic on canvas)

(Mark D. Powers, Road Trippin’ on the I-5, 30”x30”, acrylic on canvas)

At one point I wondered if Bacchi’s intentions ran deeper than visually preparing us for the heat to come. I found my answer in the work of text-based artist Lucky Rapp which subtly hovered center stage below the ceiling.

(Lucky Rapp, Homovelocity, 8”x12”x2.5”, resin and mixed media on canvas)

I highly recommend hydrating and heading to JAMES BACCHI CONTEMPORARY to view Prelude to THE HEAT.  All that’s missing here is additional wall space for Bacchi to have his way with.

JAMES BACCHI CONTEMPORARY is located at The Shops at 1345 N. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs, CA.
Exhibition runs through June 20, 2023
Gallery Hours:  Thursday-Monday, 11am-5pm
415-652-2915
http://www.jamesbacchicontemporary.com