Vivian Chen's paintings are the highlight of this three-artist show. In a commentary on decay and rebirth, they present a menagerie of animals lying dead on the forest floor with vegetation sprouting out of their carcasses. It's disconcerting to see mushrooms and a tree branch growing out of a bird's eye in the piece Bird, or flowers and leaves from the belly of Deer, and various flora spreading across the bodies of Snail, Bear, Owl, Rabbit and Raccoon. But this is the fate of any animal that runs out its clock and sleeps without waking. With a potent mix of whimsy and the grotesque, Chen makes us confront the fate that awaits all beasts, including those who walk on two legs and have brains that know death is inevitable. Through Feb. 3.
Where: Compound Gallery
Phone: 796-2733
Address: 107 NW 5th Ave.
Website: http://www.compoundgallery.com/
