LA CIENEGA AREA

Revivalist new wave painter Gary Stephan posits a slender group of seven large paintings that have sly fun with the conventions of early Modernism. They use the French-curve-and-violin-hole shapes familiar in the work of everyone from Oskar Schlemmer to Henry Moore to remind us of the touching optimism of early pioneers who were never more enthusiastic than when whomping up bad color schemes of orange and blue or using an abstract shape to suggest the dove of peace.

Stephan annexes all that to his own work while having a fine time in works like “Lives” where he uses flat abstract art to create a bag of illusionistic tricks complete with volumes, tucks and overlaps.

The work is nonchalant about its own virtuosity and very smart. But almost inevitably such a spin with the past is like inviting great-grandma to dance. The act is full of tact and affection, but it also feels a trifle arch, a smidgen smug. (Margo Leavin Gallery, 812 N. Robertson Blvd., to Nov. 8.)--W.W.