GALLERIES

Reviews by Sharon Mizota (S.M.) and Leah Ollman (L.O.). Compiled by Grace Krilanovich.

Critics’ Choices

Laura Lasworth: The Western Wall Lasworth’s ravishingly beautiful paintings began as studies of the Puget Sound, as viewed from her Seattle apartment. They remain that -- chronicles of moody weather, charged atmosphere, placid sea -- but the view also serves as a framework for tableaux, mostly with Christian themes. Familiarity with her references deepens the experience of the work, but a sense of visual and spiritual occasion prevails regardless (L.O.). Lora Schlesinger Gallery, 2525 Michigan Ave., Santa Monica. Tue.-Sat., 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m.; ends March 27. (310) 828-1133.

Continuing

Mel Bochner: New Works Bochner’s wicked new paintings taunt and provoke -- with a straight face and even a saccharine smile. They send deliciously mixed signals, their colors sweet and sprightly, their format neutral and well-ordered, but their words testy, harsh, mocking. On each “thesaurus painting,” Bochner has painted a string of synonyms, beginning with a mildly negative term (aggravate, ridicule, nonsense) and devolving into hostile assault. The slippage between eager-to-please palette and quick-to-rage verbiage makes the paintings buzz (L.O.). Marc Selwyn Fine Art, 6222 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 101, L.A. Tue.-Sat., 11 a.m.-6 p.m.; ends Sat. (323) 933-9911.

Robert Mallary The artist’s dark, dramatic assemblages are breathtaking. The works on view at The Box date from the ‘50s and ‘60s. “Harpy” is a tattered, winged figure constructed out of resin-soaked tuxedos stretched over thin steel rods. In large wall pieces, Mallary used resin to shape sand, gravel, wood and cardboard into monochromatic abstractions somewhere between painting and sculpture. His use of resin eventually made him ill. A selection of works from the ‘80s reveals how he continued to explore the same motifs using only torn and folded scrap paper. The inverse of his sculptures, they are intimate and white instead of looming and dark (S.M.). The Box Gallery, 977 Chung King Road , L.A. Noon-6 p.m. Wed.-Sat. ; ends April 3. (213) 625-1747.

Group Show: Love in a Cemetery 18th Street Art Center’s ambitious group exhibition seeks to question the relationship between cultural institutions and the communities they serve, presenting works that take place both within and outside the gallery. The show doesn’t necessarily re-invigorate the gallery space, but it does raise questions about how such works might best be presented within its walls. The projects, which range from protest posters and panel discussions to installation and interactive performance art, are represented with varying degrees of success. The best examples work equally well in the gallery as on the street. It is enough to help others or fight injustice, but communicating that accomplishment is where the importance of the institution becomes apparent (S.M.). 18th Street Arts Center, 1639 18th St., Santa Monica. Mon.-Fri., 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; ends March 26. (310) 453-3711.

Group Show: Minimum Yields Maximum This moderately interesting group show has a familiar feel. A wry conceptualism threads through the photographs, altered objects and videos, a resourcefulness with humble, found objects. What comes as a bit of a surprise is the art history lesson embedded within: about half of the dozen artists live in or come from the Philippines, their work bearing the fruit of a conceptual art movement that emerged in Manila in the ‘70s and is little known here. The show also includes several artists from L.A. and Vietnam (L.O.). Monte Vista, 5442 Monte Vista St., L.A. Sat.-Sun. noon-5 p.m.; ends Sat.