Galerie McKenzie Marcotte in Wakefield Quebec is pleased to present Mutating Perceptions, an exhibition of oil paintings and sculpture by Wakefield artist Rick Ritza.

In a time when alarms are being raised about global warming, impending epidemics, the disappearance of numerous species of plants and animals, in fact the very survival of the human species, Rick Ritza, a thoughtful and intuitive visual artist, takes a personal look at these contemporary issues with references to the past, present and future. In this exhibition, consisting of colorful paintings and a number of sculptures, Rick Ritza examines the idea of mutation, from Darwin’s ideas on natural selection to contemporary issues related to genetic engineering, and hints at possible outcomes. There are common elements in many of the works: fossils, amphibians, insects, planet-like circles and imaginary species such as mermaids and frogs with fish tails, all imbued with an atmosphere of stillness. Rick looks at the progression from early life forms to more complex species as random genetic mutations preserve beneficial characteristics, in fact the process of natural selection described by Darwin. (A small portrait of Darwin even appears in several of the paintings.) He also takes a cautionary looks at the accelerated mutations developed by genetic engineering and suggests a concern for the future.

One of the centerpieces of the exhibition is a large three dimensional egg, about four feet in length, made from strips of canvas, glue and paint. The surface has an ancient look, like mummy wrappings, alluding to the long ago past. Inside the egg will be a variety of species, implying beginnings but perhaps endings. The shape and surface also suggest a sarcophagus implying that life on earth may come full circle. If, due to our own mismanagement of the planet or because of a cataclysmic incident such as an asteroid hitting the earth, the human species no longer survives, the planet may revert to the simplest life forms such as bacteria and insects and it may all begin again. Another work related to this idea is a large painting in primarily the beautiful yellowy green color that is characteristic of early spring. Entitled Past/Present/Future, a lacelike web of images of fossils, amphibians, insects, egg shapes floats around a planet-like circle. The painting contrasts beauty and optimism tinged with poignancy with the prophetic message of the possible destruction of this fragile entanglement of species .

The paintings and sculptures in Mutating Perceptions are the work of a skillful artist who creates finely crafted sculptures and paintings rich in imagery and imagination to thoughtfully consider the continuum from simple to more complex life forms; from current practices to an uncertain future.