Black Maria is pleased to announce the opening of, “Phylum Kingdom” an exhibition of new works by Los Angeles based artist Brooks Salzwedel and New York based artist Tracy Barbosa.

Brooks’ most recent works shift from the examination of the blurred lines between nature and industry to a more focused look at nature vs. nature. These new works are influenced by 19th century botanical prints. Weeds, fungi, moss, carnivorous & poisonous plants are seen in the foreground. They seem to be attempting to obscure and block out anything that may be happening in the background (i.e. – thunderstorms, giant clouds, comets or nothing at all).

Brooks earned his BFA with distinction from Art Center College of Design in 2004. He has exhibited throughout Southern California and has been featured in Artweek, Art Review and various other publications. In addition to his flourishing art practice, he is the designer and producer of an award-winning line of belt buckles, included in Los Angeles Magazine’s 2006 “Best Of” issue.

Tracy Silva Barbosa employs both glass sculpture and acrylic painting on canvas to create light and landscape out of an otherwise abstract, atmospheric piece. Tracy uses the juxtaposition of certain imagery to create a delicate narrative vocabulary to address issues such as age, sensuality and transcendence. With the spare flight of birds and twisted stalks of plastic flora, it is her intent to create a lyrical motion. These composite landscapes are assembled from her own photography along with archived icons. Juxtaposing this complex print with natural paint textures and various applications of gold, silver, and copper leaf, Tracy conjures a rich psychic realm full of color, balance and harmony.

Tracy attended the Massachusetts College of Art, where she concentrated on Glass Sculpture. Early influences are Byzantine, Baroque, and Rococo, and Asian Landscape Painting.  In 2002, Tracy began to focus on painting and through this medium she discovered a new freedom, reflected in the prolific outturn of her paintings and sculptures.