Continuing in conceptual realms, the ICA AT MECA's alumni exhibit "Rally 2011" explores identity, memory, loss, and mechanization through October 9, peppering the show with weekly artist talks every Thursday. "Engaging Insects," the group show at USM—GORHAM, probes the various way humans borrow from and employ bugs for use in our own design (through November 10). ROSE CONTEMPORARY gets deeply personal for its second group show, "Intimate Abstraction," which presents the visitor with numerous nonrepresentational images of process and expression (through October 29), and finally, the phenomenal performance-based artist Deborah Wing-Sproul gets solo treatment at the CMCA, presenting "still/moving," a sculpture/video/performance work showing from October 1 through December 11.
Of course, don't overlook the smaller galleries, like SPACE, GALLERY 37-A, ADDISON WOOLLEY, SYLVIA KANIA, and AUCOCISCO (which has a very intriguing Lauren Fensterstock/John Bisbee show opening in November). While they typically announce their schedules just a few weeks before shows open, you can often find some of the state's most vital, thought-provoking work in their spaces.
Nicholas Schroeder can be reached atnschroeder@phx.com.
