Author’s note: First I must apologize for the belated nature of this review. In general I make a concerted effort to post reviews in advance of a show’s closing so that readers will have an opportunity to go see the work for themselves. I made an exception in this case because Eric Larson is a local artist whose work you will likely have the opportunity to see in the near future, and because I wanted to highlight what I see as a gallery with great potential as a stage for contemporary art in Oakland.

Somewhere In Space: Installations and paintings by Mayumi Hamanaka and Eric Larson, is only the third exhibition to take place at Swarm Gallery. Opening back in March of this year, Swarm is one of the latest additions to a growing number of venues for contemporary art in Oakland. It’s already apparent that the gallery’s owner and director, Pro Arts veteran Svea Lin Vezzone, is ambitious in her vision for the space (which is also connected to eleven artist studios under the same name). Unlike its artist-run counter parts Swarm is very crisp and clean—a decidedly commercial venture—which should not be surprising given the gallery’s location in Jack London Square, sandwiched between Bed, Bath & Beyond and Pro Arts Gallery.

Personally I applaud such an endeavor. Gallery spaces, such as Swarm and Oakland Art Gallery (Though both are a bit too antiseptic for my taste…“where’s the funk?” I wonder.) are just what Oakland’s burgeoning art scene needs right now. That is to say I think they are willing to take some risks with what they show while raising the standards for presentation, production value, and curatorial integrity. On top of that Swarm wants to sell work, which directly benefits artists. Don’t get me wrong. I think the professionalization of art has its downsides too. For starters it can be confoundingly pretentious and hierarchical, but sterile environment aside, Swarm is low on art world pretense. I also believe that a vibrant and sustainable art community needs many (and diverse) buttresses. Thus Swarm can only be beneficial.

So far the shows have been solid—thoughtful and well executed. Not mood altering, but good. With Somewhere In Space it’s the work of Eric Larson I found most compelling. What at first appeared to be billboard-sized enlargements of Xerox copies of cult figures (Sun Ra and Edward Cayce), Japanese monsters battling, and a psychedelic pattern are actually meticulously rendered in black paint, glue and glitter. Personally I’ve seen enough glitter-and-glue-come-high-art for one lifetime, but Larson’s use of the material, along with local peers Jamie Vasta and Mitzi Pederson, is among the more novel. This is particularly true of Larson’s installation, Between Two Worlds, in the project space at Swarm.

Eric Larson, Edgar Cayce Sleeping Clairvoyant (detail). Image courtesy of Swarm Gallery

Entering the darkened room, illuminated by a single nightlight, I could see only the darkness at first. Gradually, as my eyes adjusted, a red glow framing a large rectangle became visible. And then, hundreds of shimmering pin pricks of light and a moment of glee as I realized what I was looking at. As I lingered I began to notice my shadow, subtly delineated by the ever-changing reflections of the glitter-coated surface. It’s a cheap illusion to be sure, but the visceral sensation it produced was undeniable. Even though I knew I was looking at a flat surface, the glitter’s sparkle—my inability to focus on it—continually contradicted my knowledge, producing an effect of indefinable depth much like the night sky (the rural night sky). I take that back about “not mood altering,” Between Two Worlds was definitely uplifting.

Somewhere In Space: Installations and paintings by Mayumi Hamanaka and Eric Larson was on view at Swarm Gallery from June 24th through July 23rd. Information about upcoming exhibitions can be found at http://www.swarmstudios.net/gallery/exhibitions/shires.htm