These one-man shows present recent work by two artists in their middle years: Keith Martin, an American, and Carlos Suares, a French citizen, long-time resident of Egypt, and now in Ojai, California. Martin, who has a broad background of exhibiting and teaching, shows paintings and collages that are ingratiating in their general effect. They are abstract, bland in color, well-crafted and fall into the general category of competent poetry, read off to us in a small voice.
Suares has developed a theory of color. Presumably the group of small canvases in this show, because of their complete consistency, objectify his theory. In fairness to him the museum should furnish a copy of his brochure. His paintings are totally abstract, very lightly brushed, impressionistic, ephemeral. Colors seem to reach for the primaries of light and create an effect of visual pulsation, or small music.
It is regrettable that neither of these shows seem up to the generally high level that has been maintained by the Museum in the recent past.
—James Monte
