Ken Taylor Reynaga “Golden Hills” @ Shrine, NYC

Sun-drenched mountains set against bright blue skies loom hazily in Ken Taylor Reynaga’s paintings. The artist’s thickly painted canvases present landscapes and scenes that may look like an idyllic paradise at first glance, but which quickly register as something more complex and urgent. Like a mirage heralding a distant, blurry oasis, Reynaga conjures a tipsy feeling with paintings that are inviting, but also foreboding, as perspectives quickly shift and elements in the works are thrust in our direction.