‘Worms & Weeds’ at Gene’s Dispensary

The evocatively titled Worms & Weeds at the new McArthur Park Gallery, Gene’s Dispensary, pictures a bit of both. The work by the artists in the two-person show (Michael Assiff and Katya Kirilloff) play off each other, pointing to whimsy and life amidst chaos and entropy.

Krilloff’s small colored pencil drawings of whimsical canned goods being opened are hung throughout the space, begging for a closer look. “Worms” reads one can in flaming type, the lid of which is peeled back to reveal its squirming content. Inexplicably, a small pink unicorn toy sits amongst the worms, a note of play amidst the abject.

Assiff’s pieces have a similar duality to them — for many of the works, the artist applies paint directly from the tube onto his canvases, depicting puffy, looping flowers, and delicate foliage (often depicting weeds or invasive plant species). Amidst the sensuous details of these works, more sinister cues emerge — barbed wired fences frame his delicate florals; cautionary embossed text intermingles with flora (CAUTION, BURIED GAS LINE, shouts one).

Together, Worms & Weeds celebrates the moments of joy and beauty that we might find amidst chaos, or perhaps — more sinisterly — warns of looming threats that linger on the other side of happiness.

Photo: Worms & Weeds, installation view. Image courtesy of Gene’s Dispensary.