Seance for a Sunday morning. An absolutely riveting exhibition of the work of Paulina Peavy, at Beyond Baroque in Venice is a must for anyone in the region. No catalog is available, alas, so drawing from dense wall texts, I have distilled a few salient points.

Peavy grew up out west, but had significant stays in New York. She went to Oregon State and Chouinard (precursor to Cal Arts) as well as the Art Students League. She cycled through a number of different disciplines but ultimately became an adherent of Spiritualism and Theosophy via Agnes Pelton and others in San Pedro, and in particular channeled an entity called Lacamo who identified as an interplanetary and interdimensional visitor. Like Hilma af Klint, she sought to give form to her spiritual connections. She painted, wrote poetry, and began to centralize her thinking around astro culture and UFOs. Also influenced by Orozco, the Surrealists, and the Bible she seemed to have absorbed so many artistic cultures that her talent spilled over in multiple directions.

She made and wore elaborate masks and costumes when she channeled Lacamo. She worked in textiles, architecture, graphic and product design, string Art and with enchanting wood marionettes, but the films featuring translucent biomorphic forms showing alongside her work are worth the visit alone. With sound tracks straight out of Hollywood and the Twilight Zone, and voice over narration describing the female God they are mesmerizing. She believed females were the highest level of reincarnation (natch!)

I am being reductive here, and she deserves like Pelton and Af Klint a catalog and another larger show. Yet in the space at Beyond Baroque with its esoteric library and Persian carpets and unfettered access to the works, one feels she might appear at any moment to take us to a higher realm. Next weekend, during Felix and Gallery Weekend LA, there is a reception and performance on Saturday. Do not let our new mask rules keep you away from this out of time delight.