Fata Morgana

Stephen Aldahl, Dachi Cole, Jorge Elbrecht, Norm Laich, Ben Noam, Jerry Peña, Gillian Steiner, Allegra Sussman

Le Maximum is thrilled to present Fata Morgana. Fata Morgana explores themes of mirage, doubling, and the fallibility of perception. An atmospheric event that occurs when rays of light are bent by air layers of differing temperatures, Fata Morgana causes objects on the horizon to hover, invert, and distort. Named after Arthurian sorceress Morgan le Fay, it is associated with legendary castles in the air, ghost ships, and ill-fated expeditions. Known to mariners and desert travelers around the world since antiquity, this beautiful and unsettling phenomenon has inspired artists ranging from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow to Werner Herzog.

Artworks in this show examine the lure of distant objects, whether real or perceived: Laich and Steiner collide doubled images; Cole and Elbrecht set out unreliable narratives; Aldahl and Peña reorient familiar objects; and Noam and Sussman reflect on twinned horizons. Together these artists demonstrate the magnetism of illusion and test our ability to see what is before us.