Mette Tommerup in Palm Beach Art Papers

The edgy political climate worldwide has resulted in a mega Art Week that seems to be taking a more conservative approach to the art and exhibits, with many shows looking back wistfully, from the glamour gals of Miami to the roots of Indigenous people.

Using art as a respite from the world seems more of a necessity than an indulgence.

The local galleries got ahead of the pack with a Progressive Art Brunch that kicked off last Sunday with new shows at galleries in the Little River and Milk Districts. A gorgeous installation by Mette Tommerup called Love, Ur took over the entire gallery at Emerson Dorsch, her fourth solo show there and a precursor to a show at the larger Locust Projects next year.

A self-described painter and storyteller, this exhibit installation explodes with colored painted canvases in a madcap variety of frames, draped on wood scaffolds, scattered, wrapped around live models writhing on the floor, and hung in amusing shapes. This immersive environment is giddy with earthy color as it evokes Ur, an ancient Sumerian city, a world striving for a connection to nature.