Rafael Francisco Salas’ artwork to be featured at Portrait Society Gallery with reception May 23

Ripon College’s Professor of Art Rafael Francisco Salas will open a two-person exhibition, “Everyday Heaven,” at the Portrait Society Gallery of Contemporary Art in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, from May 23 to July 12.

An opening night reception will be held May 23 from 5-7 p.m. It is free and open to the public.

“Everyday Heaven” is a transhistorical exhibition about rural America and specifically rural Wisconsin. The exhibition features the works of Salas (b. 1973) alongside those of Charles Van Schaick (1852-1946).

Salas’ paintings explore themes of colonization, agriculture and his family’s story of seasonal farming. His latest work centers around the county fair. Most of his work is softly lit and takes place at sunrise or after sunset, highlighting the changing values in rural areas.

“This exhibition draws together three years of my artwork and pairs it with the work of the historical photographer from Black River Falls, Wisconsin, Charles Van Schaick,” Salas said. “I am excited by how this comparison reflects on the diversity of thought and identities that exist, and necessarily coexist, in the often conflicted landscapes of rural America.”

Charles Van Schaick was a photographer who resided and worked in Black River Falls for 60 years during the late 1800s and early 1900s. With the release of Michael Lesy’s book, “Wisconsin Death Trip,” in 1973, Van Schaick gained international recognition. The book included 5,700 of Van Schaick’s photographs – glass plate negatives – with newspaper anecdotes detailing illness, farm accidents and suicides, among other topics.

Portrait Society Gallery collaborated with the Wisconsin Historical Society in curating and printing the selected images.

In addition to teaching and his art practice, Salas has worked as an arts writer for various publications including the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Newcity Art Chicago, The Isthmus Magazine and Urban Milwaukee. In 2022, Gov. Tony Evers appointed Salas to the Wisconsin Arts Board, the state agency responsible for the support and development of the arts throughout Wisconsin. He also serves on the Executive Board of the Museum of Wisconsin Art.

Both artists invite viewers to reconsider preconceived notions about life in rural America, addressing who gets to define its identities and how poetry and history interweave to create a compelling narrative of life, according to the gallery’s exhibition description.

For gallery hours and more information, visit the Portrait Society Gallery’s website or Salas’ website.