October 25 - December 20, 2024
From Sala Diaz:
“Sala Diaz is pleased to announce the opening of the three person exhibition, Are We Just Phantoms?, featuring Sarah Fox, Jonesy, and Megan Solis. The exhibition will open to the public with a reception on Friday, October 25, 2024, from 6–9pm.
This exhibition explores horror as an examination of safety and vulnerability in the face of unstoppable forces. While traditional villains can be reasoned with, monsters—whether they manifest as vengeful spirits, human perpetrators, or oppressive societal forces—remain beyond negotiation or comprehension. Through their installations, they investigate how horror manifests in both psychological and physical forms.
Megan Solis‘s installation, Cockroaches Crawl, centers on her recurring character Glory West, a woman murdered by her husband Dale. The gallery space is transformed into a haunting environment built around Glory’s absent body, featuring ritualized sculptures, sound, and sweet incense that draw viewers into an unsettling experience. Solis’s work connects to a broader tradition of feminine spirits—particularly victims of male violence—who return seeking justice or revenge.
Sarah Fox transforms childhood fears into a space of reclamation, drawing inspiration from the Bloody Mary folklore that once haunted her youth. Rather than recreating the terror of a ghostly apparition in the mirror, Fox constructs what she terms “a space in between”—a vibrant environment filled with plants from her personal garden, bathed in pink light. This otherworldly jungle, surrounded by mirrors and accompanied by a sound piece, made in collaboration with JJ Lopez, invites viewers to confront their reflections and “call forth the shadow Mary.” Through this immersive installation, Fox examines the archetype of the vilified woman while exploring themes of inherent power and its reclamation.
Jonesy probes the dark undercurrents of masculinity through an installation that subverts the innocence of dollhouse aesthetics. Three traditional dollhouse structures become vessels for video projections exploring male intimacy and power dynamics, while handcrafted Budweiser lamps evoke the familiar comfort of masculine spaces. Through scenes of apartment wrestling, cruising, and backroom encounters, Jonesy examines the complex intersection of fraternity, competition, and desire. The work creates an unsettling tension between domestic familiarity and the often hidden aspects of masculine identity, surrounded by carefully curated prints that amplify these themes of ritual and belonging.
Together, these three installations weave a compelling narrative about power, identity, and the specters that haunt our collective consciousness. From Solis’s vengeful spirit and Fox’s empowering reclamation of feminine mythology to Jonesy’s examination of masculine vulnerability, each artist transforms Sala Diaz into a space where the familiar becomes uncanny. Through their distinct approaches to horror—whether supernatural, psychological, or social—they invite viewers to confront the phantoms that lurk within domestic spaces, cultural traditions, and gendered expectations. The result is an exhibition that doesn’t merely frighten, but provokes deeper contemplation about the monsters we create, the powers we fear, and the identities we inhabit.”
Reception: October 25, 2024 | 11 pm – 2 am
517 Stieren
San Antonio, 78210 TX
(972) 900-0047
Get directions