Aaron Morse's Exhibition 'Lights Out for the Territories' at Philip Martin Gallery Explores Western Fantasies

Artist Aaron Morse is presenting a solo exhibition titled 'Lights Out for the Territories' at Philip Martin Gallery in northeast Los Angeles. The show opened on January 24, 2026, and features large-scale paintings that blend acrylic, oil, and collage techniques to depict imagined landscapes of the American West. Morse's works reference historical and popular representations of the region, including influences from Georgia O'Keeffe, sci-fi comics, and climate change art, such as his piece 'Cloud World #3' from 2014, which was part of a climate-focused exhibition. The paintings portray celestial skies, cowboys on horseback, and elements like wildfires, with colors ranging from cerulean to blood red, conveying a vision of an unsettled West. Notable artworks include 'Night of the Comet' (2025), which evokes Southern California murals, and 'Cosmic Ecology' (2025), drawing on midcentury sci-fi styles. The exhibition also includes pieces like 'Cosmological Figures' and 'The Spring' (both 2025), which feature collaged faces and esoteric motifs, suggesting themes of memory and history. Morse describes his art as broadly representational but not realistic, questioning the role of Wild West imagery. The show coincides with cultural reflections on Western themes, following trends like Orville Peck's music and Beyoncé's 'Cowboy Carter', and references historical events such as a shooting involving Border Patrol agents. The gallery's press release accompanies the exhibition, highlighting Morse's exploration of conquest, colonization, and erasure in Western narratives.