Wiley Wallace's 'Night Bloom' Illuminates Desert Mysticism in Philadelphia

Phoenix-based artist Wiley Wallace presents 'Night Bloom,' a solo exhibition at Arch Enemy Arts in Philadelphia, featuring jewel-like acrylic paintings that explore the supernatural allure of the American desert. The works, ranging from six by six inches to sixteen inches wide, depict dusky scenes with figures gathered around nebula-like swirls of light, giant prismatic crystals, and spectral forms. Wallace draws on the region's myths, including Diné skinwalkers, and the atmospheric phenomena of monsoons, intense sunlight, and moonlight to evoke wonder and contemplation rather than fear. The exhibition, which runs through August 30, includes pieces such as 'Passage,' 'Night Bloom,' 'Hidden Prism,' 'Drifting,' 'Dream Mineral,' 'Desert Prism,' 'Star Dust,' and 'Toward the Glow.' Wallace's work suggests portals to other spirit realms or phases of life, capturing the enchantment of the unexplained. The show is presented by Arch Enemy Arts, a gallery known for supporting contemporary figurative and fantastical art. Colossal, an independent arts publication, highlighted the exhibition, noting the artist's Instagram for further updates.