In the Alcove, Astoria artist Matthew Palmgren exhibits Condensed Milk, a show of mixed-media collages. In these striking compositions, at once minimalist in presentation and intricately detailed, individual elements engage with each other in surprising ways to offer provocative cultural commentary. Palmgren cuts out images from his vast collection of vintage magazines and then layers them with drawings, transfers, coffee stains, and assorted ephemera on paper. The finished works are mounted on wood and coated with gleaming archival epoxy.

The viewer might first perceive each work as an object, a shape with sharply defined boundaries floating on a white expanse and, upon closer inspection, will discover a surreal world teeming with interconnected elements. Palmgren exploits the power of iconic imagery to deliver a cultural message that is up to the viewer to interpret, much like an anthropologist might prise clues to a lost civilization from a collection of disparate physical elements. “My current body of work explores how recognizable imagery can create a visual narrative and how the subconscious finds meaning through the lens of cultural iconography,” he explains. “The narratives that take form are created by the inherent power of images through daily saturation. In combination with our personal and shared experiences, we create our own visual languages.”

Originally from Seattle, Palmgren earned a BFA from Western Washington University with an emphasis on sculpture and industrial design. He has lived in Astoria since 2010 and is currently the assistant curator at the Columbia River Maritime Museum.