Sun-drenched mountains set against bright blue skies loom hazily in Ken Taylor Reynaga’s paintings. The artist’s thickly painted canvases present landscapes and scenes that may look like an idyllic paradise at first glance, but which quickly register as something more complex and urgent. Like a mirage heralding a distant, blurry oasis, Reynaga conjures a tipsy feeling with paintings that are inviting, but also foreboding, as perspectives quickly shift and elements in the works are thrust in our direction.

The artist’s keen interest in the robust mythology of the Wild West is clear, but for Reynaga, who is Mexican American, the topography and storied history of the West speak of two different worlds that he often feels caught in between. The sensation of existing somewhere nebulous, caught in the middle of two countries and cultures, leads Reynaga to feel like an outsider in both realms, but instead of lamenting it, he harnesses this angst and the raw emotions surrounding his love of family and countries, and converts them into a powerful fuel that drives his art practice and explorations of identity.

In a singular and recurring motif, Reynaga tenderly portrays cowboys and farmers wearing disproportionately large 10-gallon hats that have grown oversized and now almost entirely engulf the wearers. The cartoon-like effect cleverly blurs the figures’ identities, while also shielding them from the sun, as their labor necessitates. The giant adornments sometimes step closer to becoming full camouflage, morphing into rolling hills that mimic the mountains behind them. This nod towards resistance speaks of the many worlds Reynaga is juggling.

Reynaga makes paintings that feel alive and relevant to our times, while also reflecting upon generations of shared memory and thought. He presents worries, which, for many, feel extra heavy in today’s political climate, and he also portrays the moments that remind us how sweet life can be, as evidenced by the joyous afterglow of painted tables full of cold drinks, meals enjoyed, and vases overflowing with roses from the garden. It can be that simple again, the works suggest.