Extended Leave at Gene & Fred, Santa Fe

Sometimes it is necessary to simply step away. Today, everything feels urgent, as we bear

witness to the world’sabsurdities and injustices. As a gallerist and writer, I personally feel a keen obligation to speak out at every turn. And yet, I also know that burnout is real—and that retreat, reflection, and wonder are essential if we are to continue seeking meaning, solace, love, and truth.

I’mnot talking about wellness culture—mindfulness, intention, self-care—they’re all fine. But they can also slip into solipsism, a kind of self-contained comfort that ignores the thrilland unpredictabilityof life outside our own particular personal routines. WhatI’mthinkingabout is simpler: How often we forget the natural beauty of a tree, the unexpected humor of a stranger, the miracle of life itself. What else? How curiosity can lead us somewhere new—if we only allow ourselves to be vulnerable, if we only risk one of the scariest possible outcomes in life:

being wrong. Moreover, how adventure is not something we buy, but rather something we pursue.

The work in this exhibition engages withthat tension both delicately and directly. It reminds us what’s possible, what’s remarkable, and what’s worth fightingfor—even in the smallest of ways. Joshua Abelow, Bjorn Copeland, Mark A. Rodriguez, Matt Siegle, and Gus Thompson each approach this in their own manners and methods, offering glimpses of hope, faith, and discovery. Together, their work becomes a reminder: escapism is not avoidance—it can actually be a form of contemplation, of conception, and of courage.

– Keith J. Varadi, March 2026