“I heard someone say this is a monochrome show, but I think it’s very colorful,” artist Mark Hagen said at the recent opening reception for “A Handful of Dust,” a group exhibition curated by Laura Fried, featuring work by Hagen and six other artists. At first glance to a visitor, “colorful” definitely isn’t the first word that springs to mind — the works on view at Santa Barbara Contemporary Art Forum (CAF) (through March 24) are dominated by earthy tones, sepias, and shades of white. But upon further contemplation, the eye adjusts and notices an array of tonal gradations and hues. This nuanced palette underscores the pared-down elegance of the exhibition, which examines time and material in sculpture, while also highlighting the importance of regional institutions in broadening Southern California’s contemporary art dialogue.
