sebastian ore blas: then we do everything else

mtn space gallery is pleased to present Then We Do Everything Else, a solo exhibition of new paintings by South Florida-based Sebastian Ore Blas. 

The exhibition title cites a well-known phrase from the food writer M.F.K. Fisher: “First we eat, then we do everything else.” On view will be a selection of “tablescape” paintings — this body of work references the tradition of still life while documenting contemporary scenes of warm conviviality and gregariousness from dinner settings, cocktail parties, and more. Interwoven with the essence of queer intimacy in shared experiences, the work grapples with themes of memory, identity, and joy. 

By rendering an amalgamation of fleeting moments into permanence, Ore Blas explores the constant interplay of object, space, and self: “The suspension of belief that takes place when we make sense of our memories is a central theme of this work. The creation of these table settings involves an assembly of details from various moments past lived — all in one solid composition — using color and pattern to unify the digressions in perspective and scale that naturally come from this manufacturing.”

Ore Blas’s identity as a gay man also faces the viewer with the presence of queer romance in public and private spaces, now and throughout history. Cocktail and wine glasses, with their history of prohibition, serve as a symbol for queer relationships, re-assigning their meaning as symbols of intimacy rather than repression. The “tablescapes” represent a celebration of openness overall. Then We Do Everything Else will be on view through May 25, 2024. This is Ore Blas’s first solo exhibition.

Sebastian Ore Blas (b. 2002, Lima) currently lives and works in Tampa, FL. He received a BFA from the University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, in 2024. His works have been exhibited in group shows across South Florida and Lima, Peru.