The Stall Gallery’s current exhibit focuses on the building blocks of our world, from the inner workings of a pocketwatch to the architecture of our cities.

Henry van Seters and Bevin Bradley have vastly differing styles — realist vs. abstract — but their themes work well together. Their paintings are also bereft of human forms. Instead, we are left to ponder the social, architectural and mechanical underpinnings of our world.

One of Bevin Bradley's works featured at the Stall Gallery.

The exhibit also shows the two artists in transition. Van Seters’ work for many years was about signs. Some of the pieces at the Stall Gallery will seem familiar to Saskatoon residents, such as the Broadway Theatre marquee and the “Don’t Say Bread, Say Earl’s” sign over Earl’s restaurant downtown.

His more recent work varies from neon signs lighting up street scenes to the mechanical guts of timepieces. In both cases, however, van Seters’ attention to detail is stunning. Each tiny cog and screw is painted with precision, and the interplay of light and dark makes for a crisp contrast.

One memorable piece at the gallery is a nod to American artist Edward Hopper, whose diner scene was later reworked by others to include Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe and other celebrities (which has since been resold as a million tacky posters adorning college dorm walls). Van Seters pays homage to the original “Nighthawks” painting with his own, “All Diner, No Nighthawks.” It shows an empty Broadway Cafe at night, illuminated only by neon and fluorescent lighting.

Van Seters has said that because he and Bradley are changing their foci, it’s more apt to think of the exhibit as showing four different artists.

Bradley, who is also a co-owner of the Stall Gallery, located at the Farmers’ Market, is not changing her subjects so much as her technique. Her work still focuses on architecture and urban landscapes, but whereas her paintings tended to be darker and finished with a thick glaze, her newer pieces are gentle pastels with a matte finish.

The buildings Bradley paints are an abstract collection of shapes and lines, with only occasional recognizable elements, yet the paintings evoke an odd sense of familiarity. A piece called “Saskatoon Back Alley” does look distinctly like its namesake despite the colours being more representative of Tuscan villas.

The exhibition runs until Nov. 27. The opening reception is on Nov. 6 from 1 to 3 p.m. For more information, visit thestallgallery.com.

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Photo: Stall Gallery