Smiling and dividing

“Ice Pick — Division 2026’’ (oil on canvas) by Brian McClear, in his joint show with Jim Biglan “Still Matters,’ at Alofft Gallery, Litchfield, Conn., through May 8.

The gallery says that the show "explores the persistent tensions shaping today’s American political landscape. The exhibition title's double meaning references both the still-life tradition central to McClear’s work and the enduring relevance of the issues both he and Biglan examine."