“A Devil to Pay” is a hypnotic installation created by Adam Eckstrom and Lauren Was, whose collaboration aka is Ghost of a Dream. Working with discarded materials, the artists have created a world of clashing patterns and colors that is curved and draped, dramatically cut and hung. Crafted from discarded carpets, playing cards and collages, the colors and panels evoke the non-stop bombardment of a psychedelic Las Vegas casino. The mismatched colors, the floral and paisley patterns seethe visually. Over-saturated and buzzy, it’s an abstract surrealist experience that pulses and vibrates. Individual works throughout the installation stand out, such as the striped geometric patterns in “By the way they held their eyes,” and the sinuous patterns of “Don’t want to Hold On,” shaped from used playing cards. “Too Long Overdue Now I’m Going to Shoot the Moon” is a beautiful shimmering glow of aquamarine color. The exhibition as a whole is an exciting visual exercise in optical overload
