MIDDLEBORO — True Grit Art Gallery, 38 Centre St., Middleboro, will host an opening reception for “Erasing History,’’ a solo exhibit of mixed media artworks by Warren, R.I. artist John Irwin, from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday, May 11.

The gallery invites the public to visit and meet and converse with the artist. Attendees will view many original works, enjoy complimentary adult refreshments, and socialize with other local art enthusiasts. This event is free and open to the public. 

“These new paintings were created during and after the chaos of the Covid era,”  Irwin said. “In the last few years an atmosphere of paranoia, mistrust and anxiety has taken hold of humanity and left many of us confused and overwhelmed. Political and social upheaval, here and throughout the world, have seared their way into our collective consciences. ‘’

He said that “disillusionment with government and media institutions is something we have all felt in one way or another. There are also two major wars raging at the moment. As an artist, and a human being, I cannot help but be influenced by these current events and by what I see and hear on social media, television and talk shows. The pictures exhibited here are a reflection of, and sometimes a reaction to, what I have seen and heard.”

The paintings combine multiple types of mixed media. “Oil and acrylic paint are sometimes mixed with plaster and sawdust and with clippings from magazines embedded into the surface along with scraps of discarded drawings and painted cardboard. Crayon, magic marker and pencil are used to make small, graffiti-like passages. Occasionally I would glue or staple twigs, wildflowers and other three-dimensional objects onto the surface of the painting. The result, which admittedly can be slightly overwhelming, is a body of work that is disorienting, dense and emotionally charged.”

“Erasing History’’ is on view from its opening night through June 1. True Grit Art Gallery hours are Tuesday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Wednesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.