PHOSPHENE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Space 4 Art Presents PHOSPHENE
Curated by Dinah Poellnitz
SAN DIEGO, CA — Space 4 Art is pleased to present PHOSPHENE, a group exhibition curated by Dinah Poellnitz and featuring the work of Bryttney-Mischele Salvant, Mark Chamness, Pastelle, and Akiko Surai. The exhibition opens with a public reception on Saturday, July 18, 2026, from 4 to 7 p.m. and remains on view through August 15, 2026, at Art Produce Gallery.
Named for the phenomenon of seeing light without an external source, PHOSPHENE (phos·phene (noun)/ˈfäsˌfēn/) refers to the colors, patterns, and luminous sensations perceived behind closed eyes. The exhibition uses this phenomenon as a metaphor for artistic intuition, exploring the inner vision that emerges before conscious thought and the creative instincts that guide artistic practice.
Developed through Poellnitz's curatorial residency with Space 4 Art, the exhibition began with a studio visit to S4A resident artist Bryttney-Mischele Salvant and expanded into a conversation among four artists whose practices embrace intuition, material exploration, and personal transformation. Though their approaches differ— from painting and fiber to illustration, embroidery, and found materials —they share a commitment to trusting the creative process before certainty.
“There is a moment every artist knows and rarely names. It arrives somewhere between the first mark and the last, when the mind finally stops negotiating with the hand,” Poellnitz commented. “These artists did not plan their way to that moment. They surrendered to it. And in that surrender, something was made that could not have been made any other way.”
Salvant's expressive paintings privilege emotional truth over technical perfection, while Mark Chamness transforms discarded plastic bags into richly textured fiber works that investigate color, place, and environmental memory. Pastelle's vibrant illustrations celebrate confidence, identity, and unapologetic self-expression through radiant color and fantastical imagery. Akiko Surai's embroidered and beaded sculptures draw from Black revolutionary thought and craft traditions across the African diaspora, creating works that speak to resilience, inheritance, and collective imagination.
Together, these artists invite viewers to consider the moment when instinct overtakes intention— when making becomes less about knowing and more about trusting. PHOSPHENE celebrates the quiet inner light that artists follow and asks audiences to reflect on the creative spark that exists within us all.
Exhibition Details
Title: PHOSPHENE
Curated by: Dinah Poellnitz
Presented by: Space 4 Art
Venue: Art Produce Gallery, 3139 University Ave., San Diego
Opening Reception: July 18 | 4-7 p.m.
Closing Reception and Artist Talk: August 15 | 12-3 p.m.
Exhibition Dates: July 18 - August 15
Gallery Hours: Fridays 1-7 p.m.; Saturdays 12-6 p.m.; and by appointment
All events are free and open to the public. For more information, visit Space 4 Art's website (www.sdspace4art.org) or follow @space4artsd on social media.
About the Curator
Dinah Poellnitz is an interdisciplinary curator and writer whose practice centers artists who work at the intersection of material experimentation, intuition, and cultural memory. Developed through her curatorial residency with Space 4 Art, PHOSPHENE reflects her ongoing interest in how artists transform personal vision into shared experience.
About Space 4 Art
Space 4 Art is a San Diego-based nonprofit arts organization dedicated to supporting artists and strengthening the region’s cultural ecosystem by providing access to affordable creative spaces, artist opportunities, exhibitions, public programming, and community engagement.
