Arts + Literature Laboratory presents Diastole and Systole: The Pulse of Life, an exhibition by Richie Morales and Beth Racette, on display from Friday, January 2 through Saturday, February 21, 2026.
An opening reception for all current exhibitions will be held on Saturday, January 10, 2026 from 5:00pm to 7:00pm.
Diastole and systole are rhythmic forces within our bodies, expanding and contracting our hearts, allowing the circulation of blood and other life processes. The exhibit, Diastole and Systole: The Pulse of Life, invites us to immerse ourselves in the beauty that persists despite the shadows outside and within us. In our paradoxical world we contemplate the mysteries of existence where violence and oppression coexist with serenity and liberation. The juxtaposition of destruction and creation, injustice and compassion, challenges us to seek a balance amidst chaos. The exhibition reflects on our human condition and Earth’s fragility, highlighting the need to live in harmony with ourselves and all of creation—a call to seek beauty in imperfection, to find strength in vulnerability, and to build a more just and compassionate world.
