Otto Younger's sculptures in the Handforth Gallery spill out of the gallery space to inhabit sections of the entire gallery, first and second floor, and even the windows above the main entrance. They are big, bold, hysterically funny and insightfully satirical. What Youngers has created is a parody of museum diorama with fantasy creatures - dragons and dinosaur-like skeletons, many of them wearing boxing gloves and Dutch-style wooden shoes.

Younger's sculptures are all made from reclaimed wood. Much of it is left in a natural finish and is roughly carved, giving the pieces the look of chainsaw sculpture or primitive craft. Many of the pieces are huge, taking up large sections of the library, such as the "The New & Improved Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse" on the first floor, which comprises menacing skeleton men riding giant wooden horses. They would be frightening if they were not so funny.

The titles give hints of the whimsical and quirky nature of Younger's art. For example, such pieces as "U.S.S. Miss Fitz," "Moose Lodge Bible," "Confusion Daze" and "Future, Past Now."

Read Alec Clayton's full review of "Natural History of the Surreal" in the Music and Culture section.

"NATURAL HISTORY OF THE SURREAL," 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, through Oct. 5, Handforth Gallery at Tacoma Public Library, 1102 Tacoma Ave. S, Tacoma, 253.292.2001

See Also

Calendar: Arts and Entertainment

Calendar: Music and Nightlife