"Submerged"

An aquatic theme flows through “Submerged,” a dual exhibition pairing UTSA alums Jessica Battes and Erin Stafford. Through ornately framed, Rococo-inspired pieces with titles like Whiplash (above), Stafford explores the significance of pearls. By deconstructing the loaded concept of the pearl necklace — including its varying implications as a symbol of feminine purity and a “seductive, yet sordid object” — Stafford suggests new narratives with assemblages she calls “florid paintings.” Suspended in a viscous substance, the pearls become “intimate morsels of desire” in arrangements designed to challenge viewers perceptions of femininity. Aquatic ecosystems act as artful inspiration for Battes, who adds “movement” to functional ceramic pieces by treating them with dramatic textures. Enhanced with qualities that bring to mind squid, coral, and sea sponges, her anatomically-named vessels invite viewers to participate “symbolically and literally in a biological, physiological process.” Free; 6-9pm; REM Gallery, 219 E Park, (210) 224-1227, remgallery.com. Through September 7.