The common denominator

For his latest show, William Ishmael did not go it alone. The equation is Ishmael plus one other artist collaborating on every piece of art, which equals a careful sum of artistic styles. Because Sacramento-based Ishmael is the common denominator, the addition of his aesthetic provides a visual bridge from one piece to another—a parabola-shaped bridge, perhaps, to keep the math references going. He enlisted 15 other artists for these collaborative works, including Jerry Barnes, Julie Didion, Taylor Gutermute, Shirley Hazlett, Maureen Hood, Darrell Ishmael, Meech Miyagi and Margaret Teichert. Archival Gallery just completed a remodel and expansion of its space, and this show marks its unveiling.