For many galleries, summer is a time to take a break from the art world’s hustle and bustle, and put up a simple group show. Donald Young Gallery’s current exhibition is the placeholder you would expect, but moniquemeloche delivers something surprisingly appealing.

moniquemeloche’s lively “Boys of Summer” features works by gallery artists such as Nick Cave, James Gobel and Zane Lewis that question the representation of the male in contemporary society. Ebony G. Patterson’s Gangsta for Life (2007) is a painting on hand-cut paper that depicts a well-known Jamaican criminal; the contrast between the man’s criminal background and his soft, almost ethereal image make this piece one of the most dynamic of the show. Patterson severely lightened the man’s face, leaving his neck darker, to represent skin bleaching, a common cultural practice in Jamaica. Her work raises a number of difficult questions: Do we glorify the criminal? Does one bad act forever brand a person? Is physical beauty really just a concern for women? As a whole, “Boys of Summer” critically engages issues like sexuality, race, power, violence and physical beauty while remaining an enjoyable breath of fresh air.

In contrast to the provocative exhibit at moniquemeloche, Donald Young Gallery’s “Sculpture” felt disjointed. Many of its sculptures by gallery artists including Anne Chu, Rodney Graham and Gary Hill are striking: Rodney Graham’s Weathervane (2007), an immense copper and steel structure of a man seated backwards and reading a book while riding a horse, is witty in its reversal of commonly-held images we often take for granted. But it seems out of place among works like Sol LeWitt’s wall-size Wall Drawing #427 (2008) or Rosemarie Trockel’s plain glazed-ceramic Dessert pieces. The exhibit lacks a cohesive structure, making it clear that the gallery is just waiting for the fall.