‘The life of objects’

“Picking the Bones” (assemblage and painting), by Boston-based Eben Haines, in his show “In the House of Empire Everything’s Fine,’’ at Corey Daniels Gallery, Wells, Maine, through Sept. 11.

His Web site says:

“His work investigates the life of objects through works that emphasize the constructed nature of history. Haines’s paintings, drawings, sculptures, and installations employ various techniques and materials to suggest the passage of time and volatility. Many works explore the conventions of portraiture, through figures and objects pictured against cinematic backdrops or in otherworldly scenes.’’

At the Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve, in Wells, 2,250 acres of protected land based at a restored saltwater farm called Laudholm. As a National Estuarine Research Reserve, the staff at the reserve works to expand knowledge of coasts and estuaries, engage people in environmental learning, and involve communities in conservation, all with a goal of protecting and restoring coastal ecosystems around the Gulf of Maine.