Wonder Domain Gallery

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wonder Domain Gallery

 

Manhattan, New York

 

Ivette Cervantes

 

Surrealism

Exhibition

 

 

 

 

Dreaming the Unimaginable Exhibition

 

Artists Included:

Naohisa Inoue

Maria Remedios Varo

George Grie

Daniel C. Chiriac

Rene Magritte

Michael Maier

Max Ernst

Salvador Dali

Alex Cherry

The following exhibition has been primarily focused on the different perspectives of artists in the fantasy/surrealism theme. Works by various artists are captured having a connection with an unimaginable way of letting their imagination flow to give viewers different feelings and messages. All, however, with the same connection in having the freedom to endless way of thinking and putting their thoughts into a painting. Artists have a unique secret in all of their works, making viewers think deeply and thoroughly to enjoy the beauty of their pieces of art.


Naohisa Inoue

 

Naohisa Inoue

"Encounter with Megezo"

Oil Painting Canvas

Two Dimensional

2000

 

Naohisa Inoue born in the year of 1948 majoring in graphic design and a high school fine arts teacher keeps his freelance artist obsession present since 1993. He is most known for his fantasy Utopian world depicting ideas throughout his pieces of work. Yearly he has had the opportunity to exhibit internationally his new works based on his theme of Iblard, the Utopian world.

 

"Encounter with Megezo" is based on a fairy like elephant who appears in Inoue's exhibitions yearly, who interprets different oinions and feelings to different people viewing the work. In relation to a legend, if a powerful person is encountered with a Megezo, he is apt to loose all the powers.

 

Inoue has a peculiar way of connecting all his pieces of work to the same theme of Utopian world, giving viewers the one and most important choice of opening up their imagination and entering into a world of fantasy. His work includes various choices of colors to give viewers a one specific feeling, in regards to this piece is feeling blue. 



Maria Remedios Varo

Maria Remedios Varo

"Premonition"

Fine Art Oil Canvas

Two Dimensional

1953

 

Born in the year of 1908, daughter to a skilled engineer whom spent Varo's first eight years traveling staying away from the Spanish Civil War. With the technical drawing influence of her father, she soon enrolled in the Academia de San Fernando in Madrid spending long study sessions with artists learning the new style of art during that time period. Unfortunately the year of 1940 came around and with the invasion of the Nazis she found herself moving to  Mexico City where she worked as a commercial artist, restoring pottery and designing costumes. Central America became her new home where she learned a unique painting style that was able to give her pieces of art a remarkable recognizable ability bringing millions in value.

 

 

"Premonition" Varo's piece of art depicting the human destiny in the middle of the universe, with stars, planets and the galaxy being presented. A spinning wheel with the presence of three women who are seeing as the representation of the 3 Parques from the Roman mythology who decide birth, marriage and death of humans. The painting is seeing as an indirect criticism to religion and any other force that is meant deny a person's freedom.

 

 

Knowing the mythology behind the destiny of a human being gives the viewers a better understanding of the thought in which Varo was able to interpret it in her own viewpoint giving the freedom to envoke a message to those who do not run their own lives as accordingly. The work gives dimension with its settled color use and makes a noticeable impact in reference to its unique style in fantasy in which ideas were brought in.

George Grie

George Grie

"Silence is Deceitful"

Fine Art Oil Painting

Two Dimensional

1992

 

 

George Grie was born in Russia, where he also experienced the world of art. He drifted away from the popular and traditionally political-bound representations through art, and instead geared towards a less common art practice. He actively describes his art as a form of neo-surrealist apprenticeship, and has carried quite significantly throughout his artistic career. Grie’s art pieces tend to show powerful images that draw their energy from a visual perspective, by the distinct alterations in light patterns as well as colors. Coming into the more modern era, Grie has not fallen behind and has also adopted technological practices that he introduces into his artwork. He acknowledges that with the assistance of technological innovations, the possibilities in the digital art world are endless and explains that “There’s is only one chilling obstacle between you and your perfect design-lack of imagination.”

“Silence is Deceitful” draws on both elements of past surrealist practices as well as more modern techniques to portray a sort of imaginary realm that at the same time is distorted from what we perceive as reality. Just like in many of his previous works, Grie works by merging real world images with emotions from the subconscious mind to create a sort of puzzle by which the audience are to try to take apart and solve.

Grie’s way of thinking combining emotions with the real world images reflects what fantasy and surrealism are. There are endless possibilities of what can be added to the theme reflected through this exhibition but in regards to this piece of art, a viewers imagination might be shifted into a world of emotions for example fear, fear of the outside world and its dangers to be brought into the home. 

Daniel C. Chiriac

Daniel C. Chiriac

"Façade Masquerade"

Fine Art, Oil on Canvas

Two Dimensional

 

Daniel Chiriac, born in Romania, for the most part of his artistic career underwent the creation of art pieces that followed traditional abstractionism guidelines. Entering the 21^st century Chiriac began to develop a special interest in magic realism, and began to create art pieces that reflect past traditional surrealist practices. He draws inspiration from his wife and two daughters and consider them to be his inspiration for many of his art pieces. His collection of artwork can be found all over the world and it encourages him to continue on this path.

“Façade Masquerade” is a piece that although is not uncommon from Chiriac, it is definitely different than his past works. As a representation of his art, Chiriac states “I believe that an artist it to bring up to the worldview beauty, simply beauty as the main rule. The rest must be a rare exception… My mission is to reveal the beauty there, where no other eye sees it but the artist’s eye does.”

The theme being fantasy/surrealism, Chiriac’s piece of art was in no doubt convincing to be added to this exhibition. Its remarkable choice of objects used and its distinct way of making the viewer think deeply into what possible message or thought the artist going through during this time of being developed is intriguing. Colors are able to catch the attention and take you into a world of imagination.



Rene Magritte

 

Rene Magritte

 

"The Son of Man"

Oil on Canvas

Two Dimensional

1946

 

 

Rene Magritte, a well-known artist, who takes everyday objects and transforms them into a work for the audience to take a deeper thought in understanding his main messages conveyed. Born in the year of 1898, whose mother had committed suicide when he was just fourteen years of age, making a decision to study at the Academie des Beaux-Art, transforming works with the influence of highly known Pablo Picasso. Magritte was not well-known until the 1950’s when he was finally able to be recognized by his work of taking normal day objects and rearranging them with certain locations in order to make the audience take a deeper look and see the difference at what is truly in front of them and what is not.

Magritte’s statement about his work includes the following, “Everything we see hides another thing. We always want to see what is hidden by what we see. There is an interest in that which is hidden and which the visible does not show us. This interest can take the form of a quite intense feeling, a sort of conflict, one might say, between the visible that is hidden and the visible that is present.” "The Son of Man" was made as a self-portrait in hopes to translate very valuable messages to an individual about himself/herself as a human being.

The work has given its audience a connection to surrealism or fantasy in a way for an individual to open up its imaginative expressions concerning an individual and what possible objects or ideas are hidden in daily lives. This art piece was chosen to understand the reason of why the artist placed a specific object exactly in front of the individuals face, was his reason maybe to give a meaning of what a insignificant fruit, in this example, seen in everyday life’s, can hide as a greater interest.

 



Michael Maier

 

Michael Maier

 

"The Little Pianist"

 

Photo Composition with Painted Canvas

 

Two Dimensional

 

2005

Michael Maier, a German artist whose pieces reflects the ideals of surrealism/fantasy, but with a contemporary twist. He works with highly digital photography and incorporates his artistic talent to create art pieces. A modern technique that includes both technological skills as well as hand-drawn techniques. He describes himself to work under the slogan “the art lends wings to the fantasy” and describes that “photographies [are what] merge [his] fantasyful works of art.” Undoubtedly, Maier’s art technique is very time consuming and finding the perfect arrangement where the technology is not visible throughout the work is key.

In his piece “The Little Pianist,” it is clear to see how he merges the techniques of photography and painting to create a masterpiece that reflects fantasy as well as reality. It depicts what could be the aspirations of a young boy envisioning his unimaginable potential, through a fantasy-like dream. This piece provides a sense of inspiration and encouragement to implement desires that may seem unrealistic, but harmonious at the same time.

Realistically the audience is able to capture the sense of fantasy dream when viewing the small boy sitting on top the piano just reading away while the eagle takes him to his destination. The work seems as a lullaby when imagined this actually occurring. For those reasons is why the piece was chosen and was easy to connect it to the theme.

Max Ernst

 

Max Ernst

"Fireside Angel"

Oil on Canvas

Two Dimensional

1937

 

Max Ernst was a German artist who continued his efforts to gain popularity for his art pieces, it was not until he moved into the United States towards the end of WW I that he gained momentum and drive for his inspirational pieces. His art became accustomed to distorted images of everyday objects. Additionally, Ernst’s works became well known by the audience because of his constant use of seeking the unconscious mind of an individual. Ernst himself, openely spoke about his artwork and in one instance described that “every normal human being (and not merely the ‘artist’) has an inexhaustible store of buried images in his subconscious, it is merely a matter of courage or liberating procedures… of voyages into the unconscious, to bring pure and unaltered found objects to light.”

The painting “Fireside Angel,” was indeed influenced by the international affairs and war efforts of that time in history, through a representation of despair and sense of being conquered or controlled by a ferocious beast. Ernst completed this painting after what he described as “the defeat of the Republicans in Spain.” Although, the image itself is fantastical and imaginary, it is indeed based on the fears and terror being felt by much of the world population at the time.

The image related to the fantasy-theme, granting that it does no in a distinct way as opposed to other works throughout the exhibit. In this example, fantasy is not portrayed as something beautiful and dream-like, but instead takes the role of intensifying fear and creating a feeling of defenselessness. "Fireside Angel" was chosen for its creativity in adding the message to the government with the one object grabbing people's attention in figuring out what is the works purpose.



Salvador Dali

Salvador Dali

"Persistence of Memory"

Painted Canvas

Two Dimensional

1931

 

Salvador Dali was born in Spain and after forming part of several other 20^th century artistic movements, he joined the emerging Surrealists in the late 1920’s. His art is typically associated with grotesque images imitating the notion of death as well as unrealistic images of distorted objects such as melting watches. His work was centered on the idea of escape from reality and creating an alternate world within one’s dreams, much like making a personal fantasy. Dali came to describe his art pieces as “hand-painted dream photographs” to emphasize the remoteness they have to reality.

 

 

Just like any of his art pieces, Dali worked towards illuminating the unconscious realm of the human mind and finding ways to reflect that through the distortion of common place images. Forms of artwork as “Persistence of Memory” were very common in the Surrealism era and prolonged the effect on society and encouraging people to express their personal connection to their own subconscious thoughts.

This piece of artwork clearly reflects the idea of fantasy and imagined thought. Art pieces such as this one are a clear representation on how distortions from realistic thought began to emerge in the artistic realm of the early 20^th century. “Persistence of Memory” was chosen duet to the different objects in the work and the thought that an individual has to put in order to better understand the artists main message of his clocks which seem melted and broken down.

 



Alex Cherry

 

 

Alex Cherry

 "Heaven In Her Arms"

 Ink Spray Canvas

 Two Dimensional

 2005

 

Influenced by John Berkey’s Star Wars and UK graffiti artist Banksy, Alex Cherry an American, demonstrates his artistic gift through edgy and insightful pieces with dark humor art inspired by his artistic soul in music. Self-taught artist  living now in Los Angeles California been recognized for his talent with ink, blurring the lines of art and design through digital work, making the distinction between what can be seen as deadly and in another sense beautiful,whose most seeing theme throughout his youth to adulthood has been an "intelligent, insightful rebellion". 

"Heaven In Her Arms" one of Cherry's best selling pieces of art is a modern abstract illustration of an angel in silhouette portraying the beauty that a woman is able to offer in an angelic sense of feeling. Its quality regarding shadows and two-tone form intensify the work as seen in a certain location drawing full attention to the piece of art.

 This work connects to surrealism theme in a way that an individual is able to see the many different actions, as having a full time job coming home to take care of her kids and husband and still being able to have extra energy in her to finish extra responsibilities with a smile in her face, a woman just trying to succeed in life, making her look like she has wings to fly far and wide, in other words strength and peace with a splash of fear of reality. I chose this work for the fact that it reminds me of many hard working women in this world that do not give up on their dreams.



Conclusion

        Organizing an exhibition of works from various artists, is in fact, a bit challenging. As a curator, I have to make sure that each piece of work ties in with the theme and the other works as well. The artists should not come up in the class textbook, in order for me to be able to add them into this exhibition. Each piece of work must be studied and seeing in different perspectives, to understanding its full meaning of decision based on the artist to create it. Choosing a name and them for the exhibition was indeed easy, as I had an idea in my head as in what I wanted to include, which meant that finding works to go by my theme was becoming a natural search to find. Unfortunately, finding the requirements for each work was not as easy as I thought. Some works did not have the specified date or did not include the media in which the artist used, making me search for a work that did include the requirements specified.

      The job of a curator, in my opinion, can be stressful at times. You have your specified works that would wish to add but from lack of required information you must search for another. Figuring out in what order to place the works, is a job on its own and requires thoughtful thinking. Connecting various works of art, that can bring back certain individual experiences or thoughts,with the theme can become a curator's most rewarding experience, for the curator is and can at times tell a story with the works.