Spannungsleben

Spannungsleben
Es sind Wimmelbilder im Rausch von Assoziationen. Die Gemälde stehen im Zeichen der Vielfalt, verfügen aber über eine ihnen inhärente Ordnung und Harmonie, die erst bei weiterem kontemplativem Sehen aufkommt. So steht es auch mit dem Leben selbst. Kann das Leben nur allzu oft chaotisch erscheinen, hat es doch seine Strukturen in all seinen Facetten und Perspektiven. Die Gemälde der Künstlerin Veronika Spleiss verbildlichen diesen Prozess in zweidimensionalem Stil, stehen aber aufgrund ihrer Formenvielfalt für eine multiperspektivische Öffnung zum Leben. Ganz im Sinne Friedrich Nietzsches wird der Aspekt des Perspektivischen als die „Grundbedingung allen Lebens“ gezeigt (JGB, KSA 5, S. 12). Denn Leben umfasst ein Ganzes. Der Mensch selbst hat aber keinen Zugang zu diesem. Der Lebende ist immer an seine eigene Perspektive und Sichtweise auf die Welt gebunden, der eine gewisse eigene Ordnung innewohnt. Die Werke spielen mit diesen Aspekten. Mehr noch, die Künstlerin versucht Leben in ihren vielseitigen Perspektiven grafisch zu visualisieren. Für den Betrachter bedeutet dies in erster Linie Chaos – eine vermeintlich chaotische Zusammenfügung verschiedener Sichtweisen, die aus dem Schwarz beziehungsweise Nichts hervortreten. Jedes Teilchen, jede geometrische Form steht dabei für sich allein, nähert sich jedoch an die anderen Formen an und stellt so eine notwendige Verbindung her.

Artist:
Veronika Spleiss

Biografie

Die deutsche Künstlerin Veronika Spleiss, geboren 1993, deren Wurzeln in Estland und Russland liegen, beschäftigt sich seit mehr als fünfzehn Jahren mit visueller bildender Kunst. Unter Anleitung der Künstlerin Natalia Zurakowska erlernte Spleiss die Techniken der Malerei, Grafik und Illustration. Nach ihrem Studium der französischen und russischen Literaturwissenschaft als auch der politischen Theorie in München, Clermont-Ferrand und Passau (M.A.) wendete sie sich vollständig dem künstlerischen Schaffen zu. Die Künstlerin lebt und arbeitet in Essen und München. Veronika Spleiss hat an zahlreichen Ausstellungen und internationalen Kunstmessen in Deutschland, Italien, der Schweiz und den USA teilgenommen. Ihre Werke befinden sich unter anderem in der ständigen Sammlung des Hunderwasserhauses "Grüne Zitadelle" in Magdeburg, Deutschland. Die Malerin wurde für zwei Kunstpreise nominiert, für den YAS Award 2020 und den Renate Hendricks & Valentine Rothe Preis 2021. Ihre Werke befinden sich in Privatsammlungen auf der ganzen Welt: in Japan, Frankreich, der Schweiz, Deutschland, Österreich und den USA.

Über den Stil von Veronika Spleiss

Der erste Blick auf das Werk der Künstlerin eröffnet ein berauschendes Fest an Formen und Farben. Auf den zweiten Blick offenbaren sich jedoch aus weißen und farbenprächtigen Fragmentstücken assoziative prägnante Formen der Realität – und auf Metaebene ihre Geschichten. Es sind Wimmelbilder im Rausch von Assoziationen. Die Gemälde stehen im Zeichen der Vielfalt, verfügen aber über eine ihnen inhärente Ordnung und Harmonie, die erst bei weiterem kontemplativem Sehen aufkommt. So steht es auch mit dem Leben selbst. Kann das Leben nur allzu oft chaotisch erscheinen, hat es doch seine Strukturen in all seinen Facetten und Perspektiven. Die Gemälde der Künstlerin Veronika Spleiss verbildlichen diesen Prozess in zweidimensionalem Stil, stehen aber aufgrund ihrer Formenvielfalt für eine multiperspektivische Öffnung zum Leben. Ganz im Sinne Friedrich Nietzsches wird der Aspekt des Perspektivischen als die „Grundbedingung allen Lebens“ gezeigt (JGB, KSA 5, S. 12). Denn Leben umfasst ein Ganzes. Der Mensch selbst hat aber keinen Zugang zu diesem. Der Lebende ist immer an seine eigene Perspektive und Sichtweise auf die Welt gebunden, der eine gewisse eigene Ordnung innewohnt. Die Werke spielen mit diesen Aspekten. Mehr noch, die Künstlerin versucht Leben in ihren vielseitigen Perspektiven grafisch zu visualisieren. Für den Betrachter bedeutet dies in erster Linie Chaos – eine vermeintlich chaotische Zusammenfügung verschiedener Sichtweisen, die aus dem Schwarz beziehungsweise Nichts hervortreten. Jedes Teilchen, jede geometrische Form steht dabei für sich allein, nähert sich jedoch an die anderen Formen an und stellt so eine notwendige Verbindung her. Jedes Kunstwerk von Veronika Spleiss fügt sich zu einer visuellen Geschichte zusammen. Die Künstlerin verschriftlicht ihre Gedanken und Vorstellungen zu jedem Werk. Visualität und Literatur vereinen sich.

Preise

2021 Renate Hendricks & Valentine Rothe Preis - Nominiert- Bonn, Deutschland 2020 YAS Award 2020 - Nominiert- Magdeburg, Deutschland

Kunstgalerien

Galerie Klose, Essen, Deutschland Hunderwasserhaus "Grüne Zitadelle" Magdeburg justBEE Gallery, Elsass, Frankreich Singulart, Online Kunstgalerie Paris, Frankreich
Jacques Bodin high resolution painting

Jacques Bodin high resolution painting
Jacques Bodin, painter, lives and works in Levallois Perret near Paris. He is one of the main representant of european hyperrealism. The paintings, are executed from his own photos modified with numeric tools. His paintings accentuate photographic deviations from reality (depth of field, wide angle, lighting, and focus anomalies) to create a hyperrealism reference. Subject matter includes extreme closeup views of exacting images cast in shadow through reflective lighting. The apparent hyperrealistic frontality of the foregrounds is compared with the diffuse aspect of the backgrounds in which we can see vanishing lines which break up the graphic organization of the canvas. His work explores diverse subject themes such as grass, fruits, hair, trees and vegetation and is organized in the manner in which he captures his subjects and depicts them with meticulous attention. Approaching minimalism, some of the works embark on a conceptual aspect of hyperreality. He has been in numerous gallery shows and his work has been featured in many books. He is represented by Plus One gallery in London. Research of perfection during execution contains itself a message. It is perhaps this passage of time which gives a metaphysical dimension to hyperrealism.

Rivoli Genève
The wander of giving the eye what it can’t see. - The frayed segments that protrude from the wound threads of a ball of string, the luminous transparency of the glass bottle that reflects, deformed, the architecture of the room and the brilliant, compelling colors of the fruit in the basket, the strands of tall, dry grass that decorate the back of a woman like a tattoo… With Jacques Bodin every feature is perfectly visible in a bracing sharpness, from the wrinkled but shiny peel of the oranges to their inner white spongy part, to the pulp of which we see the juice that raises it; from the transparent drops of dew worn by a stem of grass like a jewel, to the veins of ivy enveloping around a lying trunk, to a tuft of grass that the wind combs as if it were hair. The wander lies in giving the eye much more than it can see. As Picasso said, “realism is the impossible”. A mysterious, paradoxical phrase, explained by the literary critic Walter Siti. The world, the reality, is too vast and too complex to be dominated by our gaze. To succeed, the realistic painters divide it into small parts to study them in detail. If we want the precision of the detail, it is impossible to have the whole of the real. Looking at hyper - realistic works of art, many wonder what sense it has to realize them. We all, in fact, have more or less sophisticated technical tools to photograph the world and ourselves. It is a well - founded question.
Nowadays we do not choose a smart-phone for its basic technical property of calling and receiving calls, but for the additional features of taking high resolution photos and video pictures. Snapping photos has become a sort of nervous habit, a tic, a compulsive behavior. Our subjects are barely able to show our special look of the world around us. In a museum, for example, our biggest task is to take pictures of the paintings, installations and sculptures even when it is prohibited. Nevertheless the process of creating art proves to be unpredictable. One of the most exciting questions of contemporary art is to ask oneself if something has been photographed or hand painted. This fascinating doubt is the sign of a challenge between creation and reproduction. Realism is a technique to learn more about the world, not through mere imitation nor through the reproduction of things, but through their analytical remaking by our own hands. Bodin wants to be the soil that makes the grass grow, and the dew that quenches it in the morning. Cristina Muccioli Art critic, curator and lecturer

Artist:
Jacques Bodin

Jacques Bodin, painter, lives and works in Levallois Perret near Paris. He is one of the main representant of european hyperrealism. The paintings, are executed from his own photos modified with numeric tools. His paintings accentuate photographic deviations from reality (depth of field, wide angle, lighting, and focus anomalies) to create a hyperrealism reference. Subject matter includes extreme closeup views of exacting images cast in shadow through reflective lighting. The apparent hyperrealistic frontality of the foregrounds is compared with the diffuse aspect of the backgrounds in which we can see vanishing lines which break up the graphic organization of the canvas. His work explores diverse subject themes such as grass, fruits, hair, trees and vegetation and is organized in the manner in which he captures his subjects and depicts them with meticulous attention. Approaching minimalism, some of the works embark on a conceptual aspect of hyperreality. He has been in numerous gallery shows and his work has been featured in many books. He is represented by Plus One gallery in London. Research of perfection during execution contains itself a message. It is perhaps this passage of time which gives a metaphysical dimension to hyperrealism.

BIOGRAPHY

2023 Hyper 23, Musée Photobastei, Zurich Plus One gallery, London Galerie Le Cactus bleu, Reugny Eglise Saint Florentin, Amboise, Levallart, Levallois Perret, L’Hyperréalisme, Mairie de Levallois Perret 2022 Galerie Le Cactus bleu, Reugny Eglise Saint Florentin, Amboise Levallart, Levallois Perret 2021 Jacques Bodin, Peintures autour de Courçay, salle polyvalente Courçay 20x20, Arte Libre galeria Plus One gallery, London Levallart, Levallois Perret 2020 Transperceptions, Institut culturel bulgare Ceci n'est pas une photo, Hotel de Ville , Levallois Perret 20x20, Arte Libre galeria Algo mas que realismo, Zarragossa Plus One gallery, London Levallart, Levallois Perret 2019 20x20, Arte Libre galeria, Zarragosse 20x20, Arte Libre galeria,MEAM, Barcelone Algo mas que realismo, Zarragossa Plus One gallery, London Levallart, Levallois Perret 2018 Plus One gallery, Hyperrealism, Museo del tabac, Andorre State of the Arts gallery, Hong Kong Art fair State of the Arts gallery, Singapore Art fair Galerie atelier Saint Honoré, Hyperréalisme, Paris Réel abstrait, Eglise de la Madeleine, Paris Algo mas que realismo, Zarragossa Plus One gallery, London Levallart, Levallois Perret 2017 La nature abstraite de la réalité, Eglise de la Madeleine, Paris Algo mas que realismo, Zarragossa Plus One gallery, London Levallart, Levallois Perret 2016 Algo mas que realismo, Zarragossa Verité vraie, Le réalisme à travers la peinture contemporaine, Xun art gallery, Pékin, Shijiazhuang Plus One gallery, London State of the Arts gallery, Hong Kong Levallart, Levallois Perret 2015 Galerie Anna Tshopp, Marseille State of the Arts gallery, Hong Kong Plus One gallery, London Levallart, Levallois Perret 2014 State of the Arts gallery, Hong Kong Plus One gallery, London 2013 State of the Arts gallery, Hong Kong Galerie By the Arts, Paris 2012 State of the Arts gallery, Hong Kong 2011 Rarity gallery, Mykonos, Greece Silas Marder gallery, Bridgehampton, USA

2010 Galerie Anna Tschopp, Marseille, France 2009 Galerie Lebreton, Pont Aven, France 2006 Galerie Catherine et Andre Hug, Paris, France Galerie Suty, Coye La Forêt, France Galerie Whitfield, Mexico 2005 Galerie Catherine et Andre Hug, Paris, France Galerie Suty, Coye La Forêt, France Galerie Whitfield, Mexico 1997 Itinéraires Levallois Perret 1991 Espace Michel Simon, Noisy le Grand 1990 France Japon Tokyo Galerie Caplain Matignon, Paris 1988 Shémas Images Acropolis Nice 1987 Portes et portiques, Château de Sceaux 1984 Musée château de Nointel Les 92 du 92 Boulogne Billancourt 1983 Musée château de Nointel 1981 Octogone, Paris Mairie de Boulogne Billancourt 1980 Espace Cardin, Paris 1978 Espace Cardin, Paris 1996 à 2003 Salon d'Automne, Grand palais, Paris 1978 à 1995 Salon Comparaisons, Grand palais, Paris 1981 à 1995 Salon Figuration critique, Grand palais, Paris 1980 à 1982 Salon de Montrouge 1978 à 1990 Salon Grands et jeunes d'aujourd'hui, Grand palais, Paris

RECENT BIBLIOGRAPHY

Hyperrealism Magazine, june 2022 p.36-47 Je découvre l'Art Moderne, Editions Amalthée, may 2022 Hiperrrealism, Museo del Tabac, Andorra, 2018 Poets and Artists, Glorious color, june 2018 Hyperrealism Magazine, january 2018 Arte y Libertad XI, Arte Libre, november2017 Jacques Bodin, Didi Menendez, Poets and artists, july 2017 Vérité vraie, Le réalisme à travers la peinture contemporaine, Feng Liu éditeur, 2016 Arte y Libertad X, Arte Libre, november2016 Art's Vice, march 2016 Jacques Bodin Paintings, 2014, hyperrealism.net ed. Poets and Artists, february 2014 Splux, Japan, august 2012 Art croissance, septembre 2012 Arte y Libertad V, Arte Libre, 2011 Poets and Artists, february 2010 Public Art, january 2010 Nature art today, 2010, E. Patou ed. Dessins et Peintures, january 2010 Poets and Artists, december 2009 Jacques Bodin Paintings, 2009, hyperrealism.net ed. Peinture et photographie, J. L. Chalumeau, 2088
Christian Verginer - Master of Artistic Wooden Sculptures

Christian Verginer - Master of Artistic Wooden Sculptures
Christian Verginer is considered one of the most valid and original expressionists in contemporary sculpture carvings. The subject chosen by the sculptor is the human figure, or rather, the human figure in its relations with other forms of life, with animals, trees, or with various objects of the world and nature. The material used is limetree wood, which is left smooth and covered in details by brilliant and unexpectedly applied acrylic paint. With respect to the long and high tradition of the Dolomites, Verginer remains loyal to the skill and precision of the centuries-old 'Dolomite tradition' of wood-carving by hand, while introducing modern, new and personal subject matter. The artist explores the symbiotic relationship between humans and nature, where tradition and innovation, truth and fantasy come together in a realistic language. The artist has a deep affection for plants and trees and in many of his sculptures, the human is depicted as protecting or nurturing nature, caught in the moment of wonder, when a slight sadness overshadows youth. Childhood, curiosity, and connection come together in every one of this artists' whimsical wooden pieces. Through his art, Christian Verginer explores childhood curiosity and connection. His artistic language combine the play and wonder of adolescence with the vitality of the natural world. His artistic vocabulary has always been orbiting around the relationship between man and nature as a non-static on-going theme, which he believes will follow him throughout his career.

Artist:
Christian Verginer

1982 Born in Bressanone (I) 1995-2000 Studing at School of Arts, Ortisei 2001-2002 Academy of Fine Arts of Carrara Lives and works in Ortisei

Solo shows, collective exhibitions & events (selection)

2023 Art Herning 2023, Herning (DK) „Refractions“ – Kirk Gallery, Aalborg (DK) 2022 Context Art Miami, Miami (USA) Art Parma Fair, Parma (I) „Future Habitat“ – VCRB Gallery, Knokke (BE) Lucca Art Fair, Lucca (I) Art Herning 2022, Herning (DK) Palm Beach / Modern + Contemporary, Palm Beach (USA) 2021 „META MORPH OSIS“ – Sacchetti Contemporary, Ascona (CH) Context Art Miami, Miami (USA) „Italy 35 x 35 Art Project“, Coupelouzos Family Art Museum, Athens (GR) Arte Padova, Padova (I) „Sein – Licht – Irritation – Spielerei“ – Sacchetti Contemporary, Ascona (CH) „20“ – group show new location and opening of VCRB „Shop & Art“ – Ortisei (I) „Beyond imagination“ – VCRB Gallery, Antwerpen (BE) „upside down“ – Kirk Gallery, Aalborg (DK) „Future habitat“ – Sacchetti Contemporary, Ascona (CH) „Serendipity“ – Vecchiato Arte, Padova (I) „Detour Art Herning“, Herning (DK) 2020 Art Miami – special online edition „Legacy“ – Vecchiato Arte, Padova (I) „Zeitgeist“ – Kirk Gallery, Aalborg (DK) Art Knokke-Heist, Knokke (BE) „ERT³“ – Galerie Van Campen & Rochtus, Knokke (BE) „Ester Ladins“ group show, Brunico (I) „Inside out“ – Kirk Gallery, Aalborg (DK) Art Karlsruhe 2020, Karlsruhe (D) Art Herning 2020, Herning (DK) BAF Bergamo Art Fair, Bergamo (I) Art Knokke-Heist, Knokke (BE) „ERT³“ – Galerie Van Campen & Rochtus, Knokke (BE) „Ester Ladins“ group show, Brunico (I) „Inside out“ – Kirk Gallery, Aalborg (DK) Art Karlsruhe 2020, Karlsruhe (D) Art Herning 2020, Herning (DK) BAF Bergamo Art Fair, Bergamo (I)

2019 „Art of giving“ – Galerie van Campen & Rochtus, Antwerpen (B) Antica Namur, Namur (BE) Context Art Miami, Miami (USA) Arte Padova, Padova (I) „Deberieda“ – Galerie Max 21, Iphofen (D) North Art Fair, Aalborg (DK) Wopart Lugano, Lugano (CH) „Unika Art Fair vintecinch“, Ortisei (I) „Skulpturen und Reliefs“ Soloshow – Galleria Berno Sacchetti, Ascona (CH) Art Bodensee, Dornbirn (A) „Uguale e diverso“ exhibition together with brother Matthias – Galerie Van Campen & Rochtus, Antwerp (B) Art Herning, Herning (DK) „A time for giving“ – Galerie Van Campen & Rochtus, Antwerp (B) 2018 Arte Padova, Padova (I) North Art Fair, Aalborg (DK) „Missing Nature“ – Liquid Art System, Anacapri (I) CI – Contemporary Istanbul, Istanbul (TR) Biënnale Veghel, Veghel (NL) „In Art We Trust“ – Vecchiato Arte, Pietrasanta (I) „Good Vibes“ – Vecchiato Arte, Pietrasanta (I) „Blowing“ – Vecchiato Arte, Padova (I) Lucca Art Fair, Lucca (I) Eurantica Bruxells Fine Art Fair, Brussels (B) „On The Move“ – Kirk Gallery, Aalborg (DK) Art Breda, Berda (NL) Art Herning, Herning (DK) BAF Bergamo Art Fair, Bergamo (I) „Winter Salon“ – Wasserman Projects, Detroit (USA) 2017 Scope Miami Beach, Miami (USA) Arte Padova, Padova (I) “Gemischter Satz“ – Galerie Max 21, Iphofen (D) “Extraordinary” – Gallery Van Campen & Rochtus, Antwerp (B) KunstRai Amsterdam, Amsterdam (NL) Art Breda, Berda (NL) “The Italian Connection” – Gallery Van Campen & Rochtus, Antwerp (B) “Carte Blanche” collaboration between Galerie Van Campen & Rochtus and Galerie L’Oeil du Prince, Paris (F) Eurantica Bruxells Fine Art Fair, Brussels (B) “After industry” – Wasserman Projects, Detroit (USA) 2016 Art Breda, Berda (NL) “A winter solstice” – Gallery Van Campen & Rochtus, Antwerp (B) “La stanza delle meraviglie” – Arionte Arte Contemporanea,Catania (I) Setup contemporary Art Fair Bologna, Bologna (I) Realisme Amsterdam, Amsterdam (NL)

2015 C.A.R. Art Fair Essen (D) „Arte Padova“, Padova (I) exhibition with Sam Drukker – Gallery Van Campen & Rochtus, Antwerp (B) “Eurantica” Bruxells Fine Art Fair, Brussels (B) “Affordable Art Fair” , Milano (I) „Realisme Ansterdam“, Ansterdam (NL) „Antiques & Art Fair Luxembourg“, Luxembourg 2014 „Arte Padova“, Padova (I) „DOMEEVENT“ art at home, Antwerp (B) „Art of giving“ – Galerie van Campen & Rochtus, Antwerpen (B) Unika, Ortisei (I) „jumblins sculteures“ – Bildhauerzwillinge Christian und Matthias Verginer, Galerie Max 21 – Iphofen (D) Eurantica Art Fair Brussels Art Fair Luxembourg 2013 „Quelli che parlano agli alberi“, Leogalleries – Monza (I) Art Gent International Art Fair (B) „three by tree“, Galerie Van Campen & Rochtus – Antwrepen (B) Unika, Ortisei (I) „different twins“, civic museum Chiusa (I) Galerie Van Campen & Rochtus – Antwrepen (B) 2012 Transart 12 – Bolzano (I) Galerie Max 21– Iphofen (D) „Verrätselung des Alltags“, Galerie Anne Malchers, Bergisch Gladbach(D) Unika, Ortisei (I) Gallery White Room, Positano (I) 2011 „Unika“, Tubla da Nives, Selva/Gardena (I) Unika, Ortisei (I) 2009 Unika, Ortisei (I) “Trei scultëures”, Wangen im Allgäu (D) 2008 Unika, Ortisei (I) “3xVerginer”, Gallery Max 21, Iphofen (D) Tradefair, Milano (I)
Philip Barlow

Philip Barlow
Born 1968 in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. Philip describes his work as a step towards abstraction. It is primarily the exploration of light and the relationship of colour, where he at first captures his images with a camera and then translates them into a painted format. He is interested in the concept of capturing “the moment”, a millisecond in time when everything lines up perfectly. His paintings seek to explore and demonstrate this, rather like a wonderfully composed climax of a symphony, a perfect marriage. His paintings also give us a glimpse in time where form, light and colour come together in all their complexity. Philip has a deep appreciation and love for the power and science of colour. Careful tonal shifts and subtlety characterize his work and the blurred image enabled by the camera lens creates new but familiar understandings of form and the relationship between people and place. He is fascinated with the common notion that everything is random when there can be no question that there is design in everything. His is a philosophy of harmony, where even in the grit and grime of a city there is immense beauty to be discovered. A beauty that lies between the imperceptible and the unknown.

Artist:
Philip Barlow

Born 1968 in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. Philip describes his work as a step towards abstraction. It is primarily the exploration of light and the relationship of colour, where he at first captures his images with a camera and then translates them into a painted format. He is interested in the concept of capturing “the moment”, a millisecond in time when everything lines up perfectly. His paintings seek to explore and demonstrate this, rather like a wonderfully composed climax of a symphony, a perfect marriage. His paintings also give us a glimpse in time where form, light and colour come together in all their complexity. Philip has a deep appreciation and love for the power and science of colour. Careful tonal shifts and subtlety characterize his work and the blurred image enabled by the camera lens creates new but familiar understandings of form and the relationship between people and place. He is fascinated with the common notion that everything is random when there can be no question that there is design in everything. His is a philosophy of harmony, where even in the grit and grime of a city there is immense beauty to be discovered. A beauty that lies between the imperceptible and the unknown.

Biography

1974 - 1986 Rhodes Estate Prep School, Matopes, Zimbabwe St Andrews College, Grahamstown, South Africa 1987 - 1990 Diploma in Graphic Fine Art (Printing, Stained Glass and Photography) from Port Elizabeth Technikon (Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University) 1991 - 1994 Travels Europe while developing his talent. Produces approximately 500 portaits in pastel and charcoal, painted 8 murals and completes around 200 watercolour / pen and ink drawings. 1995 - 2001 Executes murals and ceiling paintings in various homes and corporate spaces. Years distinguished by extensive exploration of other creative aspects of painting. 2002 A new style in his work sees abstraction taking the focus, an offshoot of previous discoveries. Teaches foundational drawing skills to adults. 2003 This Thing of Light - first solo exhibition at the Association of Visual Arts, Cape Town 2004 Identity - group exhibition of South African artists Fortis Circustheater, Scheveningen, Holland Glow - solo exhibition at Obert Contemporary, Johannesburg 2005 Solo exhibition at the Association of Visual Arts, Cape Town 2006 De Light - solo exhibition at Obert Contemporary, Johannesburg 2008 Vapor - solo exhibition at Obert Contemporary, Johannesburg Luminosity - solo exhibition at Johans Borman Fine Art, Cape Town 2009 Boréal Publishers use “Passing” for a book cover by Dany Laferrière, L`Enigme du Retour. Art That Inspires - 10-20 Anniversary - group exhibition at Johans Borman Fine Art, Cape Town. Group exhibition at Hespe Gallery, San Franciso, USA. 2010 Light Train - solo exhibition at Obert Contemproary, Johannesburg. 2011 Persona - group exhibition at Johans Borman Fine Art, Cape Town. Group exhibition at Hespe Gallery, San Francisco, USA. The Homestead Charity Art Auction at Johans Borman Fine Art, Cape Town. Boréal Publishers print a second ‘compact’ version of the Dany Laferrière novel, L`Enigme du Retour. 2012 -scape - group exhibition at Johans Borman Fine Art, Cape Town. 2013 Allusions of Abstraction - group exhibition at Johans Borman Fine Art, Cape Town. the colour of light - solo exhibition at Johans Borman Fine Art, Cape Town. 2014 Summer Salon Show - group exhibition at Rarity Gallery, Mykonos Greece. Winter Exhibition - group exhibition at Everard Read, Cape Town. 2015 Summer in the City - group exhibition at Everard Read, Cape Town. the anatomy of colour - first solo (sell out) exhibition at Everard Read, Cape Town. 2016 Solo studios - group show at The Gallery, Riebeek Kasteel Reality Check - group show at Everard Read, Cape Town 2017 Group exhibition - Summer Exhibition, Everard Read London Group exhibition - @ CIRCA Winter collection, Cape Town Solo studios - group show at The Gallery, Riebeek Kasteel still motion - second solo exhibition at Everard Read, Cape Town 2018 still motion II - solo exhibition at Everard Read, London 28th Février Singapore - first solo exhibition 2019 solo studios - group show at The Gallery, Riebeek Kasteel between broadway and 42nd - third solo exhibition at Everard Read, Cape Town 2020 intersections - first solo exhibition at Galerie LeRoyer, Montreal, Canada 2021 slowing a split second - second solo show at Everard Read, London 2022 investec cape town art fair - with Everard Read, Cape Town miami art fair - with Galerie Le Royer summer group show - Everard Read, Cape Town 2023 african american museum, dallas - if you look hard enough, you can see our future urban glory - solo exhibition with Bugno Gallery, Venice, Italy
Helga Stentzel - Household Surrealism

Helga Stentzel - Household Surrealism
Helga Stentzel is a Russian-born artist based in London, UK. She works across a wide range of media including illustration, photography, video and stop motion animation. Helga received "food art creator of the year" award in 2020 and has collaborated with BBC, Honda and O2, among others. A St. Martins alumna, Helga worked in the advertising industry and ran a children’s clothing business before becoming a full-time artist. “To me, household surrealism is about finding magic in the mundane, seeing beauty in imperfections, and connecting to our reality in a new way. I love noticing playful similarities - be it a sweater on a clothing line looking like a horse or a slice of bread resembling a dog’s head. It’s only the starting point though. From this moment onward the stories and visuals start buzzing in my head: What will this horse look like? What’s her name and character? Does she like racing with other horses? - the list goes on and on! I hope that my art will help people to connect with their inner child and rediscover the joy of savouring little visual delights in and outside their homes.”

Artist:
Helga Stentzel

Helga Stentzel is a Russian-born artist based in London, UK. She works across a wide range of media including illustration, photography, video and stop motion animation. Helga received "food art creator of the year" award in 2020 and has collaborated with BBC, Honda and O2, among others. A St. Martins alumna, Helga worked in the advertising industry and ran a children’s clothing business before becoming a full-time artist. “To me, household surrealism is about finding magic in the mundane, seeing beauty in imperfections, and connecting to our reality in a new way. I love noticing playful similarities - be it a sweater on a clothing line looking like a horse or a slice of bread resembling a dog’s head. It’s only the starting point though. From this moment onward the stories and visuals start buzzing in my head: What will this horse look like? What’s her name and character? Does she like racing with other horses? - the list goes on and on! I hope that my art will help people to connect with their inner child and rediscover the joy of savouring little visual delights in and outside their homes.”

Helga’s work has received media attention across the globe – from Korea to Columbia; including in the press, on TV and online. Her Instagram page is often featured by the largest accounts (including by the Instagram itself)

Selected media mentions

Conversación con Helga Stentzel, la artista que creó la vaca con ropa colgada / El Columbiano, March 2021 ‘Household surrealism’ by visual artist Helga Stentzel / South China Morning Post, March 2021 Artist Transforms Everyday Household Items into a Host of Playful Characters / My Modern Met, March 2021 [이 한 장의 시각예술] 세탁, 소 / The Chosun Ilbo, March 2021 De l’art avec des objets du quotidien par Helga Stentzel / 2Tout2Rien, France, March 2021 Il bucato al pascolo di Helga Stentzel / Objects, March 2021 Clothesline Farm Animals Graze the Countryside in Playful Illusions by Helga Stentzel / Colossal, February 2021 Helga Stentzel hangs clothes to create surreal farm animal illusions / DesignBoom, February 2021 This Artist Turns Everyday Items into Hilarious Optical Illusions / DIY Photography Magazine, February 2021 凭奇葩“菜狗”表情包火出圈，设计师“糟蹋”无数食物，却让人有被治愈到! / qq.com, January 2021 L’artiste Helga Stentzel détourne le quotidien avec humour / Creapills, January 2021 Дизайнер из Лондона оживляет еду и предметы быта / Metro Moscow, August 2020 Food art creator of the year award / SnackableContent Awards, July 2020 I Use Food to Tell Fun Visual Stories / Bored Panda, January 2019 Helga Stenzel: la artista que construye figuras y escenas con objetos cotidianos / SDP Noticias, March 2018
Anthony Kosiso Attah

Anthony Kosiso Attah
Anthony Kosiso Attah is a hyper-realism artist. He was born and lives in Enugu in Nigeria being the only artst in his family for two generatons. He has faced a considerable amount of struggle in his pursuit of the ultmate need to express his ideals and emotions. Kosisochukwu has a Diploma in fine art. His journey into art started when he drew his uncle. He made a drawing of his uncle when he was still tender and it was perfect. He was amazed and he said in the next years to come that he'd be very good at drawing that he should just believe in himself. In 2018 he was depressed and fustratated, He heard a voice in he's head saying "BELIEVE". He drew his first personal project "titled "BELIEVE". It is his only way of expressing hidden emotons, dreams and fantasies, giving a louder voice, he learnt from Ebube Onyenwe. This is something he has always intended and dreamt of doing. Aiming only at shining a bright spotlight on his inner thoughts, emotions and strong ideas he has been forced to suppress due to his family background..

Artist:
Anthony Kosiso Attah

Anthony Kosiso Attah is a hyper-realism artist. He was born and lives in Enugu in Nigeria being the only artst in his family for two generatons. He has faced a considerable amount of struggle in his pursuit of the ultmate need to express his ideals and emotions. Kosisochukwu has a Diploma in fine art. His journey into art started when he drew his uncle. He made a drawing of his uncle when he was still tender and it was perfect. He was amazed and he said in the next years to come that he'd be very good at drawing that he should just believe in himself. In 2018 he was depressed and fustratated, He heard a voice in he's head saying "BELIEVE". He drew his first personal project "titled "BELIEVE". It is his only way of expressing hidden emotons, dreams and fantasies, giving a louder voice, he learnt from Ebube Onyenwe. This is something he has always intended and dreamt of doing. Aiming only at shining a bright spotlight on his inner thoughts, emotions and strong ideas he has been forced to suppress due to his family background..

Galina Gomzina

Galina Gomzina
I have always been fascinated by water; in almost all of my works you can see the depicted water with enchanting and elusive reflections of the reality surrounding us. These stories that convey a sense of peace and harmony, at the same time are filled with energy and motion. I always say that: "Water is a genuine creator. Sometimes it creates its masterpieces only for a moment, and then they disappear into oblivion, only for the new ones to appear… and it’s fascinating for an artist to capture and portray these very moments in a picture…" Galina Gomzina

Artist:
Galina Gomzina

Galina Gomzina is a talented watercolor painter possessing a high mastery of watercolor technique. Her masterpieces are widely known both in Russia and abroad. Galina was born in St. Petersburg, in a city of extraordinary beauty, where the majestic Neva River and numerous picturesque canals flow. This was the very thing that has influenced the artist’s creativity; in almost all of her works we see the masterly depicted water with enchanting and elusive reflections of the reality surrounding us. These stories that convey a sense of peace and harmony, at the same time are filled with energy and motion. Galina has always been fascinated by water: “Water is a genuine creator. Sometimes it creates its masterpieces only for a moment, and then they disappear into oblivion, only for the new ones to appear… and it’s fascinating for an artist to capture and portray these very moments in a picture…» Galina has graduated from the Saint Petersburg Stieglitz State Academy, the Department of Design. But as the artist says, she was attracted by a magical watercolor since her childhood, and began to master it only after graduation. It was an exciting and complex process, and, as a result, in 2000, Galina started her work as a professional watercolor painter. Her favorite technique is «A la prima», a one-layer watercolor technique on wet paper. Galina is a member of the Creative Union of Artists of Russia and the Russian Society of Marine Artists. The artist’s creative biography includes more than 10 solo exhibitions both in Russia and abroad, constant participation in international watercolor exhibitions and the biennale (China, England, Italy, Emirates, Albania, Serbia, etc.), and a large number of publications. So, her work was appreciated by both connoisseurs and non-professional artists in Beijing, where her personal exhibition “Two Venice” was held in 2006. Her works are located in private collections in Russia and other countries (England, Italy, Spain, America, China, Serbia, etc.)

The artist’s creative life takes place both in her homeland and abroad, on trips to picturesque places that are often unique, far from tourist routes. Despite her intense exhibition activities, the artist expresses her talent in successful teaching. She conducts watercolor courses, online classes and plein air workshops both in Russia and abroad (Germany, Italy, etc.) Galina is a very energetic, positive and, as her students say, cheerful person who generously shares the secrets of her skills. She is very creative in conducting her classes, so they are always emotional and productive. Some of her students are already participating in international watercolor exhibitions.

Latest exhibition

2015 International exhibition of a watercolor in Fabriano (Italy) 2015 International Watercolor Festival in Albania 2016 1th International Watercolor Exhibition in Moscow 2016 International Watercolor Exhibition IWS Pakistan 2016 International Watercolor Biennale Belgrad-Serbia 2015, 2018 International Watercolor Exhibition «Masters of Watercolor» (St. Petersburg). 2018 First International Watercolor Festival in UAE 2019 Internationale Festival Urbino In Acquerello 2019 International Watercolor Exhibition in Bali, Indonesia 2019 1th International Watercolor Grand Masters Exhibition Iws Sare Gallery, Moscow 2019 1th International Art Festival “World of High Watercolor”, Moscow 2021 2th International Art Festival “World of High Watercolor”, Moscow 2022 Russian exhibition of watercolor artists “In on breath”, Moscow

The most important exhibitions

1992 Collective exhibition in England (Henley-on-Thames) 2003 Personal exhibition in Belgrade (Serbia ) «St. Petersburg 1703-2003» within the international program devoted to the 300 anniversary of St. Petersburg. 2003 Personal exhibition in the Moscow Fund of Culture («Two Venice») 2005 Personal exhibition in The Moscow Fund of Culture (“Carnival of Flowers”) 2006 Personal exhibition in «The forbidden city», in Beijing (China) within year of Russia in China. 2010 Personal exhibition «Coasts of Europe» in the Moscow Fund of Culture within year of France in Russia (Moscow) 2011 Personal exhibition «I catch reflections in the mirrored water…» in the State Exhibition Hall (GD) «Tushino».(Moscow) 2011 XVI Moscow art fair ART ARENA 2011 in the Central Exhibition Hall «Arena» (Moscow). Project «… Celestial » 2012 Personal exhibition in the State Art Gallery «Na Kashirke» (Moscow) 2013 ART SALON in the Central House of Artists (Moscow). Project of the gallery “Na Kashirke» «Graphics landscape».
SYLC - Dreamlike Journey

SYLC - Dreamlike Journey
SylC paints, draws and sculpts the human figure that invariably is the focus of her researches. She invites us to join her for an initiation journey into its dreamlike, ambivalent and polychrome universe, where the viewer faces a world tinged with sweet illusory realities, where sincerity and artifice suddenly merge to give way to a more subtle reality...

Artist:
SYLC

Born in 1973. Works and lives near Paris. SylC paints, draws and sculpts the human figure that invariably is the focus of her researches. She invites us to join her for an initiation journey into its dreamlike, ambivalent and polychrome universe, where the viewer faces a world tinged with sweet illusory realities, where sincerity and artifice suddenly merge to give way to a more subtle reality... From the beginning of 2010, she devoted much of her work to several thematic projects, often carried out simultaneously; Several series have emerged: Mothers (2011-2013), The Mad Dogs' Round (2013-2015), The Seasons Scent (2013-2015), Human Birds (2013-2016), Osmose(s) (2016-2018) and With or Without a Rider (2018-2019). SylC collaborates with galleries in Europe and in the USA, where her artworks are presented through solo and groups shows. She was invited by public institutions to exhibit her artwork in historical sites such as the Chapel and the Cloister of the White Ladies (City of La Rochelle), the Château d'Eau (City of Bourges), the Chapel of the Jesuits (City of Chaumont) or the Ianchelevici Centre (City of Maisons-Laffitte). Present in private and public collections (City of La Rochelle, City of Le Mans, City of Maisons-Laffitte), SylC have been prizes awarded in Switzerland and France. Four catalogs have been published on her work.

Transformation

Transformation
Charles Choi (SCA, OSA, CAA) was born in Shanghai, China and immigrated to Canada in 1995. Learned oil painting at China Academy of Art by the age of 4. He was an multi-award winning artist both in Canada and China including “People’s Choice Award” in SSNAP Biennale National Exhibition, Canada, “Award of Excellence” in 148th OSA Open Juried Exhibition, Finalists of Kingston Prize, the “Gold Award” of Arts and Letters Club “Next 2”, “Best of the Show” in SCA Members Annual Art Show. His paintings have been selected in the MEAM Barcelona, Jackson’s Prize London, Beijing International Biennale, DaFen International Oil Painting Biennale and China National Art Exhibition for three consecutive times. His work is represented in private and public collections across Canada, USA, Hong Kong, Australia, Japan, England, Singapore, France and China..

Artist:
Charles Choi

CAA, SCA, OSA

Charles Choi (SCA, OSA, CAA) was born in Shanghai, China and immigrated to Canada in 1995. Learned oil painting at China Academy of Art by the age of 4. He was an multi-award winning artist both in Canada and China including “People’s Choice Award” in SSNAP Biennale National Exhibition, Canada, “Award of Excellence” in 148th OSA Open Juried Exhibition, Finalists of Kingston Prize, the “Gold Award” of Arts and Letters Club “Next 2”, “Best of the Show” in SCA Members Annual Art Show. His paintings have been selected in the MEAM Barcelona, Jackson’s Prize London, Beijing International Biennale, DaFen International Oil Painting Biennale and China National Art Exhibition for three consecutive times. His work is represented in private and public collections across Canada, USA, Hong Kong, Australia, Japan, England, Singapore, France and China..
Arianne Clément - The Art of Aging - A photo story on the themes of beauty and sensuality after 70

Arianne Clément - The Art of Aging - A photo story on the themes of beauty and sensuality after 70
This project owes its existence to a revelation I experienced when I encountered Marie-Berthe, a young 102-year-old beauty whose ease and casualness in front of the lens was as impressive as it was inspiring. I was immediately taken with the old woman and the way she totally - almost unconsciously - felt beautiful and attractive and was not afraid to show it off. What if beauty could not be reduced to an idealized aesthetic? What if, beyond the traces left by the passage of time on our features, beauty could be something less tangible but more lasting? This vision is far removed from learned ideas and clichés commonly associated with beauty. It doesn’t have to be something that we are born with or without and neither does it have to be the privilege of youth. Beauty has to be much more and, hopefully much better, than this. It is a way of being. Something to cultivate, teach and learn from, and something that each of the nine women, and four men, that reveal themselves in this project are marvelous examples of. As models, they have been a great inspiration to me and it is my hope that my portraits will transmit their spirit and maybe also a precious lesson on the venerable art of aging. The elders whose intimacy is revealed and celebrated here share with me a notion of beauty and sensuality that inspires a state of grace. Lightness and depth are here side by side in a provocative but thoroughly pleasurable display. Like dozens of other potential subjects, the models featured here answered my invitation issued on social media over the last few years. They were willing to contribute in their own way to redefine the way we view beauty, sensuality and old age.
Borrowing from the conventions of Nude and Boudoir photography, the pictures show my fascination with the human body and its great potential for emotional expression. It is therefore of great importance to me to establish a strong bond with my models, with the goal of laying them bare both physically and psychologically. The subjects, captured in their uniqueness, diversity and vulnerability, are sublimated by the use of black-and-white which enhances their presence and adds a poetic dimension to each portrait. These pictures also aim to illustrate my irritation with the very conformist way we view beauty and with the pervasive presence of certain imagery that subdue many people into body shaming and a fear of getting old. Camera in hand, I hope to offer different images here – pictures that celebrate a diversity of bodies as well as a different way of feeling beautiful and sensuous.

The Art of Aging Queer
After working for many years on photo projects related to old age, Arianne noticed that there is a deep and wide-spread need to celebrate love, sexuality and beauty in seniors, along with a desire to break taboos about sexuality in old age. The art of aging queer echoes Arianne's sensitivity to the marginalized, the mavericks, and her concern for the well-being and fulfillment of her friends, colleagues and acquaintances from queer communities. Arianne's incompre-hension and revulsion in the face of the discrimination and violence that members of the LGBTQ+ community still suffer, despite significant progress made in recent decades, also motivated the creation of this series. This project aims to promote inclusivity, diversity, acceptance and openness toward others Five queer models volunteered to participate in this series. The participants, despite comparable ages, come from very different worlds, and express both contrasting and nuanced conceptions of homosexuality. Five models, five unique life paths in the margins of society, five visions reflected in the photographic works of this series, each of which contributes to our understanding of what it means to be queer. The photos of the art of aging queer were shot in August 2021. They are the result of long and beautiful encounters between the photographer and her models. Photo shoots often span several hours, and in some cases, several days, which is essential to building a strong bond of trust. These sessions give an important role to improvisation; identifying how these people want to be represented, and feel beautiful, is an integral part of Arianne's approach that promotes a collaborative spirit and sensitivity.

Artist:
Arianne Clément

After obtaining a master’s degree with honours in photography from University of the Arts London, Arianne Clément travelled far and wide to find inspiration, often getting involved in humanitarian projects with the marginalized, her preferred subjects. She now devotes her work principally to portraying the elderly. Her celebrated portraits of seniors have been exhibited nationally and internationally, and won her several prizes, grants and honours. What these distinctions reflect first and foremost are the sensitivity and boldness of her work and the unique connection she manages to create with her models. ​ Her pictures and stories were published in major newspapers and prestigious journals all around the world and her work was met with enthusiastic response online, creating a buzz in social media.
Veronika Lobareva

Veronika Lobareva
Veronika Lobareva was born in 1969 in the city of Angarsk, Irkutsk region. She studied at the Irkutsk Art College at the department of easel painting. Since 1996 - a free artist. Her main areas of creativity are impressionism and realism. Member of the Union of Artists of Russia and the National Union of Pastels of Russia. Lives and works in Irkutsk. Permanent participant of Russian and foreign exhibitions.

Artist:
Veronika Lobareva

Veronika Lobareva. (1969) She studied at the Irkutsk Art College. Since 1996 - freelance artist. Since 2010 - Member of the Union of Artists of Russia. Since 2021 - Member of the National Union of Pastels of Russia. Lives and works in Russia (Irkutsk - St. Petersburg - Kaliningrad) Her main areas of creativity are impressionism and realism. She mainly paints in oils in the genre of urban landscape and still life. Permanent participant of Russian and foreign exhibitions. Her works are in private collections in Russia, Germany, America, France, China, etc.

Exhibitions

1996 - Personal exhibition, "SibExpoCentre" (Irkutsk) 1997 - Youth exhibition "Third Eye" (Irkutsk) Regional Art Museum (Irkutsk) 1999 - Exhibition of the gallery "Palette" (Irkutsk) 2000 - Exhibition of the gallery "Palette" (Irkutsk) 2000 - Exhibition of the gallery "Palette" (Irkutsk) 2001 - Exhibition of the gallery "Palette" (Irkutsk) 2002 - Exhibition of the gallery "Palette" (Irkutsk) 2003 - Youth exhibition "Results on the way" (Irkutsk) Regional Art Museum (Irkutsk) 2004 - Personal exhibition in the gallery "Palette" (Irkutsk) 2004 - Traveling exhibition, France with the assistance of the gallery "SibArt" 2004 - Exhibition of Russian artists (Carcassonne, France) 2005 - Exhibition of Russian artists (Carcassonne, France) 2005 - Personal exhibition "petite France" (Irkutsk) - gallery "SibArt" 2005 - Traveling exhibition, France with the assistance of the gallery "SibArt" 2007 - Personal exhibition in the gallery "Planetarium" (Irkutsk) 2007 - Personal exhibition "Invitation to travel" House-Museum of Rogal (Irkutsk) 2007 - Exhibition of Irkutsk artists (Manchuria, China) 2008 - "Salon-TSDH-2008" (Moscow) 2008 - Exhibition of Irkutsk artists within the V Baikal Economic Forum (Irkutsk) 2008 - Exhibition "Artesania", Maly Manege, (Moscow) 2008 - Exhibition of Russian artists (Beijing, China) 2008 - Exhibition of Russian artists (Changchun, China) 2008 - Exhibition of Irkutsk artists, (Angarsk, Irkutsk region) 2009 - Exhibition of Russian artists (Beijing, China) 2010 - Exhibition of Russian artists (Beijing, China) 2010 - Personal exhibition (gallery "DiaS"), Bank "Opening", (Irkutsk) 2010 - 21 International Art Society (Irkutsk) 2010 - Exhibition of Irkutsk artists ("DiaS" gallery) Legislative Assembly of the Irkutsk Region (Irkutsk) 2010 - Exhibition of Irkutsk artists ("DiaS" gallery) Regional Administration (Irkutsk)

2011 - Exhibition of Irkutsk artists (gallery "DiaS") Regional Administration (Irkutsk) 2012 - Exhibition of Irkutsk artists (gallery "DiaS") Irkutsk community (Moscow) 2013 - Art Beijing 2013 - Beijing ("DiaS" gallery) 2013 - Art China 2013 - Beijing ("DiaS" gallery) 2013 - Art Canton 2013 - Guangzhou ("DiaS" gallery) 2014 – Art Basel 2014 (gallery "DiaS") 2014 - Exhibition of Irkutsk artists (Russian Cultural Center, Beijing) 2014 - Exhibition "Paints of Olkhon" in the gallery "DiaS" (Irkutsk) 2014 - Exhibition "Neformat" (Irkutsk Regional Art Museum) 2009-2022 - participation in general exhibitions of the gallery "DiaS" (Irkutsk) 2018 - Personal exhibition in the gallery "DiaS" (Irkutsk) 2020 - Personal exhibition in the gallery "DiaS" (Irkutsk) 2021 - Exhibition "Intersections" (NSP, Moscow - 1st place) 2021 - Exhibition "City by the Sea" (SH, St. Petersburg) 2022 - Exhibition "On the sunny side" (SH, St. Petersburg) 2022 - Exhibition "The route is rebuilt" (NSP, Moscow) 2022 - Summer Exhibition (NSP, Moscow - Grand Prix)
Alejandra Caballero

Alejandra Caballero
Current figurative poetic paintings Intimate scenes predominate where time passes slowly and the characters contemplate, reflect or are revealed in everyday actions. As in memories, the superfluous is eliminated. The female figure stands out in spaces where light and sometimes the sea are also protagonists. Alejandra excites us with her scenes of eloquent silences and makes us participate in a game of looks where the viewer is an active piece that finishes giving the ultimate meaning to the work.
If anything characterizes Alejandra Caballero, it is the deep stillness present in her works. Everyday intimate life (similar to that of the Dutch Flemish), accompanied by a diffused brush stroke, results in the impression of languor, as if diluted. The tones, in turn, distill harmony and softness, transmitting peace, a sense of nostalgia, of a deep calm, of serenity.

Artist:
Alejandra Caballero

Current figurative poetic paintings Intimate scenes predominate where time passes slowly and the characters contemplate, reflect or are revealed in everyday actions. As in memories, the superfluous is eliminated. The female figure stands out in spaces where light and sometimes the sea are also protagonists. Alejandra excites us with her scenes of eloquent silences and makes us participate in a game of looks where the viewer is an active piece that finishes giving the ultimate meaning to the work. If anything characterizes Alejandra Caballero, it is the deep stillness present in her works. Everyday intimate life (similar to that of the Dutch Flemish), accompanied by a diffused brush stroke, results in the impression of languor, as if diluted. The tones, in turn, distill harmony and softness, transmitting peace, a sense of nostalgia, of a deep calm, of serenity.
Graham Dean

Graham Dean
‘The body is a powerful tool to characterize the identity of a character – from the inside to the outside. The English artist, Graham Dean transmits an essential part of the emotions and psychological states of his characters whether they be beautiful models, athletes, crazy bondage enthusiasts, identical twins, people with skin imperfections, – all using their bodies as vehicles of expression. He is essentially a painter of identity. But more than the identity of the body, it is the identity of the soul as evoked by these sumptuous watercolours. Like Egon Schiele who was researching in mental hospitals to study his subjects, Graham Dean loves these oddball characters who voluntary use their bodies often in extreme situations. His images are recomposed in a creative alchemy, mixing people, body parts and time itself. Although the works are representational, they escape the illustrational to reach a universal form from something deeply personal. He has also used buildings, mysterious ships, confessionals in churches, forests, trains, to enhance these atmospheric moods. For Graham Dean, the body is a ‘holding-pen of emotions’, a ‘thinking body’ similar to the research done by Wilhelm Reich. His characters are the receptacles of these emotions, ideas, and memories. They are witnesses of the human condition and our complex relationship with the world. Our individuality, our identity is formed by this interaction of our inner lives which is constantly penetrated and altered by the outside world. Graham’s painting is an investigation between the inside and the outside, the surface and what lies beneath. Arms, faces, torsos, legs become interchangeable – anonymous but recognisable, The body becomes a canvas, torn and stretched, a vehicle for the imagination of the artist. The works are open to interpretation, free, as are the movements of watercolour, colours and sensual shapes.
Using a technique he calls ‘’reverse archaeology’’, Graham Dean re-invents the traditional uses of watercolour resulting in a unique technique. Contrasting layers of paint are applied separately on thick, handmade paper from Southern India. Each sheet has undergone a process of tearing and overlapping to create a final composition, this corresponds to the multiple layers of the epidermis which protects the human body. The process is organic and cyclical, the paintings appear fragmented and destroyed using sections(front and back) that lead to a renaissance in the form of a new composition. The choice of colours and contrasts is important to Graham Dean : like the English landscape painter John Constable, the use of red accentuates the dramatic effect of green and yellow. These powerful and bright colours like those found in silk saris, fascinated him when he had a residency in Trivandrum, Kerala in Southern India. The application of paint glazes (multiple, transparent layers) create intensity and depth, as in Rothko. The juxtaposition of complimentary colours creates strong, theatrical works. The artist illuminates his figures in the manner of a filmmaker, pointing to body parts, which are also found in the videos of the artist. Intoxicated by the colour and the pleasure he takes in his touch, Graham Dean likes the thickness of the paper and the sensual, exotic properties of transparency and opacity. Just as Peter Doig builds the work of materials (sets of textures, colours – pure and mixed), he creates painted atmospheres. Moving forms which escape our gaze, disintegrate before our eyes . We admire his mastery of pigments suspended in water.’ Adapted from an article by Galerie Maubert, Paris. September 2011

Artist:
Graham Dean

‘The body is a powerful tool to characterize the identity of a character – from the inside to the outside. The English artist, Graham Dean transmits an essential part of the emotions and psychological states of his characters whether they be beautiful models, athletes, crazy bondage enthusiasts, identical twins, people with skin imperfections, – all using their bodies as vehicles of expression. He is essentially a painter of identity. But more than the identity of the body, it is the identity of the soul as evoked by these sumptuous watercolours. Like Egon Schiele who was researching in mental hospitals to study his subjects, Graham Dean loves these oddball characters who voluntary use their bodies often in extreme situations. His images are recomposed in a creative alchemy, mixing people, body parts and time itself. Although the works are representational, they escape the illustrational to reach a universal form from something deeply personal. He has also used buildings, mysterious ships, confessionals in churches, forests, trains, to enhance these atmospheric moods. For Graham Dean, the body is a ‘holding-pen of emotions’, a ‘thinking body’ similar to the research done by Wilhelm Reich. His characters are the receptacles of these emotions, ideas, and memories. They are witnesses of the human condition and our complex relationship with the world. Our individuality, our identity is formed by this interaction of our inner lives which is constantly penetrated and altered by the outside world. Graham’s painting is an investigation between the inside and the outside, the surface and what lies beneath. Arms, faces, torsos, legs become interchangeable – anonymous but recognisable, The body becomes a canvas, torn and stretched, a vehicle for the imagination of the artist. The works are open to interpretation, free, as are the movements of watercolour, colours and sensual shapes. Using a technique he calls ‘’reverse archaeology’’, Graham Dean re-invents the traditional uses of watercolour resulting in a unique technique. Contrasting layers of paint are applied separately on thick, handmade paper from Southern India. Each sheet has undergone a process of tearing and overlapping to create a final composition, this corresponds to the multiple layers of the epidermis which protects the human body. The process is organic and cyclical, the paintings appear fragmented and destroyed using sections(front and back) that lead to a renaissance in the form of a new composition. The choice of colours and contrasts is important to Graham Dean : like the English landscape painter John Constable, the use of red accentuates the dramatic effect of green and yellow. These powerful and bright colours like those found in silk saris, fascinated him when he had a residency in Trivandrum, Kerala in Southern India. The application of paint glazes (multiple, transparent layers) create intensity and depth, as in Rothko. The juxtaposition of complimentary colours creates strong, theatrical works. The artist illuminates his figures in the manner of a filmmaker, pointing to body parts, which are also found in the videos of the artist. Intoxicated by the colour and the pleasure he takes in his touch, Graham Dean likes the thickness of the paper and the sensual, exotic properties of transparency and opacity. Just as Peter Doig builds the work of materials (sets of textures, colours – pure and mixed), he creates painted atmospheres. Moving forms which escape our gaze, disintegrate before our eyes . We admire his mastery of pigments suspended in water.’ Adapted from an article by Galerie Maubert, Paris. September 2011
Gabriel Picart

Gabriel Picart

Artist:
Gabriel Picart

Gabriel Picart was born in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, in 1962, where he still lives and works. His family lived in the concierge's pavilion of the world famous Park Güell. Gabriel spent his childhood in the building that the great Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi had designed to emulate the witch's house in Brothers Grimm's fairytale Hansel and Gretel. Within an artistic milieu such as this, he would soon develop an interest in art. By the time he was a teenager, his parents had rented the other pavilion on the opposite side of the main gate, the one with an oddly shaped tower bearing on its top a double cross. This well known building had been Antoni Gaudi's studio during the construction of the park. In the very same room that architect Gaudi executed his designs, Picart set up his first atelier. Not long after deciding to become a professional artist, Picart met the illustrator Enric Torres, famed by his Warren Magazine covers. He invited Gabriel to visit the studio that he shared with Pepe Gonzalez, one of the world's foremost comic artists, known for his comic strips of the super heroine Vampirella. Shortly thereafter, the young Gabriel became the third member of the studio. Picart's career as an illustrator blossomed; he worked on commissions throughout Europe, mainly for Germany, the Netherlands, and the Scandinavian countries. In 1985, Picart made his first trip to New York City. He quickly won assignments from all the major publishing houses in America and Canada, such as Reader's Digest, Bantam Books, Dell Publishing, Harlequin, Pocket Books and Scholastic, to name a few. Gabriel did book covers, promotional advertising, brochures and interior illustrations, all in a representational mode with a fine art treatment. In 1996, he had his first show at the WolfWalker Gallery in Sedona, Arizona. This was quickly followed by his participation in a group show of Catalan artists at Ambassador Gallery in New York, where he was among some of the leading contemporary figurative painters working in Spain at that time. Since then, Picart focused on his own paintings and no longer made illustration commissions. His paintings have been on display at recognized galleries in the US, such as Anderson Galleries in Beverly Hills, and Weinstein Gallery in San Francisco. They are in private collections in Spain, USA, Germany, Canada, China, Taiwan, New Zealand, Mexico, Emirates, Russia, and UK. In the mid-2000s, California publisher Fingerhut Group published and distributed limited editions of some of his paintings, popularizing them among a wider variety of collectors. His work also has been featured worldwide. In 2004, Picart was the first artist from Spain ever featured in International Artist magazine. In 2013, he was the artist featured of the October-November edition of Gulf Connoisseur of Dubai, the premier lifestyle magazine of the Gulf region. In 2012, Gabriel Picart was one of the two International Master Artists specially invited by the organizers of Art Revolution Taipei in its second edition. This event aroused his keen interest in the culture of East Asia, where he has travelled every year since. From 2016 to 2019, Picart has spent most of his time making works of art for The IBEX Collection.
Juraj Florek

Juraj Florek
Born 1986 in Slovakia Juraj Florek is 100% urban plein-air painter, his idealism motivates him to reinterpret plein-air painting and adapt it on current post-industrial landscape. He is not shy away from the difficult environment, the selection of locations of dysfunctional “Stalker environments” of industrial architecture, or the seemingly unobtrusive corners of the present-day city, he is a painter seeking their unadorned truth. At the same time his painting represents the honest „celebration of everyday life", which explores the author's social environment and his joy of life in the city.

ARTIST STATEMENT
In general, the city itself is a material for research for me. I am a 100% urban plein-air painter and my idealism motivates me to reinterpret plein-air painting and to adapt it to the current post-industrial landscape. The subject matter is about environments, things and places we can see every day, which acquire a new and fresh angle of view as they are transferred through the medium of oil painting. I do not shy away from difficult environments and often select dysfunctional, ‘Stalker locations’ with industrial architecture, seemingly unobtrusive corners of present-day cities, or examples of current overwhelmingly poor architecture. All these provide inspiration for the painter who is seeking their unadorned truth. At the same time, painting represents an honest celebration of everyday life, explores the author's social environment and is an expression of his enjoyment of life in the city. I like applying the method of plein-air painting to new urban environments. I am also gradually developing the painting of industrial objects – whether functioning, abandoned or converted to a new function – as my favorite sub-genre of Cityscape painting, since they are an integral part of the modern urban landscape.
In painting, I prefer the freshness of an immediate painting record to the perfectionism of veristic painting. The resulting images are intended to invite the viewer to share in an adventure, which open-air painting in an urban environment certainly is. They are also meant to convey the nature of the explorer’s mind, which I transfer to my painting, especially through the search for motives in urbanized countries. Although the main aim is to introduce the viewer to ‘out of comfort zone’ painting action, the choice of topics is usually sophisticated and deals either with some overlooked interesting part of the city, a banality, or thematises the contemporary visual trash of our cities, which are paradoxically all very picturesque. Thus, paintings developed in this way become a living documentation of our times. Plein-air painting is on the periphery in the context of contemporary painting. Among the reasons for this are its inherent difficulties, such as testing the author’s limits while painting outdoors and not being afraid to go against the stream, that is, the mainstream of current major trends in the field of painting. Cityscape plein-air painting seems to be a landscape painting genre that is not outmoded and offers an extensive field for exploring painting themes and technical approaches nowadays. Plein-air painting, however, is reduced to an educational tool in Sunday schools of painting and preparatory courses for art novices. My long-term intention is to raise awareness of the Cityscape painting genre. In the current excess of technically reproducible visual images, authentic, fresh plein-air painting, which does not provide only valuable content, but also fine form, appears to be a good possible direction in which painting can progress. Juraj Florek

Artist:
Juraj Florek

Born 1986 in Slovakia Juraj Florek is 100% urban plein-air painter, his idealism motivates him to reinterpret plein-air painting and adapt it on current post-industrial landscape. He is not shy away from the difficult environment, the selection of locations of dysfunctional “Stalker environments” of industrial architecture, or the seemingly unobtrusive corners of the present-day city, he is a painter seeking their unadorned truth. At the same time his painting represents the honest „celebration of everyday life", which explores the author's social environment and his joy of life in the city.In general, the city itself is a material for research for me. I am a 100% urban plein-air painter and my idealism motivates me to reinterpret plein-air painting and to adapt it to the current post-industrial landscape. The subject matter is about environments, things and places we can see every day, which acquire a new and fresh angle of view as they are transferred through the medium of oil painting. Artist Statement In general, the city itself is a material for research for me. I am a 100% urban plein-air painter and my idealism motivates me to reinterpret plein-air painting and to adapt it to the current post-industrial landscape. The subject matter is about environments, things and places we can see every day, which acquire a new and fresh angle of view as they are transferred through the medium of oil painting. I do not shy away from difficult environments and often select dysfunctional, ‘Stalker locations’ with industrial architecture, seemingly unobtrusive corners of present-day cities, or examples of current overwhelmingly poor architecture. All these provide inspiration for the painter who is seeking their unadorned truth. At the same time, painting represents an honest celebration of everyday life, explores the author's social environment and is an expression of his enjoyment of life in the city. I like applying the method of plein-air painting to new urban environments. I am also gradually developing the painting of industrial objects – whether functioning, abandoned or converted to a new function – as my favorite sub-genre of Cityscape painting, since they are an integral part of the modern urban landscape. In painting, I prefer the freshness of an immediate painting record to the perfectionism of veristic painting. The resulting images are intended to invite the viewer to share in an adventure, which open-air painting in an urban environment certainly is. They are also meant to convey the nature of the explorer’s mind, which I transfer to my painting, especially through the search for motives in urbanized countries. Although the main aim is to introduce the viewer to ‘out of comfort zone’ painting action, the choice of topics is usually sophisticated and deals either with some overlooked interesting part of the city, a banality, or thematises the contemporary visual trash of our cities, which are paradoxically all very picturesque. Thus, paintings developed in this way become a living documentation of our times. Plein-air painting is on the periphery in the context of contemporary painting. Among the reasons for this are its inherent difficulties, such as testing the author’s limits while painting outdoors and not being afraid to go against the stream, that is, the mainstream of current major trends in the field of painting. Cityscape plein-air painting seems to be a landscape painting genre that is not outmoded and offers an extensive field for exploring painting themes and technical approaches nowadays. Plein-air painting, however, is reduced to an educational tool in Sunday schools of painting and preparatory courses for art novices. My long-term intention is to raise awareness of the Cityscape painting genre. In the current excess of technically reproducible visual images, authentic, fresh plein-air painting, which does not provide only valuable content, but also fine form, appears to be a good possible direction in which painting can progress. Juraj Florek

Individual exhibitions

2022 - QUICK PALETTE, CA Contemporary Gallery, Vienna (AT) 2022 - TITLE OF EXHIBITION, GaP – Galerie a Prostor, Znojmo (CZ) 2022 – AIRE LIBRE, Turiec Gallery, Martin (SVK) 2021 - SAN SANO POLIS, Kahán Art Space, Budapest (HU) 2021 – NICE SHADOWS, ČIN ČIN Gallery, Bratislava (SVK) 2021 – NIGHT SHIFT /with J. Toman/, Rimavská Sobota City Gallery, Rimavska Sobota (SVK) 2019 - BATMAN CITY, Galeria APARTE, Iasi (RO) 2019 - KRONSTADT URBAN, NCCA - National centre for contemporary arts, St. Petersburg (RU) 2019 - ORAVSKÝ VÝPRASK /with J. Toman/, Orava Gallery, Dolný Kubín (SVK) 2019 - PETROZAVODSK PLEIN-AIR, Media Center Vykhod, Petrozavodsk (RU) 2019 - MERINA /with J. Toman/ Nová Vlna, Trenčín (SVK) 2019 - OILY ELBOW /with J. Toman/ Industrial Gallery, Ostrava (CZ) 2018 - VIXA URBAN PLEIN-AIR, Vyksa Steel Works History Museum, Vyksa (RU) 2018 - COAL AND EGGS, CSW KRONIKA – Center for Contemporary Art, Bytom (PL) 2017 - CONCRETE AND WEED, DOT. Contemporary Art Gallery, Bratislava (SVK) 2017 - COLOURS OF OSTRAVA PLEIN-AIR /with J. Toman/ Vnitroblock, Prague (CZ) 2017 - SIGNALS OF PRAGUE! /with J. Toman/, Studio PRÁM Gallery, Prague (CZ) 2017 - SIGNALS OF PUCHOV! /with J. Toman/, County House, Púchov (SVK) 2016 - COLOURS OF OSTRAVA PLEIN-AIR / with J. Toman/, Cineport, Ostrava (CZ) 2016 - PILSEN PLEIN-AIR, French Institute, Bratislava (SVK) 2016 - MACHNÁČ BRAŇO A INÉ OBRÁZKY... /with J. Toman/, Nová Vlna, Trenčín (SVK) 2015 - PILSEN PLEIN-AIR, DEPO2015, Pilsen (CZ) 2015 - KAFILÉRIA, MUŠKÁTY, PETER BEHRENS

Group exhibitions

2018 - JOIN THE DOTS / UNITING DISTANCES (Imago mundi), Salone Degli Incante, Trieste (IT) 2018 - TURBOPLENER 1500, Platform 1-12, Topoľčany (SVK) 2017 - URBAN POSITIVE, Latarka Gallery, Budapest (HU) 2017 - ART IN PARK, Nová Vlna, Trenčín (SVK) 2017 - BLUDNÉ PRÚDY II., Manor-house gallery, Sereď (SVK) 2017 - STEEL IS UNLIMITED, Industrial gallery, Ostrava (CZ) 2017 - LILLA DART FEST, L'illa Diagonal, Barcelona (ES) 2017 - JUST RESIDENCE 2017, CMAE - Centro Municipal de Arte y Exposiciones, Avilés (ES) 2017 - JUSTMAD8 AVILÉS, COAM - Colegio Oficial Arquitectos de Madrid, Madrid (ES) 2016 - SLOVENSKÁ. NEW GENERATION, Gallerie d'Italia – Piazza Scala, Milano (IT) 2016 - LIVING PAINTING, Spiš Gallery, Spišská Nová Ves (SVK) 2016 - 10 YEARS OF PAINTING, East Slovak Gallery, Košice (SVK) 2015 - PAINTING BIENNALE V. ? City Gallery, Rimavská Sobota (SVK) 2015 - 10 YEARS OF PAINTING, Bratislava Castle Gallery, Bratislava (SVK) 2015 - 10 YEARS OF PAINTING, Central Slovakian Gallery, Banská Bystrica (SVK) 2015 - DOM, German Cultural House, Bratislava-Rača (SVK) 2015 - SONDA 2015 MAĽBA, Bratislava Castle Gallery, Bratislava (SVK) 2014 - VUB-PAINTING OF THE YEAR, Nedbalka Gallery, Bratislava (SVK) 2014 - NEIGHBORHOOD PLAYGROUNDS, Gallery BB 15, Linz (AT) 2013 - PANEL STORY, Turiec Gallery, Martin (SVK) 2013 - PANEL STORY, Bratislava City Gallery - Palffy Palace , Bratislava (SVK) 2013 - HUCISKO, Galeria Uniwersytecka, Cieszyn (PL) 2010 - KLAMNÝ DOJEM, Vltavin Gallery , Prague (CZ)

Awards and Grants

2014 - Award for Painting for Young Artist 2014 /1. place/ VUB Foundation, Bratislava (SVK) 2018 – Vysegrad Fund, Visual and Sound Arts Residency Grant, Bratislava (SVK) 2019 - The Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation Grant 2019 – 2020, Montreal (CA) 2022 - The Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation Grant 2022 – 2023, 2nd grant, Montreal (CA)
Lene Kilde

Lene Kilde
Lene Kilde grew up in Rælingen outside Oslo. She has a Master’s degree in Production Design from the Oslo and Akershus College at Kjeller. She also has studied at Einar Granum’s Art School and Asker Art School. Early on, Lene primarily worked with figurative steel wire sculptures.Through the steel wire sculptures, she challenges ideas about the differences between sculpture and drawing. Lene Kilde creates sculptures inspired by children and their emotions. She finds that children’s body language is their purest form of communication. This is visualized by showing very few body parts, usually only hands and feet, which then are placed in proportion to each other with the use of metal mesh. Her intention is to invite the audience to use their own imagination so that they can complete the sculptures and fill in the lines and volume by themselves. The sculptures are made of concrete, metal mesh and air.

Artist:
Lene Kilde

Lene Kilde grew up in Rælingen outside Oslo. She has a Master’s degree in Production Design from the Oslo and Akershus College at Kjeller. She also has studied at Einar Granum’s Art School and Asker Art School. Early on, Lene primarily worked with figurative steel wire sculptures.Through the steel wire sculptures, she challenges ideas about the differences between sculpture and drawing. Lene Kilde creates sculptures inspired by children and their emotions. She finds that children’s body language is their purest form of communication. This is visualized by showing very few body parts, usually only hands and feet, which then are placed in proportion to each other with the use of metal mesh. Her intention is to invite the audience to use their own imagination so that they can complete the sculptures and fill in the lines and volume by themselves. The sculptures are made of concrete, metal mesh and air.
Claudia Kaak

Claudia Kaak
Claudia Kaak is a German self-taught artist whose main subject is the human figure. Her oil paintings are based on photographs and movie stills. Every work has an autobiographical and social narrative which focuses on her childhood experiences. Her artwork deals with existential feelings, the inner strife of human beings and the extreme unlimited emotional and physical experience of pain. Her work is mostly untitled with a number assigned to a series in order not to influence the viewer. Her intention is to break taboo and allow emotional disorder to seep through the artwork.

Artist:
Claudia Kaak

Bio

Claudia Kaak is a figurative artist based in Germany. She was born in 1987 in Heppenheim, Germany, where she lives and works. She is a member of Poets and Artists and the International Guild of Realism, appearing in international publication, exhibiting nationally and internationally, and her work is in collections around the world. She has been a finalist for the 13th,14th and 16th Annual ARC competition and has been awarded by the International Guild of Realism (2019) and the Grand Salon (2020).

Artist Statement

Claudia Kaak is a German self-taught artist whose main subject is the human figure. Her oil paintings are based on photographs and movie stills. Every work has an autobiographical and social narrative which focuses on her childhood experiences. Her artwork deals with existential feelings, the inner strife of human beings and the extreme unlimited emotional and physical experience of pain. Her work is mostly untitled with a number assigned to a series in order not to influence the viewer. Her intention is to break taboo and allow emotional disorder to seep through the artwork.

Gabriele Esau

Gabriele Esau
Gabriele Esau was born in Neuenbürg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. From an early age, she loved painting and drawing as a means to represent her own fantasies, desires, and dreams.   She decided against the initially plan to study art because its contents did not meet my expectations and instead opted for a science degree. However, her passion for art was always present. She taught herself by training through books, museums visits, exchanges with other artists, and personal experience.   She initially drew pictures with color and graphite pencils and began working with oil painting in 2004.   The content of her images is determined by the artist’s fantasies, perceptions, life, and love for animals and nature.   For the artist, visual arts means an expression that starts where words are not enough and the camera can’t see anything.Gabriele Esau wants to make this visible through a realistic manner of painting. Her genre is surrealism and fantastic realism and preferred media are oil paints and graphite. Gabrieles works have been presented in numerous exhibitions in Europe and the USA. In addition to several other publications, she has an entry in the "Lexicon of fantastic female artists"

Artist:
Gabriele Esau

Bio

Gabriele Esau was born in Neuenbürg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. From an early age, she loved painting and drawing as a means to represent her own fantasies, desires, and dreams.   She decided against the initially plan to study art because its contents did not meet my expectations and instead opted for a science degree. However, her passion for art was always present. She taught herself by training through books, museums visits, exchanges with other artists, and personal experience.   She initially drew pictures with color and graphite pencils and began working with oil painting in 2004.   The content of her images is determined by the artist’s fantasies, perceptions, life, and love for animals and nature.   For the artist, visual arts means an expression that starts where words are not enough and the camera can’t see anything.Gabriele Esau wants to make this visible through a realistic manner of painting. Her genre is surrealism and fantastic realism and preferred media are oil paints and graphite. Gabrieles works have been presented in numerous exhibitions in Europe and the USA. In addition to several other publications, she has an entry in the "Lexicon of fantastic female artists"

Award

Grand Salon 2017 / Villa Berberich- 1st prize in the category Surrealism- Bad Säckingen, Germany

Publications

Exhibition catalogue “Phantastische Venus”, Bavaria, 2015 FANTASMUS Artbooks: IMAGINAIRE IX – Contemporary Magic Realism, Denmark 2017 ISBN: 978-87-993936-9-5 FANTASMUS Artbooks: IMAGINAIRE X – Contemporary Magic Realism, Denmark 2018 ISBN: 978-87-970439-0-5 FANTASMUS Artbooks: IMAGINAIRE XI – Contemporary Magic Realism, Denmark 2019 ISBN: 978-87-970439-1-2 LEXIKON PHANTASTISCHER kÜNSTLERINNEN “Encyclopedia of Fantastic Female Artists “ published by fantart publishing, (2017) ISBN-10: 3746035309 ISBN-13: 978-3746035307
Oceana Rain Stuart - BIOGRAPHY and ARTIST STATEMENT

Oceana Rain Stuart - BIOGRAPHY and ARTIST STATEMENT
OCEANA RAIN STUART is an American, bronze sculptor, and poet. Stuart grew up in a multi-generational family of artists, and has been a dedicated artist since childhood. She attended California College of the Arts on a full scholarship for Fine Art, with a double minor in Writing and Literature, and Ecological Practices. "I am a figurative, bronze sculpture artist with an emphasis on contemporary realism. My purpose is to find empathy in the work I create, and to explore tension and complexity of the subject matter. I’m fascinated by subtle physical gestures, like the movement of a hand, the gaze of the eyes, as well as contradictions that are enclosed in body language and how each face shares a lifetime of stories. My passion is in expressing this through my work. Something powerful happens when we let our guard down - we become vulnerable, instinctively primitive, and essentially raw. It is an honor to witness moments in life like these, that lure the viewer in, if only for a moment, it is an experience and an opportunity, so naturally expressed by life that it is inspiring artistic material for me. And in these moments the human condition gives me endless ideas for my practice. I am particularly interested in emotionally evocative subject matter, expressive of humanity and often use symbolism in my work. My molding techniques and surface treatments often blend qualities of realism, surrealism, and symbolism."

AWARDS and ACCOLADES
Stuart’s work has been exhibited in numerous accredited museums and galleries world-wide, such as the Leonardo Da Vinci Society, Natural History Museum, Butler Museum of American Art, Wausau Museum of Contemporary Art, National Sculpture Society, Salmagundi, Haggin Museum, National Arts Club, Poets and Artists and Louvre Museum. Stuart is a board member of American Women Artists, and an Elected Member of National Sculpture Society, American Artists Professional League, and Allied Artists of America. Stuart has curated and juried multiple international exhibitions. Some of Stuart's awards include: The Icon award by the Los Angeles Beverly Awards (LABA), National Portrait Society, Allied Artists of America, American Artists Professional League, California Art Club; Finalist for 14th, 15th and 16th annual Art Renewal Center (ARC) Salon; Representational Figurative Art Conference; Figurative Artist of the Year by Blink Art/Art Comes Alive; and Pre-Selected Artist of the “Figurativas” competition of the Museum of Modern Art, Barcelona (MEAM) on two occasions.

COLLECTIONS
Stuart’s work is featured in the collections of Museum of Contemporary Art in Catania, Sicily (MACS), Haegeumgang Museum, Geoje, South Korea, and Lunar Codex Museum, located the lunar surface of the Moon. Her work is also within the LifeShip Museum- a time capsule on the Moon that features DNA from Earth and is unrelated to the Lunar Codex. Stuart is amongst the first women artists to display art on the Moon. Stuart's work is numerous private collections world-wide.

Artist:
OCEANA RAIN STUART

Biography

OCEANA RAIN STUART is an American, bronze sculptor, and poet. Stuart grew up in a multi-generational family of artists, and has been a dedicated artist since childhood. She attended California College of the Arts on a full scholarship for Fine Art, with a double minor in Writing and Literature, and Ecological Practices.

Awards and Accolades

Stuart’s work has been published in numerous books and art magazines and has been exhibited in over 100 accredited museums and galleries world-wide. Some of the exhibitions include Leonardo Da Vinci Society, Natural History Museum, Butler Museum of American Art, Wausau Museum of Contemporary Art, National Sculpture Society, Salmagundi; National Arts Club, Poets and Artists and Louvre Museum. Stuart is a board member of American Women Artists, and an Elected Member of National Sculpture Society, American Artists Professional League, and Allied Artists of America. Stuart has curated and juried multiple international exhibitions. Some of Stuart's awards include: The Icon award by the Los Angeles Beverly Awards (LABA), National Portrait Society, Allied Artists of America, American Artists Professional League, California Art Club; Finalist for 14th, 15th and 16th annual Art Renewal Center (ARC) Salon; Representational Figurative Art Conference; Figurative Artist of the Year by Blink Art/Art Comes Alive; and Pre-Selected Artist of the “Figurativas” competition of the Museum of Modern Art, Barcelona (MEAM) on two occasions.

Collections

Stuart’s work is featured in the collections of Museum of Contemporary Art in Catania, Sicily (MACS), Haegeumgang Museum, Geoje, South Korea, and Lunar Codex Museum, located the lunar surface of the Moon. Her work is also within the LifeShip Museum- a time capsule on the Moon that features DNA from Earth and is unrelated to the Lunar Codex. Stuart is amongst the first women artists to display art on the Moon. Stuart's work is numerous private collections world-wide.

Artist Statement

"I am a figurative, bronze sculpture artist with an emphasis on contemporary realism. My purpose is to find empathy in the work I create, and to explore tension and complexity of the subject matter. I’m fascinated by subtle physical gestures, like the movement of a hand, the gaze of the eyes, as well as contradictions that are enclosed in body language and how each face shares a lifetime of stories. My passion is in expressing this through my work. Something powerful happens when we let our guard down - we become vulnerable, instinctively primitive, and essentially raw. It is an honor to witness moments in life like these, that lure the viewer in, if only for a moment, it is an experience and an opportunity, so naturally expressed by life that it is inspiring artistic material for me. And in these moments the human condition gives me endless ideas for my practice. I am particularly interested in emotionally evocative subject matter, expressive of humanity and often use symbolism in my work. My molding techniques and surface treatments often blend qualities of realism, surrealism, and symbolism."

Fei Gao 高飞

Fei Gao 高飞
因出生河套乡村，对乡村生活感受很深，成为自己创作的源泉，力求用油画表达对乡村景色的独特感受，充满激情的笔触，质朴的艺术语言，表达了自己对家乡景色的挚爱！ Fei Gao he has a deep feeling for rural life, which has become the source of his own creation. He strives to express his unique feelings about the rural scenery with oil paintings. His passionate brushwork and simple artistic language express his love for the scenery of his hometown! 1973年生于内蒙古巴彦淖尔市古城 1994年毕业于巴彦淖尔市美术专科学校 经典汇 CLATIA 签约艺术家 美国肖像画协会会员 美国NOAPS会员 中国少数民族美术促进会会员 北京市东城美术家协会会员 中华艺术研究院艺委会秘书长兼艺委会评委 北京书画艺术院油画艺委会委员 Born in 1973 in the ancient city of Bayannur City, Inner Mongolia Graduated from Bayannaoer Art College in 1994 Artists signed by CLATIA Member of Portrait Society of America US NOAPS member Member of China Association for the Promotion of Minority Arts Member of Beijing Dongcheng Artists Association Secretary-General of the Art Committee of the Chinese Academy of Arts and a judge of the Art Committee Member of Oil Painting Art Committee of Beijing Academy of Painting and Calligraphy

Artist:
Fei Gao 高飞

1973年生于内蒙古巴彦淖尔市古城 1994年毕业于巴彦淖尔市美术专科学校 经典汇 CLATIA 签约艺术家 美国肖像画协会会员 美国NOAPS会员 中国少数民族美术促进会会员 北京市东城美术家协会会员 中华艺术研究院艺委会秘书长兼艺委会评委 北京书画艺术院油画艺委会委员 Born in 1973 in the ancient city of Bayannur City, Inner Mongolia Graduated from Bayannaoer Art College in 1994 Artists signed by CLATIA Member of Portrait Society of America US NOAPS member Member of China Association for the Promotion of Minority Arts Member of Beijing Dongcheng Artists Association Secretary-General of the Art Committee of the Chinese Academy of Arts and a judge of the Art Committee Member of Oil Painting Art Committee of Beijing Academy of Painting and Calligraphy

2022年10月《圣吉米亚诺的回忆》获得美术室画廊“面孔”国际艺术展一等奖 2022年10月《圣吉米亚诺的回忆》获得ART SHOW INTERNATIONAL GALLERY（艺术展国际画廊）“第五届肖像”艺术竞赛天才奖 2022年9月《戴金色头盔的自画像》获得2022美国艺术大奖赛39类自画像第三名，《吐鲁番夜市之二》获得1类油画第五名 2022年8月《戴金盔的自画像》获得第二届委拉斯凱玆绘画＆雕塑大赛特别提名奖！ 2020年12月作品《塔吉克老人》入围美国油画丙烯画协会2020年国际秋季在线大赛 2020年11月作品《维吾尔族姑娘》人选第92届美国职业艺术家联盟国际展 2020年11月油画作品《圣洁》、《状态之三》入围第15届国际ARC沙龙艺术大赛 2020年9月获得2020年美国艺术大奖赛：油画《老人肖像》获得第1类人像的第一名 《喀什老城的维吾尔族妇女》获得第1类人像的第四名； 《自画像》获得第39类自画像的第一名 2020年8月《状态之三》获得美国人文彩色美术馆“最新作品”绘画在线大赛一等奖（美国） 2020年7月《状态之三》入选2020年美国艺术家联合会107届年度展 2020年5月19日《状态之三》入选美国油画丙烯画协会春季展在线展 2020年4月《状态之三》获得第十届具象绘画.雕塑在线竞赛优秀奖，作品《塔吉克新娘》入选。 2020年4月《状态之三》、《塔吉克新娘》获得第二届国际具象肖像画竞赛一等奖。 2020年3月油画作品《状态之三》获得美国肖像画协会第22届国际肖像画大赛“50名选择奖”！ 2020年1月参加浩然情怀•马中当代名家佳作展 马来西亚槟城人民大会堂 2019年11月民族美术高等教育60年成果回顾展 北京中华世纪坛艺术馆！ 2019年10月作品《圣洁》参加＂花团锦簇＂一一中国少数民族美术风情艺术展 北京恭王府嘉乐堂 2019年9月油画作品《圣洁》获得2019美国艺术大奖赛时尚类一等奖！油画作品《老人肖像》获得现实人物类三等奖！油画作品《戴红头巾的妇女》获得现实人物类四等奖！ 2019年8月参加远见 - 艺术9号油画精选展 中国油画院 2019年7月，作品《小天使》入选14届ARC国际沙龙大奖赛 2019年5月19日于北京举行【 画布上的乡情 】高飞油画个展 北京国艺展览中心 2019年5月13日高飞油画作品《维吾尔族老人》入选2019美国油画丙烯画协会春季在线展！ 2019年3月17日于北京宋庄举办【 乡绪高飞 】 - 高飞个人画展 宋庄雅文美术馆

In October 2022, "Memories of San Gimignano" won the first prize of the "Faces" International Art Exhibition of the Art Room Gallery In October 2022, "Memories of San Gimignano" won the Genius Award of the "Fifth Portrait" Art Competition of ART SHOW INTERNATIONAL GALLERY (Art Show International Gallery) September 2022 "Self-Portrait with a Golden Helmet" won the third place in the 2022 American Art Awards 39 categories of self-portraits, and "Turpan Night Market II" won the fifth place in category 1 oil painting In August 2022, "Self-Portrait with a Golden Helmet" won the Special Mention Award in the 2nd Velázquez Painting & Sculpture Competition! In December 2020, the work "Tajik Old Man" was shortlisted for the 2020 International Autumn Online Competition of the American Oil and Acrylic Painting Association In November 2020, the work "Uyghur Girl" was selected for the 92nd International Exhibition of the League of Professional Artists of America In November 2020, the oil paintings "Holy" and "The Third State" were shortlisted for the 15th International ARC Salon Art Competition In September 2020, won the 2020 American Art Grand Prix: the oil painting "Portrait of the Old Man" won the first place in the first category of portraits "Uighur Women in the Old City of Kashgar" won the fourth place in the first category of portraits; "Self-portrait" won the first place in the 39th self-portrait category; In August 2020, "Status 3" won the first prize in the "Latest Works" painting online competition of the American Color Museum of Humanities (USA) In July 2020, "The Third State" was selected for the 107th Annual Exhibition of the Federation of American Artists in 2020 On May 19, 2020, "State No. 3" was selected for the online exhibition of the Spring Exhibition of the American Oil and Acrylic Painting Association In April 2020, "Status No. 3" won the Excellence Award in the 10th Concrete Painting and Sculpture Online Competition, and the work "Tajik Bride" was selected.

In April 2020, "Status No. 3" and "Tajik Bride" won the first prize in the 2nd International Figurative Portrait Competition. In March 2020, the oil painting "State No. 3" won the "50 Choice Award" in the 22nd International Portrait Painting Competition of the Portrait Society of America! In January 2020, he participated in the Haoran Feelings·Malaysia and China Contemporary Famous Masterpieces Exhibition, the Great Hall of the People, Penang, Malaysia In November 2019, the 60-year National Art Higher Education Retrospective Exhibition Beijing China Millennium Monument Art Museum! In October 2019, the work "Holiness" participated in the "Blossoms and Blossoms"-China Minority Art and Style Art Exhibition, Jiale Hall, Prince Gong's Mansion, Beijing In September 2019, the oil painting "Holy" won the first prize in the fashion category of the 2019 American Art Grand Prix! The oil painting "Portrait of an Old Man" won the third prize in the category of realistic figures! The oil painting "Woman Wearing a Red Turban" won the fourth prize in the category of realistic figures! In August 2019, I participated in Vision - Art No. 9 Selected Oil Painting Exhibition Chinese Oil Painting Academy In July 2019, the work "Little Angel" was selected for the 14th ARC International Salon Grand Prix On May 19, 2019, 【Nostalgia on Canvas】Gao Fei Oil Painting Solo Exhibition Beijing Guoyi Exhibition Center On May 13, 2019, Gao Fei's oil painting "Uyghur Old Man" was selected for the 2019 American Oil and Acrylic Painting Association Spring Online Exhibition! On March 17, 2019, 【Xiangxu Gaofei】-Gaofei Solo Exhibition was held in Songzhuang, Beijing, Songzhuang Yawen Art Museum
Mirza Cizmic Stolen Memories - PART II

Mirza Cizmic Stolen Memories - PART II
Mirza Cizmic (born 1985 in Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina) is a painter, predominantly using oil paint on primed paper (he is also occasionally a sculptor, performer and video artist), based in Helsinki, Finland. His artistic practice is related to past experiences. The way he paints is a way of interpreting the world, not through the eyes of a painter, but through his personal experiences. The language that he uses is based on his instincts which are divided into two parts. One is objective and formal while the other is subjective which belongs to Cizmic as an individual. It is a process that takes Cizmic from confusion to understanding. „As an artist, I must be aware of the illusive borders between art and life, art and society, as well as art and activism. Formalisation of my position in contemporary society is connected with constant questioning of myself and my role as an artist. My aim is to break the conventional taboos and depoliticise the situation and bring attention to the humanity of people.“ Mirza Cizmic

Artist:
Mirza Cizmic

Mirza Cizmic (born 1985 in Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina) is a painter, predominantly using oil paint on primed paper (he is also occasionally a sculptor, performer and video artist), based in Helsinki, Finland. His artistic practice is related to past experiences. The way he paints is a way of interpreting the world, not through the eyes of a painter, but through his personal experiences. The language that he uses is based on his instincts which are divided into two parts. One is objective and formal while the other is subjective which belongs to Cizmic as an individual. It is a process that takes Cizmic from confusion to understanding.

„As an artist, I must be aware of the illusive borders between art and life, art and society, as well as art and activism. Formalisation of my position in contemporary society is connected with constant questioning of myself and my role as an artist. My aim is to break the conventional taboos and depoliticise the situation and bring attention to the humanity of people.“ Mirza Cizmic
Francien Krieg - Precious bodies

Francien Krieg - Precious bodies
The truth is that I paint myself ... and therefore the battle of my own body with age, my own fears and my fascination with death. That fascination began at an early age because my father was preoccupied with death. His mother passed away at a young age and the subject was taboo, nothing could be said about her death. As a result this had such an impact on his thoughts that as an adult he conducted a thorough investigation on whether there is life after death. Listening to voices of deceased people and the radio program 'The black hole' with Andre Groote filled the living room on Sunday afternoon. His fascination also became mine, but this only became apparent years later when I was in art school. I made installations made of skins, meat heads, empty cocoons and baby skins. What appealed to me in this is the contrast between the tangible and the intangible of the body, the familiar contrasts with the distance that I feel in my body. The sudden death of a close friend during my time at the academy reinforced this feeling. The distance to my own body and my mistrust of it became even greater. Would my body also betray me in this manner? What followed was a long search that is still on-going, a search for the acceptance of transience. In the early stages I created paintings in which human forms were visible. I painted these in a detached manner: heads were removed, the bodies were decorative, eye contact was almost non-existent, there was no contact with the viewer. As my work developed I was sitting closer to the skin, from strange perspectives I showed the alienation to my own body. My fascination with the body deepened, I began to paint other people, especially those who deviate from the ideal of beauty. But even more, I really wanted to paint people like you and me, a universal image of the aging person. Staying true to myself, I have confined myself to the female body.

Artist:
Francien Krieg

Precious bodies

The truth is that I paint myself ... and therefore the battle of my own body with age, my own fears and my fascination with death. That fascination began at an early age because my father was preoccupied with death. His mother passed away at a young age and the subject was taboo, nothing could be said about her death. As a result this had such an impact on his thoughts that as an adult he conducted a thorough investigation on whether there is life after death. Listening to voices of deceased people and the radio program 'The black hole' with Andre Groote filled the living room on Sunday afternoon. His fascination also became mine, but this only became apparent years later when I was in art school. I made installations made of skins, meat heads, empty cocoons and baby skins. What appealed to me in this is the contrast between the tangible and the intangible of the body, the familiar contrasts with the distance that I feel in my body. The sudden death of a close friend during my time at the academy reinforced this feeling. The distance to my own body and my mistrust of it became even greater. Would my body also betray me in this manner? What followed was a long search that is still on-going, a search for the acceptance of transience. In the early stages I created paintings in which human forms were visible. I painted these in a detached manner: heads were removed, the bodies were decorative, eye contact was almost non-existent, there was no contact with the viewer. As my work developed I was sitting closer to the skin, from strange perspectives I showed the alienation to my own body. My fascination with the body deepened, I began to paint other people, especially those who deviate from the ideal of beauty. But even more, I really wanted to paint people like you and me, a universal image of the aging person. Staying true to myself, I have confined myself to the female body.

Tomoko Momoki

Tomoko Momoki

Artist:
Tomoko Momoki

Biography

Tomoko Momoki, was born in Japan in 1972. In 1993 she completed the general study course of the Academy of Fine Arts in Tokyo, and continued her training at the same Academy, specializing in 1994 in painting techniques. In the same year, and for the following three years, she participated in the Shiun-You-Kai salon in Tokyo and presented her works four times in art galleries in both collective and personal staging. In 1994 she passed the selection that enabled her to stay in the ateliers of the Academy where she continued her specific research on oil painting until 1997. In 1997 she undertook a study trip to Europe with the Academy which will have a decisive influence on her subsequent transfer to Italy. In 1998 he moved to Rome with the aim of studying and absorbing the codes and archetypes of Western and in particular Italian art. For two years she continued to paint by inserting new elements into her painting and in 2000 he exhibited his works in Tokyo. Since 2001 she has added wall painting to easel painting and collaborates on decorative interventions in buildings of historical / artistic importance that keep her busy for the next ten years. The time spent next to original works of the seventeenth, eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, is well spent, these works further enrich not only her technical background, but lead her to reflect on the path made by man in art, and on the profound role that it covers, when it is able to really convey an emotion. In 2013 she returned to deal exclusively with easel painting.

2014 ~ 2015 Collective exhibition “Artisti ai banchi” Rome 2016 ~ 2017 Collective exhibition "Rilievi Contemporaly Art" Rome. 2017 Collective exhibition "Galleria Opera Unica" Rome 2017 ~ 2018 Collective exhibition “Unicorn Gallery Rome” Rome 2018.11 Bipersonal exhibition DIVERGING INCIDENTS “Galleria Francesco Zanuso” Milan 2019.6 Collective exhibition “Secret Art Show” Milan 2019 Collective exhibition "KoArt Gallery" Noto (Catania) 2019.9 He started his collaboration with ArteAtelier in Milan. 2019.10 Art Fair of Parma 2019.11 Bipersonale ESTRI PAINTERS FROM THE EAST "Galleria Spazi Arte" Piacenza 2019.11 Arte Fiera of Padua 2019.12 Collective exhibition “Secret Art Show” London 2021.10 Personare exhibition "Studio rosi" San cesareo (Rome) 2021.12 Two-person “Galleria del Corso” Rome

Hanjo Schmidt

Hanjo Schmidt
Hanjo Schmidts paintings are the departure from the smooth evenness of the beautiful facade to the core of the human being in its essence. His paintings represent the human being per se: an ambivalent existence, beautiful and at the same time ugly, vulnerable and brusque, searching and denying, showing and hiding. Our look at the paintings is like a look in the mirror reflecting upon ourselves.

Artist:
HANJO SCHMIDT

Born 1944 in Oberstdorf/Allgäu Germany

Selected Solo Exhibitions

2016 *Hanjo Schmidt, Malerei, Städtische Galerie Fellbach 2015 Goldrotschwarz German Arthouse, Vielschichtig, Potsdam 2014 Park Art Fair International, Triberg 2013 VBKW Waiblingen, Was bleibt Württembergischer Kunstverein, Gesichter *Kunstverein Musberg, Messer statt Pinsel, Lignopraphie VBKW, Open Studio 2012 VBKW Jahresausstellung Waiblingen, Portrait Park Art Fair International, Genf 2011 Park Art Fair International, Genf, Erster Preis 2010 Landratsamt Waiblingen, Gesichter 2009 Park Art Fair International, Genf Galerie Bräuning, Esslingen, Körper Zomertentoonstelling, Galerie Mokum, Amsterdam A Book about Death, The Emily Harvey Foundation, New York 2008 *Kunstforum Weil der Stadt, Wendelinskapelle, Gesichter 2007 *Open Studio, The Trapani Project *Kunstverein Musberg, Malerei Artprocess Trapani 2007, The Trapani Project 2005 *Open Studio Kunstverein Baden Württemberg, Stuttgart, Jahresausstellung 2004 *Galerie Dr. Ulrike Montigel, Stuttgart 2003 *Open Studio *Galerie Gatzanis, Stuttgart, 2002 *Papp Gallery, Soho, NYC 2001 *b+b Galerie, Stuttgart *Crane Street Studio House, Open Studio, NYC

Bibliography

Georg Leisten, “Nackedeis mit Fettröllchen”, Stuttgarter Zeitung, 30. Januar 2004 Petra Mostbacher, Interview, Lift Stadtmagazin, 2005 Petra Mostbacher, „Unendliche Nuancen“, Der Maler Hanjo Schmidt, Sonnendeck, 2006 Adrienne Braun in: Katalog Hanjo Schmidt Gesichter, Kunstforum Weil der Stadt 2008 Reiner Enke, “Dem Menschen ins nackte Antlitz schauen”, Leonberger Kreiszeitung, 2008 Christa Hagmeyer; “Der menschliche Ausdruck schlechthin”, Kreiszeitung Böblingen, 2008 Jochen Buchholz, “Gesichter sind wie eine Bühne”, Böblinger Zeitung, 2008 Georg Leisten, “Monster-Ich”, Folder zu Threefold Black, 2009 Grady Harp, „Painting larger than Life yet About it“, Poets&Artists Magazine, Los Angeles

Awards and Honours

Appointed New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) Fellowship in Painting for 2006 First Prize, Park Art Fair International, Genf 2011
Victor Sheleg

Victor Sheleg
Victor Sheleg is a Russian artist who grew up in Latvia, and who has exhibited his art throughout Moscow. His creative outlook is based on his personal worldview, which explores the conformist culture of the society he experiences before turning it into an intriguing artistic aesthetic. His depictions of female figures, laced with shadow and suggestion, provide an intriguing balance of conformity and freedom, both in form and content. "When creating a picture, I am guided by emotions and energy. Harmony born of chaos of color, stains, lines and splashes." Viktor Sheleg

Artist:
Victor Sheleg

Personal exhibitions

1993 Gallery "TEN", Liepaya, Latvia. 1994 Gallery "Ars Moderna", Riga, Latvia. 1995 Gallery "Ars Moderna", Riga, Latvia. 1996 Gallery "Ars Moderna", Riga, Latvia. 1996 "Business Center" Moscow Chamber Of Commerce and Industry, Moscow, Russia. 1997 Russian Center of Science and Culture, Helsinki, Finland. 1997 Gallery "Ars Moderna", Riga, Latvia. 1998 Gallery "Mara", Daugavpils, Latvia. 1998 Gallery "Centrs", Liepaya, Latvia. 1998 Gallery "Ars Moderna", Riga, Latvia. 1999 Fashion House A.Pavlov, Riga, Latvia. 1999 Gallery "Basteja pasaža", Riga, Latvia. 2000 Gallery "Nellija", Riga, Latvia. 2000 Gallery "Basteja pasaža", Riga, Latvia. 2000 Gallery "Signature of Art", Chicago, USA. 2002 Gallery "Howard Alberts", Chicago, USA. 2003 Gallery "CDH", Moscow, Russia. 2004 Gallery "Le Siants", Prague, Czech Republic. 2005 Gallery «Basteja Pasaža», Riga, Latvia. 2006 Gallery «Moscow House», Riga, Latvia. 2007 Gallery «Moscow House», Riga, Latvia. 2010 Gallery «Slavinsky art", Sankt-Peterburg, Russia. 2010 Gallery "Arthaus Genzel", Vetcslar, Germany. 2011 Gallery «New Form", Geteborg, Sweden. 2011 Gallery «Tornby", Denmark. 2012 Gallery «New Form" Geteborg, Sweden. 2013 Gallery " Timelles",Spain 2014 Gallery " Timelles", Poland 2015 Gallery "Gall'Art Roma", Italy 2016 Gallery "Onessimo", USA 2017 Gallery "901" USA

Group exhibitions and art fairs

Art Ireland, Dublin (2004-2009) Art Zurich International (2004) Art Edinburgh (2005-2008) The Affordable Art Fair, London (Spring Collections 2006-2009) Art Melbourne (2006) Affordable Art Fair, Paris (2008) Chelsea Art Fair, London(2009) Glasgow Art Fair (2009) Edinburgh Art Fair( 2009) Bergamo Arte Fiera (2010) Affordable Art Fair Brussels (2010) The Affordable Art Fair Spring Collection (2010) Glasgow Art Fair (2010) Chelsea Art Fair (2010) AAF NYC Fall (2010) AAF Amsterdam (2010) Edinburgh Art Fair (2010) Affordable Art Fair Milano, ( 2011) Affordable Art Fair Brussels (2011) AAF NYC Fall (2011) Colectiva de Otoño (2011) Edinburgh Art Fair (2011) AAF MILAN (2012) AAF BRUSSELS (2012 GRAND DESIGNS LIVE LONDON (2012)
Toshihiko Okuya

Toshihiko Okuya
Born in Gifu, Japan in 1955. Toshihiko Okuya is a Japanese master of digital painting. In his work, the strangeness of human existence is expressed in an allegorical and plastic vision. It is sometimes violent, demonic and emotional. And it tells various stories. You may find yourself there.

Artist:
Toshihiko Okuya

TOSHIHIKO OKUYA

Toshihiko Okuya is a Japanese master of digital painting. In his work, the strangeness of human existence is expressed in an allegorical and plastic vision. It is sometimes violent, demonic and emotional. And it tells various stories. You may find yourself there. 1955 Born in Japan, Gifu Prefecture 1981 - Started illustration work with magazines etc 1982 - Illustration work such as children's books and picture books. Announcing maze and illustration puzzle with magazines, books 1983 - School for Children Education, Lecturer 1996 - Started work on graphic design, web design 2001 - Although he was producing oil paintings in parallel, he scanned the work and started making digital works on a personal computer.

EXHIBITS (SELECTION)

1989 "Illustration in Japan 1988" Exhibition (Seibu Art Forum) 2001 Mikuni Town Trick Art Competition Award Winning Work Exhibition (Mikuni RyuShoKan) 2008 44th Kanagawa Prefectural Art Exhibition (Kanagawa Prefectural Art Museum) 2010 Epson Color Image Contest, Winning Work Exhibition (epSITE-shinjyuku)

PRIZES

1978 Creative Picture Book Recruiter Award, Excellence Award Winner (Creative Picture Book) 2001 Fukui Prefecture Mikuni Town 4th Trick Art Competition Special Prize Winner (Puzzle Art) 2008 44th Kanagawa Prefectural Art Exhibition, Selected (Oil Painting) 2009 Epson Color Imaging Contest Selected (Digital Art, Inkjet Print Works)

WEB

WikiArt: https://www.wikiart.org/en/toshihiko-okuya Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/okuya.toshihiko/ Tumblr: https://toshihiko-okuya.tumblr.com/
Susan Abbott

Susan Abbott
Susan Abbott was born in Takoma Park, Maryland, and grew up in this Victorian suburb of Washington, DC. Her parents met as labor organizers in the 1930’s, and they continued to be active in social and environmental causes throughout their lives. Because her father was an artist and graphic designer, there were many art books and supplies at home and Abbott was drawing and painting from an early age. Her mother was a skilled seamstress and taught her to sew, knit and embroider. These hand crafts and time outdoors exploring the creeks and woods in her neighborhood were favorite childhood activities that have informed her work as an artist. Abbott began her formal art studies at fourteen, studying life drawing in the summers under the famed professor Robert D’Arista at American University. She dropped out of high school to begin full time studies at the Maryland Institute, College of Art, which she selected for its rigorous painting program. At MICA, Abbott focused on figure painting and plein air landscape with Israel Hershberg. She graduated Summa Cum Laude and two years later received a MFA degree from the Institute’s Hoffberger School of Painting, working with renowned abstract painter Grace Hartigan as her advisor. She went on to study printmaking in the graduate program at the University of Iowa under the master intaglio artist Mauricio Lasansky. Susan Abbott has been working as a professional artist since that time, exhibiting in galleries and museums around the country. Her still life and landscapes have been featured at the Corcoran Gallery of Art, National Museum of Women in the Arts, Contemporary Art Center of Virginia, Museum of Technology, Hood College, and the Baltimore Museum of Art. Her painting was included in the show “Objects of Personal Significance”, which toured museums around the United States. She has been a recipient of a Maryland Art Council “Individual Artist Award” and a Vermont Arts Council “Creation Grant”. In 2009 she was one of ten a

Statement
Growing up in Washington, DC, I had an early love of drawing encouraged by my artist father and for textile crafts learned from my mother, as well as many happy hours exploring neighborhood woods and streams. These childhood activities gave me a connection to hand craft and nature that have stayed with me and informed my work as a painter. In my eagerness to begin my art education I dropped out of high school to attend the Maryland Institute, College of Art, where I received a BFA and MFA. I’ve been working as a professional artist since that time, exhibiting in galleries and museums around the country and teaching art workshops around the world. I moved to Vermont twenty-five years ago for the most impractical of reasons, love at first sight. I’m still attracted to all the ordinary things I see around me here–houses, barns, trucks, fields, mountains—and how they are made magical by ever-changing light and seasons. When I paint in my studio from the references I gather on-site, invented colors and shapes take over and combine with my memory of the subject to create something completely new. My hope is that the paintings that result from this alchemy of the real and abstract communicate to the viewer something of my deep love for the familiar yet mysterious landscape of Vermont. Susan Abbott

Artist:
Susan Abbott

Susan Abbott was born in Takoma Park, Maryland, and grew up in this Victorian suburb of Washington, DC. Her parents met as labor organizers in the 1930’s, and they continued to be active in social and environmental causes throughout their lives. Because her father was an artist and graphic designer, there were many art books and supplies at home and Abbott was drawing and painting from an early age. Her mother was a skilled seamstress and taught her to sew, knit and embroider. These hand crafts and time outdoors exploring the creeks and woods in her neighborhood were favorite childhood activities that have informed her work as an artist. Abbott began her formal art studies at fourteen, studying life drawing in the summers under the famed professor Robert D’Arista at American University. She dropped out of high school to begin full time studies at the Maryland Institute, College of Art, which she selected for its rigorous painting program. At MICA, Abbott focused on figure painting and plein air landscape with Israel Hershberg. She graduated Summa Cum Laude and two years later received a MFA degree from the Institute’s Hoffberger School of Painting, working with renowned abstract painter Grace Hartigan as her advisor. She went on to study printmaking in the graduate program at the University of Iowa under the master intaglio artist Mauricio Lasansky. Susan Abbott has been working as a professional artist since that time, exhibiting in galleries and museums around the country. Her still life and landscapes have been featured at the Corcoran Gallery of Art, National Museum of Women in the Arts, Contemporary Art Center of Virginia, Museum of Technology, Hood College, and the Baltimore Museum of Art. Her painting was included in the show “Objects of Personal Significance”, which toured museums around the United States. She has been a recipient of a Maryland Art Council “Individual Artist Award” and a Vermont Arts Council “Creation Grant”. In 2009 she was one of ten artists selected from an international competition to receive funding to produce a series of paintings about the future of Vermont for the “Art of Action” project. She is an active partner with non-profits in projects that connect art and conservation. Susan Abbott’s paintings are in many private and corporate collections, including Mead Data Central, the Gund Company, the Federal Home Mortgage Administration, Peat Marwick, and Chittenden Bank. Her commission for Oprah Winfrey was featured on the Oprah Winfrey Show.

Statement

Growing up in Washington, DC, I had an early love of drawing encouraged by my artist father and for textile crafts learned from my mother, as well as many happy hours exploring neighborhood woods and streams. These childhood activities gave me a connection to hand craft and nature that have stayed with me and informed my work as a painter. In my eagerness to begin my art education I dropped out of high school to attend the Maryland Institute, College of Art, where I received a BFA and MFA. I’ve been working as a professional artist since that time, exhibiting in galleries and museums around the country and teaching art workshops around the world. I moved to Vermont twenty-five years ago for the most impractical of reasons, love at first sight. I’m still attracted to all the ordinary things I see around me here–houses, barns, trucks, fields, mountains—and how they are made magical by ever-changing light and seasons. When I paint in my studio from the references I gather on-site, invented colors and shapes take over and combine with my memory of the subject to create something completely new. My hope is that the paintings that result from this alchemy of the real and abstract communicate to the viewer something of my deep love for the familiar yet mysterious landscape of Vermont. Susan Abbott
Beyond the Canvas: AI's Surreal Provocations

Beyond the Canvas: AI's Surreal Provocations
Welcome to "Beyond the Canvas: AI's Surreal Provocations," an avant-garde art exhibition that pushes the boundaries of creativity, challenging conventional notions of art with the use of cutting-edge AI-generated images. This captivating collection takes you on a journey into the uncharted territory of surrealism, where the imagination knows no bounds. In this groundbreaking project, the artist harnesses the limitless potential of artificial intelligence to craft images that are as thought-provoking as they are visually striking. These surreal and provocative compositions traverse a diverse landscape of themes, from statues passionately protesting for their rights to the harmonious blend of disparate artistic styles, each piece provoking a unique emotional response. As you explore "Beyond the Canvas," you will encounter a world where reality and fantasy coexist in unexpected ways. Marvel at the defiance of classical statues as they rise up to advocate for their rights, blurring the lines between the inanimate and the sentient. Witness the fusion of artistic styles that defy categorization, inviting you to contemplate the interconnectedness of creative expression across time and culture. This exhibition is a testament to the power of AI as a tool for artists to explore uncharted realms of creativity. "Beyond the Canvas" challenges traditional art forms, inviting you to reconsider the very definition of art and the boundaries of the human imagination. Join us on this extraordinary journey into the surreal, where AI serves as a conduit for the artist's vision, pushing the envelope of what is possible in the realm of artistry. "Beyond the Canvas" is a celebration of creativity's boundless potential, provoking thought and emotion in equal measure. Immerse yourself in this world of surreal provocations and let your own imagination run wild, as we redefine the art of the possible.

Artist:
Klaudio Mehmeti

AI Digital Art
Alexey Lantsev

Alexey Lantsev
Painter Alexei Lantsev, a graduate of Moscow's Surikov School of Fine Arts, explores a wide range of subjects in abstract and semi-abstract painting styles. He was born in 1970 in the city of Krasnodar and has had more than 20 solo exhibitions in Russia, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Switzerland and Hong Kong. “To paint, you have to close your eyes and sing,” Picasso once said. It seems that when Alexei Lantsev paints his pictures, he not only sings, but at the same time performs a real dance with a brush, giving in to an impulse that drives him from within. All his compositions essentially consist of a combination of a graceful line with sonorous color spots, which are distributed as if intuitively over the entire surface of the sheet. The guiding theme of Alexei Lantsev's work is always the search for a balance between logic and feeling, be it abstraction, landscape or figurative art. The echo of Matisse's distant song, the melody of Lantsev's painting undoubtedly testifies to the joy of life. The harmonious compositions in contrasting colors invite a silent attempt to hear your mysterious inner symphony while finding the area where the words end and the music begins.

Artist:
Alexey Lantsev

Painter Alexei Lantsev, a graduate of Moscow's Surikov School of Fine Arts, explores a wide range of subjects in abstract and semi-abstract painting styles. He was born in 1970 in the city of Krasnodar and has had more than 20 solo exhibitions in Russia, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Switzerland and Hong Kong. “To paint, you have to close your eyes and sing,” Picasso once said. It seems that when Alexei Lantsev paints his pictures, he not only sings, but at the same time performs a real dance with a brush, giving in to an impulse that drives him from within. All his compositions essentially consist of a combination of a graceful line with sonorous color spots, which are distributed as if intuitively over the entire surface of the sheet. The guiding theme of Alexei Lantsev's work is always the search for a balance between logic and feeling, be it abstraction, landscape or figurative art. The echo of Matisse's distant song, the melody of Lantsev's painting undoubtedly testifies to the joy of life. The harmonious compositions in contrasting colors invite a silent attempt to hear your mysterious inner symphony while finding the area where the words end and the music begins.
Museum of Art
HALL

 

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