Ceci n’est pas une galerie

• May 3, 2012—Jun 2, 2012

In René Magritte’s iconic Surrealist painting The Treachery of Images, a pipe is accompanied by the words “Ceci n’est pas une pipe.” Magritte’s famous pipe is not, in fact, a pipe, but merely a representation of a pipe, presented in such a way as to challenge viewers’ assumptions regarding the relationship between imagery and reality.

Project One Gallery is proud to present Ceci n’est pas une Galerie, a tribute to Surrealism’s continuing impact on contemporary art. Though the Surrealist movement dates back to the early 1920s, its powerful influence can be found in any work that seeks to transform consciousness and inspire imagination through absurdity, non sequitur, juxtaposition, or surprise.

Viewers are invited to ask themselves, if this is not a gallery, what is it? Ceci n’est pas une Galerie creates an opportunity to lose oneself in an idiosyncratic dreamworld wherein the ordinary and familiar are left behind in order to delve into the extraordinary and unknown. Beyond our preconceived notions of established meaning, awash in symbolism, unafraid of madness, we are momentarily immersed in infinite possibility.

Deconstructed, captivatingly detailed landscapes by Ricky Watts and Justin Margitich play with our impressions of space and depth, while the three-dimensional oddities of Aline Dargie and Jeff Schomberg provoke interactive wonder. Robert Bowen, Lee Harvey Roswell, Vladimir Kush, and John Hundt present various depictions of women, allowing viewers to examine their own interpretations of femininity, whether inherent or projected. These artworks usher us into the alternate universe of the unconscious mind, encompassing the nightmarish and the sublime. By embracing the peculiar, the uncanny, the disconcerting, and the strange, we gain insight into the depths of our own minds and, perhaps, evolve our understanding of reality.

Featuring:

Robert Bowen
John Hundt
Ricky Watts
Lee Harvey Roswell
Aline Dargie
Jeff Schomberg
Justin Margitich