Objecting Reality, a group exhibition curated by Saša Bogojev. Taking place during Hong Kong Art Month, the group exhibition showcases recent paintings of 10 distinguished international artists: Niklas Asker, Jennifer Carvalho, Ginny Casey, Suzuki Hidetaka, Quinten Ingelaere, Heesoo Kim, Damien Meade, Filip Mirazović, Ken Nurenberg, and Wedhar Riyadi. The exhibition focuses on the painting's capability to petrify anything into a still image by converting the painted flat surface into an illusion of a lifeless object within a three-dimensional scene.
"Art is a lie." "Painting is an illusion." These notions reflect profound philosophical and artistic perspectives on the nature of art and its connection to reality. They express insightful concepts regarding the role of art in representing and interpreting the world. In this regard, the legacy of painting inanimate objects is a testament to humanity's enduring fascination with the transfiguration of the ordinary into the extraordinary.
From depictions of food and possessions in ancient Egyptian tombs, decorative Roman wall paintings or floor mosaics, the portrayal of everyday objects carrying religious and allegorical meanings in the Middle Ages, and the emergence of still life as a distinct genre in Netherlandish painting during the 16th and 17th centuries, our artistic heritage is intertwined with the idea of objectifying reality. Through their inexplicable mastery of capturing depth and perspective, painters are capable of summoning the very essence of sculpted forms on a flat canvas, creating a theatrical world where light and shadow gracefully dance across rigid subjects.
While the Baroque period celebrated the drama of chiaroscuro to infuse life into their sculptural forms, contemporary painters are often drawn to capturing the deceptive glow of lustrous materials and polished surfaces. In an age increasingly defined by artificial, fabricated, inorganic, or virtual existence, there is an increased interest in capturing the stillness and lifelessness of our surroundings. Rather than portraying the essence of the subject, a convincing visual representation of the world is crafted by capturing the flare of life that surrounds it. Employing painting's sorcerous ability to transcend its two-dimensional boundaries and achieve sculptural illusion, a well-executed brushstroke holds the power to transform any segment of the natural world into veiny marble, gleaming gold, or translucent porcelain or glass.