CSUCI EXHIBITIONS - The Gallery
Current
Exhibition: " The Weird Worlds of Wyatt Vandergeest, Nedda Shishegar and Alex Violet Bast." October 11 - November 9, 2007 |
 Wyatt
Vandergeest: His paintings are based upon direct reflections
from childhood to adulthood. He paints fascinations and life
observations that have never departed from his mind, enabling
him to commit a memory directly to canvas. His paintings are
vehicles for self-expression as he emulates his personal vision
of a corrupt world, full of greed, poverty and arrogance. “ We
all exist in a constant struggle between synthetic and natural
elements that cannot be balanced. I believe that too many aspects
of life are overlooked and taken for granted. All we have to
do is open our eyes to see something much greater than anything
we can ever imagine.” |
 Nedda Shishegar: Combining subterranean visages of the subconscious and the darkly mythic aesthetic of fairy tales, this collection of digitally manipulated photographs eloquently imbues a surrealist palette combined with the gothic shadows of an old children's storybook. In this bazaar and mysterious series, she investigates themes of identity, rites of passage and new awakenings, portraying a dark, adult world that exists on the periphery of child-like innocence. |
 Alex Violet Bast: Her painted illustrations are venerations of ancient spirituality and human romance infused with modern feminine and feminist sensibilities. She employs meticulous technique and attention to detail, combined with cryptic references to art history and anthropology. Her complex use of symbolism refers the viewer to the indomitable and sometimes ferocious parts of “the self.” These works bring to mind forgotten feelings; sometimes sweet, sometimes visceral and frequently confrontational. “I whisper to you in the moonlight and invite you to gracefully dance, just for the sheer joy of doing so.” |