Nathalie Vogel

Artist Nathalie Vogel

Tannanarive, Madagascar, 1975

Nathalie Vogel lives and works in NJ and Toronto  Most of the work from Vogel exhibited here pertains to undines: "liquid women", bewitching and tragic. Several paintings deal more specifically with a quintessential theme of romantic symbolism, the drowning Ophelia. Vogel's postmodern reexamination of the opheliac disappearance introduces subtle and complex nuances in the representation of feminity: Ophelia doesn't drown, she withdraws from us.  This feminity with an attitude is very different from the symbolist's victimized staging of feminity. Two antithetical avix cross each other to revisit the undine semiotic space. On a first dichotomy, the overexposed body contrasts with the thick darkness of the sleeping waters. On a second one, more complex, the ostentatious disclosure of nudity clashes with the dismissive looks of the women. Contrived stances and cold indifference work in two conflicting and irreconcilable directions. The painter's "manner" further emphasizes this duality. The meticulous execution, lavishly exposing the corporal envelop in utmost details, is balanced by the subtle body language of emotions, all expressed by minute nuances of posture, looks and pouts.  As a result, this whole sphere of antithetical feelings renews from top to bottom the foundation of the symbolist universe. Symbolists staged the sublime of the missing Ophelia, where Vogel experiments with the oxymoron of her withdrawal and glaring presence.

Nathalie Vogel

Karen Mcintyre

Artist Karen Mcintyre

Scotland

Karen Mcintyre qualified in 1995 with a BA(Hons) in Fine Art from Dundee, where she still lives and paints. She has found increasing demand for her evocative figurative art which is now exhibited and in high demand nationwide. Her moody and interesting works are enigmatic and thought-provoking.

Jean-Paul Avisse

Artist Jean-Paul Avisse

Paris, 1948

Jean-Paul Avisse, French surrealist painter, is a rare and unique artistic genius of unquestionable depth, scope and power. A self taught master of incredible details and universal concepts. Taking over eight weeks to complete each original intricate painting. First time viewers are further amazed to learn that Mr. Avisse creates each original painting by hand, using no computers, photographs or air-brushed techniques. Instead he relies on a much more time honored tradition, his hard learned skills and talents. Avisse's images offer us a glimpse into a window of his mind, showing us worlds that we have each perhaps only imagined in fleeting dreams and realities. He vibrantly creates those images with added clarity and details that go far beyond most viewers imaginations and concepts. His art speaks to a specific moment captured in time, his images relating to many of humanities greater issues. His ability to place the viewer into our relationship with the universe, time, space and the environment are constant themes we see repeated in his art.