Dreamscapes, Lilienthal Gallery, Knoxville, July 2024
Dreamscapes, Lilienthal Gallery, Knoxville, July 2024
Lilienthal Gallery at 23 Emory Place hosts the opening of its summer exhibition from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm tonight. “Dreamscapes” features three artists, Cynthia Zhou, John Paul Kesling,and Walker Antonio, and will run through September. Walker Antonio will be present for the opening and will give a brief introduction to his art.
While the three artists offer quite different works, in collection they offer a cohesive statement. Vibrant colors, figures shifting from the realistic to the more abstract echo “elements of Abstract Expressionism and Fauvism.” While I’m not the best versed in art and art history, as Kelly Ferguson directed my attention to particular works, I could easily see these artists compositional references to Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, and Paul Gauguin.
Dreamscapes, Lilienthal Gallery, Knoxville, July 2024Dreamscapes, Lilienthal Gallery, Knoxville, July 2024Dreamscapes, Lilienthal Gallery, Knoxville, July 2024
Just as the post-World War II abstract expressionists dealt with a world no longer so simple, the vibrant colors in the exhibition belie the sometimes darker subject matter. The subconscious, nightmares, and anxiety are all present, but faced and, if not conquered, contained. The artists each bring a unique approach and aesthetic to common themes.
Another focus of the current exhibition is the presentation of emerging artists. The artists featured in “Dreamscapses” are each ascendant in their careers and their work, in great demand, sells quickly. It’s an opportunity to see them early in their careers and experience the kind of art that younger artists are exploring. In that respect, it continues the thread of Lilienthal presenting art that may be a bit different than other art presented locally.
Walker Antonio, “Fevered Mirage,” Acrylic on Canvas, 70 x 144″, Dreamscapes, Lilienthal Gallery, Knoxville, July 2024
You can click the links above to go to the artists’ websites, but here’s a brief introduction to each:
Cynthia Zhou:
Born in San Jose, CA, and based in Philadelphia, PA, Zhou earned a Bachelor of Arts in Design at the University of Pennsylvania. She was recognized at the White House as a 2019 Presidential Scholar in the Arts, is a National YoungArts Winner, and an Adobe + Amazon Creative Jam Finalist. She has shown her work at the Kennedy Center, the Jewel Box in Miami, Vox Populi Gallery, Euphrat Museum of Art, and more.
John Paul Kesling, “Americana” Oil on Canvas, 80 x 70″, Dreamscapes, Lilienthal Gallery, Knoxville, July 2024
John Paul Kesling:
Kesling was born and raised in Northeastern Kentucky in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. He received his BFA in Arts from Morehead State University and an MFA in Painting from SCAD. Now based in Nashville, TN, his numerous exhibitions include those at Red Arrow Gallery, The Nashville Parthenon, Gadsden Museum of Art, and the New York Hall of Science & SciArts Initiative. His work is in permanent collections at institutions such as SCAD, Vanderbilt University, and Soho House Nashville.
Walker Antonio, “Iron Shadows,” Acrylic and Oil Pastel on Canvas, 72 x 60″, Dreamscapes, Lilienthal Gallery, Knoxville, July 2024Walker Antonio, “Breaking Bull,” Acrylic on Canvas, 40 x 30″, Dreamscapes, Lilienthal Gallery, Knoxville, July 2024
Walker Antonio:
Walker Antonio, from Kilmarnock, Virginia, attended Wofford College for a Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art and Art History. He received the Whetsell Fellowship grant to support his first solo show, exhibited at The Richardson Family Art Museum. Through the vibrant power of color and movement, he transforms struggles into triumphs, using his paintings as bright sigils to keep the darkness away.
If you are able, stop by the gallery tonight, meet artist Walker Antonio, and be among the first to see the exhibition. Should you not be able to make it, “Dreamscapes” runs through September and gallery is open Wednesday through Friday each week from Noon to 6:00 pm.