Real Fake Door invites you into a realm where illusion converges with reality, and portals become conduits to uncharted territories. From a diverse group of international artists, the works challenge conventional norms of perception and understanding.
Real Fake Door, encapsulates both paradox and concealed truths. It serves as a lens to examine themes of portals, deception, subversion, and world-building. It compels you to question preconceived notions and asks you to embark on an intellectual and aesthetic journey that traverses multiple dimensions of contemporary art. The notion of "real fake" takes center stage. Artists employ techniques such as trompe l'oeil, contemplating spaces within spaces, illusion and reality. Here, the mundane becomes sublime, and the subliminal becomes profound, all interwoven with threads of Americana.
About the artists:
Willie Cole subverts the traditional symbolism of women's heels, transforming them into masks that challenge mass consumerism and conventional notions of femininity. His assemblages are a captivating fusion of elements from mass consumer culture and fashion, unraveling simplistic notions of identity.
Nokukhanya Langa's paintings feature never-ending hypnotic multi-colored spirals and infinite gradients, signifying her fascination with the loss of the image and, by extension, the erosion of reality itself.
Paa Joe's paragon, the miniature coffin, serves as a portal bridging the realms of life and death, connecting the living to the departed while plunging us into an abyss of Americana and purple fur.
Christopher Page's illusionistic depictions of framed paintings, windows, and mirrors act as conceptual portals, challenging viewers to reflect on the very act of viewing. These second-order simulations blur the lines between representations and reality, prompting viewers to question the nature of perception itself.
Al Freeman's larger-than-life iPhone, complete with a cracked and worn screen, is part of her collection of everyday object pieces that deceive, stripping away branding and structure to reveal their true, sagging essence. In doing so, she satirizes consumer culture, underscoring the hollowness of our post-literate society.
Oli Epp's paintings construct a world that mirrors the complexities of 21st-century society, marked by consumerism, digital age anxieties, and conflict. His work underscores the intricate relationship between humanity and technology, mirroring the screen's flatness and luminosity.
Liam Fallon's sculptural works challenge the deceptive facades of everyday spaces, revealing unexpected movements and transformations. He offers commentary on queer culture, challenging boundaries and presenting a theatrical perspective on love, desire, and loss.
Rafa Silvares' vibrant industrial landscapes create playful worlds within the starkness of urban life, inviting viewers to explore spatial qualities.
Rosie McGinn's inflatable installation mirrors her fixation on our collective pursuit of heightened moments, adrenaline, and discovery, this time in space.
In a world brimming with paradoxes and deception, the influence of the digital realm and the internet loom large. Qualeasha Wood subverts norms related to racial, sexual, and gender identity through her textile practice, celebrating and critiquing these identities in both the digital and physical realms.
Emma Stern explores the deceptive nature of 3D representations, challenging prevailing notions of reality and fantasy. She seamlessly merges traditional oil painting with technology, offering a compelling intersection of art and digital realms.
Maja Djordjevic, known for her digitally-native aesthetic sensibility and mastery of computer-generated visual syntax and digital manipulation, brings a contemporary reflection to the exhibition. Her work bridges the gap between traditional and digital art forms, inviting viewers to contemplate the evolving landscape of artistic expression.
Real Fake Door explores intricate interplay between perception and reality. It invites visitors on a journey through the multifaceted dimensions of contemporary art, offering an opportunity to challenge the foundations of visual understanding. It is where the real and the fake coalesce, asking us to question whether the door we are about to open is a portal to truth or merely another layer of illusion.
Group show co-curated by Oli Epp & Mollie Barnes