Of Metaphors and Magic
T
hink of a kaleidoscope, how mundane objects are cast through mirror and glass into metaphor, even magic. It is a question of shifting perspective, of looking at reality through an altering lens and beginning to see and appreciate complexities that are not at once obvious. The Longworth Gallery offers this lens of the world.
Specializing in Metaphorical and Magical Realism, the rooms and walls of this adobe gallery are strewn with fantastical imaginings of 20 exceptional artists in mediums of oil, bronze, glass, clay, silk, exotic woods and even re-purposed ivory from antique piano keys. Hailing from Oxford England, retired professional horse trainer Lisa Rodgers — owner and director of The Longworth
Gallery — has passionately represented these world-class artists for almost 10 years. Featured in this magical place are two of the world’s most gifted artists: Vladimir Kush and Michael Parkes. Vladimir Kush developed the style and artistic language for which he is best known: Metaphorical Realism. Through the medium of his paintings and sculptures, Kush transforms through
ABOVE PHOTO Lisa Rodgers, Owner of Longworth Gallery; BOTTOM WORKS L-R Diary of Discoveries by Vladimir Kush 24” x 42”; Moon Thief by Michael Parkes, Limited edition giclee on canvas, Released exclusively to Longworth and will debut at his reception here in October.
metaphor and allegory the linguistic to the visual. “We live not in a world of facts, but one of meanings and symbols. Our thinking is naturally metaphorical within the limits of our existing cultural medium,” says Kush. By presenting the evasive and ever-changing world through metaphor and allegory, he bridges two widely separated subjects, two seemingly incompatible things so that they not only make sense but also challenge our psyche while touching our heart. It is exactly this fusion that catapulted his work to international fame, going so far as to win the coveted award of best painter of the year at Artistes du Monde at Cannes in 2011. On the inspirational motif evident throughout his paintings, Rodgers explains, “Because he came from a dark place, he will only paint light, love, hope and optimism using subjects such as romance, spiritualism, nature and engineering, which, while seemingly unrelated, are all intrinsically connected.”
Also represented at The Longworth Gallery is the world’s leading Magical Realist, Michael Parkes — painter, sculptor, and perhaps most famously, master stone lithographer. Michael’s art evokes mysteries which can often only be deciphered through an appreciation of ancient mythology, eastern philosophy, a touch of art deco and a measure of influence from the Renaissance. Parkes has had one-man exhibitions at the Basel Art Fair in Switzerland, Art Chicago, New York Art Expo, Frankfurt Book Fair, Amsterdam Art Fair, Tefaf Art and Antiques Fair Maastricht, and is represented by prestigious galleries in Amsterdam, France, Denmark, Italy and the United States. In 2007, Parkes was the guest of honour and featured artist in the international show Venus and the Female Intuition, exhibited in Denmark and Holland. Only recently, following the death of his master printer, Parkes’ publisher convinced Parkes to bring
his lithographs to life dimensionally by reinterpreting them in bronze. Of the 22 galleries in the United States representing him, The Longworth Gallery is honoured to have been chosen as one of only three galleries to host an artist’s reception for Parkes in 2015 (on the 9th of October). Friday, the 22nd of May is the Longworth Gallery’s annual anniversary event, in which the artists are invited to celebrate their vision with the public and share in the appreciation of the kaleidoscopic metaphorical and magical perspectives The Longworth Gallery offers. “Without a proper appreciation of the artists, a gallerist is nothing,” notes Rodgers. “I am their ambassador.” The Longworth Gallery 530 & 532 Canyon Rd. 505.989.4210 TheLongworthGallery.com
ABOVE WORKS L-R Moonlight Sonata by Vladimir Kush 16” x 20”; Miracle of Birth by Vladimir Kush 18” x 18”; BOTTOM WORKS L-R Meditation by Michael Parkes, Limited edition bronze; Dark Unicorn by Michael Parkes, Limited edition paper