NEW YORK, NY – Chelsea’s Agora Gallery will feature the original work of Korce-born artist Mikele Arapi in Enigmatic Realms. The exhibition will open on December 29, 2016 and run through January 18, 2017 with an opening reception on Thursday, December 29 from 6-8 PM.
The intricate and precise figurative paintings of Mikele Arapi put a modern and contemporary twist on classical and late 19th-century art movements. Combining a naturalistic painting style with elements of fantasy and allegory, Arapi’s goal is to depict human emotion and our connection with nature, but his strategy is unusual. Instead of adhering to realism, Arapi's paintings are passionate, surreal, sensual, and richly colored with deep, saturated hues. The focus of Arapi's compositions is always lighting and contrast, and he creates a masterful balance between bright and dark tonalities across a wide range of colors, whether he's working in acrylic, oil, or graphite. Arapi’s pieces are full of not only symbolism and emotion, but visual detail, from the muscles on a subject’s leg to flowers and leaves adorning a tree. Arapi believes “details make the difference,” turning what might seem like extraordinary scenes into something his viewers can enter into and connect with.
Born in Albania, Arapi studied art in both high school and college and has traveled the world perfecting his craft. He is currently a full-time artist.
Exhibition Dates: December 29, 2016 – January 18, 2017
Reception: Thursday December 29, 2016, 6:00pm - 8:00pm
Gallery Hours: Tues-Sat 11-6
Gallery Location: 530 West 25th St, Chelsea, New York
Event URL: http://www.agora-gallery.com/artistpage/Mikele_Arapi.aspx
Featured Artists:
Enigmatic Realms
Graciela Bosoglanian | Burhan Khan | Franck Sastre | Viccas | Philippe Thélin | Judith Tawil | Magda Hanna | Mikele Arapi
About the Exhibition
Enigmatic Realms: Endless Worlds
Agora Gallery is pleased to present Enigmatic Realms, a showcase of eight contemporary artists holding a mirror up to the people and places that surround them. Hailing from Pakistan, Switzerland, Argentina, and everywhere in between, the artists on display cover many different worlds with their images. There is the seasoned fashion designer who currently creates fashion illustrations in the form of larger-than-life metal sculptures, each abstracted female figure a sensitive exploration of the body. There is the artist who only uses organic materials from pigment to tool, with the resulting images as wonderfully evocative and detailed as any traditional painting. Some works depict the human body as neon bouquets of colorful shapes; some as flattened, stained-glass-like jewels; some as figures in a carefully crafted allegory. Some artists create whole scenes for us while others show hyperrealistic bodies against blurry, atmospheric depths. There are farms and cities, kitchens and offices. Enigmatic Realms teaches us that for every pair of eyes there is a different world.
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