Exhibition

Commune Café Gallery is pleased to present the Seen Unseen. The private view is the 7th February, 2013, 18:00-22:00.

Seen Unseen is a group exhibition that examines the artists’ search for intended truths, and shared preoccupation with tensions arising between the visible and the easily dismissed. There is an exploration into how this shared preoccupation manifested itself in these large scale paintings.

These paintings, in-accordance to each individual’s artistic practices, incorporate the use of mixed media, anthropomorphic configurations and figurative abstraction. Imbued with double meanings, the attraction of the works entreat and challenge the viewer to surmise their hidden meaning. The artists discovered the correlation between their work while working in the same studio in Bermondsey.

In Blair Lamar’s work the figure is not the first object seen, but is purposely abstracted organically, influenced by the highlights and shadows. When first viewing the painting the colour and shapes are the most prominent aesthetics. After spending more time looking within the painting the figure emerges to reveal the true composition. The painting then becomes about discovery and going beyond that discovery. While the artist has spun a story it is very open ended for the viewer. Even unseen to the artist is where the flowing shapes will take the viewer next, for they see their own interpretation of unintended forms found between the colours.

For Jean-Pierre Roffi it is his process of using the figure that leads to the degree of ambiguousness and autonomy of his work. His work is filled with “Prêt à consommer” (ready to consume) images taken from available contemporary media. His latest work is inspired by old and modern rituals. Strong feelings like religious devotion, fanaticism, trances or frenzies are often only experienced by those participating in these rituals. But because of documentation in films, magazine, newspapers, and other media what is often unseen is now exposed. The artist furthers this exposure by translating them into a painting. The viewer can see the rituals, but will have to interpret the experience based upon what they know and understand themselves. Evolving to multiple into something more ambiguous and unexpected.

Nadine pushes the unseen into view and paints with such conviction that she pushes the viewer to continuously to look at the art work. The artist predominantly makes paintings pertaining to her cultural identity. She grew up between, Australia, Malaysia, and Britain. Having these three cultures as her influence, Nadine is fascinated by the dichotomy between truth and reality distilled through the constructs of political, religious and society in cultural systems.

Commune Café Gallery is a new and innovative contemporary art space located a stone’s throw from Old Street Tube Station. It is a café come gallery, that showcases emerging and established artists. Their aim is to provide support, dialogue and networking as well as to develop friendship. Thus creating a unique gallery space, that gives artists the conceptual freedom to let their art shine.