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PHANTASTIQUE: Karina Guévin (PQ) January 15th to April 2nd, 2006 Keith & Winifred Shantz Gallery |
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| In this new exhibition of her work, Karina Guévin combines inspiration from incidental debris of nature, things most people would pass by and not notice, with archetypal imagery such as hearts and wings. Her work speaks to us of spirit, joy, love, life and sensuousness. The contrast in the colour and shapes within her work allow her to create these opulent objects that reveal the artist’s inner passions and attract us with their beautiful appearance. Guévin’s use of colour in her work is simple but well thought out. Her palette fully uses and explores the sensuality of glass – an ongoing passion of hers. The transparency, translucence and light that glass captures offers the potential of always finding new forms and means of expression. She is extremely effective in her use of contrast as an important compositional factor. Playing with the opposite of things – black and white, light and heavy, pale and dark – allows Guévin to create work which seems to embody metaphysical aspects. The work almost becomes shape-shifting spirits, the meaning of which might first escape the viewer but eventually will reveal itself. Her sculptural installations are visually stunning, technically perfect, transcending and inspired by the imagination. Delicate, light, pointy threads of glass are dreamily organic, growing from within the centre of the winged hearts clustered together. Other glowing red heart shapes are illumined by the silver leaf front, into which the skeletal outline of a fish is etched. This use of the fish skeleton as an image might be surprising to some, as it doesn’t seem naturally to be something that one would associate with |
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Whisper - blown glass (detail) |
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Whisper - blown glass |
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Inspiration - blown glass, silver leaf |
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emotional, spiritual or sexual meaning. However, it is in fact an important pre-Christian symbol and has been used for millennia worldwide as a religious symbol associated with the Pagan Great Mother Goddess. As such, it is most appropriate as a symbol celebrating love and sexuality. With titles such as “Whisper” and “Inspiration”, Guévin’s works coax the viewer to come back again and again, discovering hidden or unnoticed details. She uses the artistic principles of light and form to create elegant, sensual images which highlight the strength and individuality of the female spirit, her particular spirit, but which are accessible and meaningful to a wide audience as well. The use of the heart as her main motif refers to the fact that the work is interiorly, personally directed. It is the realization of the artist’s thoughts, interests and feelings. With her sensitive use of the luminous potentialities of glass, Guévin creates in Phantastique a body of work that celebrates emotions, seduction, mystery and beauty. |
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