Project Room: Paracosm: Nick Smith
Framed in Wood
26 x 31 7/8 in
At the heart of this series of works is the melding of two universes: the vibrant and tumultuous world of Vincent Van Gogh, and the structured simplicity of pixels. Paracosm: Pixelated Reflections on Van Gogh is not just an exploration of visual form but a journey into the depths of our mental landscapes.
Van Gogh's masterful impasto technique, with its thick and textured brushstrokes, invites viewers into a vivid realm of emotion and movement. Every stroke speaks volumes, drawing the observer deep into his world, unveiling an intricate tapestry of emotions. Smith’s pixelated adaptations distil these emotions into blocks of colour, simplifying the scene yet retaining its essence. Here, viewers are invited, to tap into their own cognitive paracosms, piecing together the fragmented memories of Van Gogh's originals from the digital abstraction before them.
Paracosm captures this journey of introspection. When confronted with the pixelated renditions, our minds instinctively seek the familiar, sifting through memories and past experiences with Van Gogh's iconic pieces. The pixel becomes more than a visual element; it's a catalyst, evoking stored images, memories, and emotions of the originals, reconstructing them within our mental canvas.
Through this series, Smith’s aim is to to encourage a dialogue between the simplified present and the richly remembered past. In the juxtaposition of pixel and memory, do we find loss or discovery? Does the distillation of Van Gogh's world into pixels erase or amplify our internal experiences of his oeuvre? Paracosm is a series where the boundaries between external art and internal reflection blur, guiding you to rediscover Van Gogh's legacy through the lens of memory and pixel.
To register your interest, email info@rhodescontemporaryart.com
