Queen West November Art Walk

Museum of New

museumofnew.com

123 Bellwoods Avenue (rear)
Toronto, Ontario, CANADA
M6J 2P6

Tucked away in behind Queen and Bellwood Ave is a diamond in the rough.  The Museum of New was created in 1998 by artist Joseph Drapell and poet Anna Maclachlan, It is a place of changing view points and open dialog for artist with once a month discussions. 

I had the pleasure of visiting the gallery on my monthly Queen West Art Walk with Betty Ann Jordan.  I am always struck by at least one artist on the walk and this one was no exception.  Lumir Hladik had the balance of stunningly beautiful work that also left ample room for interpretation and open dialog, my favourite.  After speaking with him, he mentioned that he sits in the middle of conceptual and traditional art.  I feel the same in that art is a balance of problem solving with materials to create visually pleasing work but that also has something to say.

I was struck by his drawings and the connections between our works. We both allow the hand and subconscious to take over to create endless unplanned images that can be reflected on throughout the process. It’s this play between the conscious and subconscious that in the end creates an open dialog with the viewer.

The layers of paper were one of the many doors left for interpretation, and to me they reflected the unseen worlds underneath each layer of bark, dirt, leaf and rock.  Small universes that speak to us through burnt holes that have been created first and then drawn on top with black pen.  The lines dance through each piece like water yet the work lends itself to many interpretations visually and metaphorically.  

His intention of the hidden layers was to refer to the 13^th gate he grew up hearing in fairy tales as a child.  Surprisingly 40% of the drawings cannot be seen and are hidden under the many layers of paper.  For Lumir, the concealed imagery represents the vast knowledge of the universe and how we can never know everything and that some things are to be left unknown.  

I rank this show an 8 out of 10.