“Tete Morte”

“A painting by Jacques Resch is not perceived in a single glance. It is peeled back little by little through
the thousand subtleties that you discover during this encounter.” — Harry Kampainne

Jacques Resch is a surrealist artist born in the south of France, who now resides in Africa.

Entirely self-taught, Resch’s passion for the Arts began at the age of 12 painting otherworldly landscapes to portraits. His style of painting has a remarkable resemblance to the likes of Bosch, Breughel and Dali, but we can also discern in them the full range of society’s fears to which most (if not all) artists are sensitive: problems of progress, drugs, pollution and more. Resch’s style is also influenced by Symbolism, especially on paintings like “Les pyramides” and “Le Diabolo“.

Some of his works can be found for preview on his site and after the jump: more…

“Who observes Victor Castillo’s subject matter, which is so wisely done maybe remember an incomplete symphonic poem, or could believe that his Art exceeds the imagination. His figurative and abstract language is an expression of private rituals that are celebrating his life stages by a variety of symbols – messages that recreate the tiny frame of his canvas. His iconography and the symbolism are related to two strongly categories of representation: the art and the time. He award a particular poetical sense to his pictures where many elements join together: plastic and conceptual, traditional, contemporary local and universal Art. All is important in Victor Castillo’s work.”

Extract of a critique written by Norma Aranivar F. Published for the magazine (IBEROAMERICANA) of LATIN AMERICAN Cultural Association. Miami 2000.

Spanish / Chilean artist Victor Castillo’s first solo show in the USA opens this evening at Seattle’s Roq La Rue Gallery. Castillo’s series, titled “When the Heavens Open,” are dramatic paintings of children in dark situations where toys are weapons and the fun is frightening if not brutally violent. Sharing the gallery with Castillo is Seattle artist Brian Despain who introduces more mechanical protagonists from his “100 Robots” series.

Castillo/Despain preview, Roq La Rue exhibition page

Un mundo feliz, Acrylic on canvas, 100 x 100 cm, 2006
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Ancient Cameo

These dreamy Ray Caesar-esque images belong to Lithuanian-based digital artist Natalie Shau. They are part of a new series of illustrations for French jewelry designer Lydia Courteille. On Courteille’s site, Shau’s intricate, edgy and quite daring illustrations combine with vintage style jewelry and corsets, each appealing to those with dark sensibilities and serve to introduce a sumptuous range: My Secret Garden, Vanities, Bestiary, Esoterism, Cameos & Glyptics, Cassandra’s and Cabinet of Curiosities.

To keep afloat of recent developments in Natalie Shau’s works, visit her online portfolio: carbonmade. For your viewing pleasure, a few more of Shau’s dark and decadent artwork for Lydia Courteille’s jewelry presentation follow the jump…

Secret Order

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