Alfa Art Gallery Presents Vesselin Kourtev's "Temples"

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ, September 01, 2012 (Press-News.org) Alfa Art Gallery is proud to present Temples, a solo exhibition featuring the works of Vesselin Kourtev. The exhibition brings together over 40 drawings introducing Kourtev's questions/thoughts: What are "Temples"?... What is the meaning of "Temples"?... The "Temples" and us....

Many years in the making, this collection of work has deep roots in the artist's personal history. Hailing from Bulgaria, a country with ancient traditions and a spiritual past, Vesselin takes the viewer on a deeply reflective and meditative pilgrimage with this series. 



Much like the transcendental atmosphere of temples, these works provoke feelings of mysticism and mysteriousness. The cutout collages offer windows into distinct realities. Scenes are cut off, bodies are fragmented, and paint seems to take on a life of its own, spreading in terms of gravity and not the artist's hand. We become the seer, as if we are having a vision, seeing into the confusing and disorienting landscape of another person's thoughts.

Though the composition may seem randomly scattered, the placement of the windows is quite deliberate. Sometimes these fragmented boxes stretch across the piece, creating a desolate landscape where pilgrims have settled and nomads still wander. Other times these windows are clustered and offer glimpses into an emotional yearning, picturing ringing bells, open palms, crescent moons, and cosmic skies. But the effect through these pieces is always deeply spiritual. As we piece together these segmented realities a mystical and ritualistic mood takes hold conjuring our deep desire for meaning.