Mimesis: an imitative representation of the real world in art.

Randy Solon | Solo Exhibition

“Mimesis: an imitative representation of the real world in art”.

In Plato’s theory of mimesis, all art is mimetic by nature; art is an imitation of life. Plato believed that an "idea" was the ultimate reality. Art imitates ideas, and so it is an imitation of reality. For his upcoming solo exhibition, Mimesis, Randy Solon drew inspiration from Renaissance art. Randy used Mimesis to impersonate Renaissance art and resurrect it with unconventional expressions and inventive techniques.

Randy is renowned for his monochromatic compositions in his characteristic, mesmerizing blues. He counts among his influences the Dutch master Rembrandt van Rijn, particularly his affinity with light and shadows, which is shown rather poignantly in Randy’s religious works. Despite the lack of color, Randy has always been able to capture the vividness and vibrancy of the subject matter—truly, a testimony to the artist’s aesthetic sensibilities. And witnessing Randy’s coloured paintings, many would attest to his sensibilities to tonality too.

The journey from monochrome to colour is a spiritual one. While monochromatic composition plays with the devoid of light, Randy likens painting in colour to chasing the light (as it takes light to show the state and being of any subject). While in bereavement, there is no light and only darkness. To step out of the dark, Randy made a courageous and fearless shift to painting in color. What makes the journey more significant is that, by painting iconic mythical, spiritual, and religious images, Randy seeks to reclaim his faith in God and hope in life.
Harkening back to an era when painters paid particular attention to the luxurious feel of precious beauty around them, we are amazed by the virtuosity of Randy’s detailed brushwork in his mannered impersonation of classical paintings. In Mimesis, Randy concerns himself with the fine textures of hair, fabric, wings, and skin... But he did imbue his playfulness and fondness for contrasting mechanisms provided by layered dual-canvases, diptychs, dot-contouring, and even time-thumb stamped his works with cracks. Shaped canvases are generally considered paintings, and arguably, changing the surface configuration of the painting would transform the painting into a sculpture. So, is Randy embarking on the journey of being a sculptor next?

Randy hopes that by using Mimesis, he will be able to unlock your senses as you explore the duality dimensions, escape to the world of Renaissance through the peek-a-boo dots, and gain insight into the mind of an artist.
As expressed by Randy, "As a painting artist, I often strive to make an accurate representation of the world we live in, be it platonic, conceptual, or compassionate." But the more I try to mimic and snapshot the world or reality, the farther I am removed from the "real" world. My career journey as an artist has its flights of fantasy, evenings of gloom, and moments of exhilaration. Visual art gives voice to my aspirations and emotions, and my words are constrained by the swiftness of my hands, brushes, colours, and shapes of the canvases. I am grateful that I pushed myself to wander outside my comfort zone and embraced the light (colour). If my art brings you joy today, I guess I have spoken."

Join the opening night on Saturday, April 23.