Works of Oliver Benoit Present Powerful Themes in Elements of Abstraction at Agora Gallery

Oct. 28, 2009 - PRLog -- Chelsea’s Agora Gallery announced they will unveil a three-part exhibition that is scheduled to run from October 27, 2009 through November 17, 2009, featuring work from painter Oliver Benoit in Elements of Abstraction.

Oliver deftly applies his paint in varying degrees of thickness and in a way that challenges our conventional distinction between abstraction and representation. The use of luminous colors and provocative shapes imbues beauty and meaning in these works, which often subtly evoke a sense of unease in the viewer. It is through this strong combination of artistry and intellectual intensity that the moods in Oliver's compelling paintings rise out of their sculptural, labyrinthine forms. These sensitive yet formidable works speak to us on many levels and offer themselves as mirrors to our own psychologies.

The emotional, intellectual and aesthetic power of Oliver Benoit's work is a testament to his commitment to both the discipline and the exuberance of his art, and to creating beautiful canvases that are controlled yet magnificently stunning.

Elements of Abstraction presents audiences with a rich kaleidoscope of color, form, and texture that in conjunction breathes life into abstract artworks. Whether employing shimmering brushstrokes or bold fields of color, nonrepresentational art, with its lack of familiar forms, allows the work speak to us on an especially elemental level. Through their deeply personal forms of expression, these artists offer a stunning glimpse into contemporary abstract painting. Altered States of Reality provides a glimpse of the world as captured through the lens of a camera, technology, and through the artists own inner vision. The gifted artist’s participating in Altered States of Reality offer us a perception of the world, as seen, through a complex, enigmatic fusion of emotions and technical mastery. The old boundaries have come tumbling down and the new reality has been altered and is forever changing. This exciting exhibition allows us to challenge our ideas, parables and perceptions that constitute our own reality. Portals of Perception bridges the wide expanse of artistic possibilities, gathering together impressionist, realist, and abstract paintings. What we find, surprisingly, is not the differences but the similarities as these talented artists vocalize the inspirations of places, people, and feelings. While the particular visual language may differ, the spirit behind the works has many overlapping areas, because to be human is to realize ourselves within our mental and physical environs.

Exhibition Dates: October 27, 2009 – November 17, 2009
Reception: Thursday, October 29, 2009, 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Gallery Location: 530 West 25th St, New York City
Gallery Hours: Tues – Sat, 11a.m. - 6 p.m.
Event URL: http://www.agora-gallery.com/artistpage/oliver_benoit.aspx

Featured Artists:
Elements of Abstraction—Oliver Benoit, Alejandrina Calderoni, Magda Dini, Roisin Fitzpatrick, Michael I. Kotler, Rom Lammar, Anti Liu, Alexey Marroquin
Altered States of Reality—Lil Dafonte, Rupert Davis, GISART, Sharon Hickey, Isaac Images, Joblueheart, Eleanor Owen Kerr, David LaBella, Clecio Lira, Uri Mahlev, Lymarie Rodriguez, Toktam Tayefeh, Maria Trezzi
Portals of Perception—Albert Barcilon, Paco Dalmau, Susan Marx, Alina Shapiro, Carmen Sotuela

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About Agora Gallery
Agora Gallery is a fine art gallery located in the heart of New York City’s Chelsea art galleries district that was established in 1984 and is famous for showcasing a spectacular array of talented artists from around the world and around the corner, while providing quality and original art to collectors. The gallery also publishes ARTisSpectrum Magazine, a bi-annual magazine that is distributed to museums, galleries, art institutions and art schools around the world. It provides artists, collectors, museums, galleries, art organizations and enthusiasts with access to the work of internationally talented emerging and mid-level artists as well as feature articles, reviews and interviews. Agora Gallery is also the sponsor of Art-Mine.com, one of the most comprehensive resources available worldwide to view and purchase fine art from emerging, mid-level and well-established artists.