Based upon a much more minimalistic visual language, Reflections on PSYCHEDELIA at CAN Christina Androulidaki Gallery, Athens, explores issues of symbolism and spirituality such as faith, mythology, individual and collective perceptions of life.
Seen And Not Seen.Ink, acrylic, gouache, paper collage on Vinyl record, D 30cm
Courtesy of John Kleckner and CAN Gallery
Starting from the very origins of the term, psychedelia derives from the ancient Greek words “psyche” meaning soul and “delos” which means to manifest; the show attempts to depict the inner world of the mind/soul which deals with a state of intensified consciousness and extreme sensory perceptions.
Green Heaven. Acrylic n Canvas (45 x 35cm)
Courtesy of Yorgos Stamkopoulos and CAN Gallery
Through a retrospective investigation of the massive influence of the 1960s movement when psychedelia was associated with the use of hallucinogenic substances, the exhibition explores the role of “psychedelic art” within contemporary aesthetic discourse, featuring the work of six emerging artists from Asia, Europe and America – Eleni Kotsoni, John Klecker, Pius Fox, Yudi Noor and Yorgos Stamkopoulos use the creative and utopian potential of psychedelia to give forms to higher consciousness using their imagination and multiple media such as painting, ink, acrylic and enamel collage, installation, totem sculpture and performance, forming an abstract pictorial idiom full of colour, emotion and rhythm.
Nostalgia. mixed media collage (42 x 32 x 5 cm)
Courtesy of Yudi Noor and CAN Gallery
The show commenced with a live performance by Dean Spunt, an artist and musician, co-founder of the art punk band NO AGE. The artist created an innovative sound piece evolving sound generated into an immediate physical object with cassette players drowned in paint trapped inside vessels of glass. Spun told Glass, “Making many records made me produce something more physically mediated. It’s quite emotional and funny working on this live-interactive music scenario. It is a sensory and perceptual event.” His work reflects upon the psychedelic concept of metamorphosis interpreting ideas of transformation and change.
Raumgeflecht. Oil on canvas (32 x 24 cm)
Courtesy of Pius Fox and CAN Gallery
Ultimately, the show is a composition of material and colour, realistic and unrealistic, spirit and history, dream and life where one can find the link to understanding the notion of psychedelic sensibility as a spiritual search today.
by Xenia Founta
The exhibition is until June, 14 at CAN, Christina Androulidaki Gallery, 42 Anagnostopoulou str, Kolonaki, 10673 Athens GR