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ANNOUNCEMENT POSTCARD
RECEPTION
WITH THE ARTIST The term "Magical Realism" was originally used by art critic Franz Roh to define the new neo-realistic attitude in attempt to seize the mystery that breathes behind or within our everyday world. In literature, it is foremost associated with Latin American writers, like Marquez and Cortazar. Not without a good reason, Canadian journalist Ralph Benmergui once applied the term "Magical Realism" to describe the paintings by Dragan Seckaric Shex... Some critics believe that "... Sekaric’s most original contribution to fine art is his modern use of the sfumato style. Equally important is the emotional power in his work, which stands out in today’s art dominated by design... Sfumato in his paintings is the dominant style and an important part of the message. This style endows his paintings with a mystical, enigmatic character, and it portrays human figures as part of a larger world that denies them the defined worlds they once enjoyed and that gave them identity and importance" (Prof. Keith Ellis). Yet, beside the exclusive technical aspect, one could detect an intriguing philosophical aspect pointing to the universal existential conflict, which the artist happened to endure on a deep level in his own life experience and transformation. He confessed:
Thus, originally trained with University degree from the School of Architecture in Sarajevo, Dragan slowly drifted from Architecture to Painting. He got away to Rome for advanced studies in fine art. After his Italian period of learning and art experimentation, he moved to Montreal. Currently Dragan works from his studio in Toronto. Dragan Sekaric Shex has exhibited across the Mediterranean countries of Europe, in Cuba, US, and fine galleries of Montreal and Toronto; his canvases are presented in private collections around the world. He has received numerous professional awards and won the First Prize in the 'oil painting category' in several prestigious art contests. * * * Most of Muskoka residents had perhaps the only chance to see Shex's paintings as reproductions at Gamay Noir and Pinot Gris bottles on VQA shelves in LCBO (He was the winner of the Hillebrand Wine Label Competition in 2005). When two of his original oils first appeared here recently at the international group show Déjà Vu, Muskoka fine art admirers and collectors were sincerely impressed. They craved to see and acquire more of this distinctive artist... For this exhibition "Broken Promise," Chancery Art Gallery has selected the paintings that seem to reflect the everlasting conflict between anticipation and reality. Click on the image to enlarge
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