This September 30th 2015, Opera Gallery, part of the internationally renowned Opera Gallery network, is excited to exclusively host French graffiti-turned-gallery artist, Gully, as he prepares to showcase his first major solo exhibition in Dubai.
After a decade of painting anonymously in the streets of Paris, today, Gully adorns canvases and gallery walls within an infrastructure of observation, enclosing both viewer and artwork into the same sphere. By removing himself from the equation, Gully’s work becomes a reflection on the act of surveillance as an experience, presenting the potential to shape the mindset of an entire generation.
The concept derives from the Appropriation movement, a genre originating from the 1970s and 80s that places familiar images in new contexts as a way to reconsider their impact in contemporary society. The selection of images in this exhibition is deeply rooted in the themes of postwar American pop art and illustration. Exemplified by artists such as Norman Rockwell, Roy Lichtenstein and Stevan Dohanos, this idealization and nostalgia cemented ideas of “Americana” that defined the mentality of 20th century American life and culture.
Concealing a cunning critique on society’s tendency to believe constructed truths manipulated by mass proliferation of imagery, Gully’s appropriated artworks challenge the fetishism of the iconic and the comfort of the familiar. By coupling familiarity with criticality, Gully’s work looks at the role of originality and draws attention to the function of the viewer both within and outside of the painting.
Gully will begin showing at Opera Gallery, Dubai on the 30th September to the 15th October 2015. The gallery is located at Dubai International Financial Center (DIFC); Gate Village, Building #3, +971 4 323 0909.
About Opera Gallery
Founded in 1994 by Gilles Dyan, a member of the European Chamber of Expert-Advisers in Fine Art (C.E.C.O.A.), Opera Gallery Group – now with 11 exhibition spaces worldwide – is a rare international gallery network that strives to present art of exceptionally high quality to a growing number of discerning and knowledgeable collectors. Its unique structure as an international art gallery network with locations on several continents allows it to develop its artists on a global scale. Adapted to the dynamics of today’s world, Opera Gallery Group offers an eclectic mix of styles and artworks that exemplify not only the varied tastes and styles prevalent in the artistic sphere, but also the gallery’s foremost dedication to the accessibility of art and the universal communication it inspires.
For more information, visit their website.
OPERA GALLERY DUBAI:
Dubai International Financial Center (DIFC); Gate Village, Building #3
Hours of Operation:
Sunday – Wednesday – 10am – 10pm;
Thursday 10am to midnight;
Friday 2pm to 9pm
and Saturday 11am – 9pm.
Contact: +971 4 323 0909
Facebook: @operagalleryofficial
Twitter: @operagallery
Instagram: @operagallery
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