Almost night, almost light

Featured Artist

Mathias Bar

 

Curated by

Mirela Stoeac-Vlăduți

 

In Almost night, almost light, Mathias Bar presents an incisive exploration of the human condition, manifesting a nuanced examination of animality and the latent monstrosities inherent to our nature. Employing a stylistic approach that transcends historical boundaries, the artist meticulously constructs sweeping compositions adorned with luminous brush strokes. Mathias Bar delves into a fragmented figurative universe, where the contours of identity elude definitive boundaries. Through the medium of painting, Bar intricately evokes a projection of a grotesque society and navigates the subtle complexities of the dualistic forces that shape the human experience.

 

The canvases breathe with a quiet intensity as Bar transfigures his characters, revealing hidden identities. His paintings serve as symbolic mirrors, reflecting the internalized beasts concealed within ourselves. With an elegant touch, he captures the essence of humanity's nature, where the interplay of contrasting forces such as good and bad, light and shadow, predator and prey, becomes a poignant reflection of the power dynamics inherent in societal structures.

 

Within this fragmented universe, the latex-clad figures transcend mere aesthetic representation, and reveal an unceasing endeavour of hiding behind a second skin. The deliberate act of encasement in latex becomes an allegory for the multifaceted personas individuals adopt, concealing their authentic selves behind a veneer of societal conformity.

 

His body of work often unveils scenes suspended in the fluidity of time: ethereal characters navigating dreamlike landscapes, mythical creatures, and intricate dynamics between human and animal figures, fostering a sense of connection and introspection rather than evoking fear or eeriness. His surreal and symbolic narratives trigger a myriad of searching thoughts absorbed into the multiple dimensions of humanity, with a particular focus on our emotional bonds, survival mechanisms, fears and self identity.

 

Moreover, Bar's thematic engagement with the recurrent motif of the snake introduces additional layers of symbolism. Beyond its traditional associations with malevolence and cunning, the snake becomes a metaphor for transformation. It signifies the shedding of old skins, mirroring the perpetual cycle of identity renewal and the emergence of new facets of selfhood.

 

Combining gestural elements with poetic nuances, Bar's distinctive practice seamlessly blends anachronistic impulses, resulting in artworks that possess an irreducible vitality. By infusing traditional figurative painting with a contemporary interplay of form and color, Bar revitalizes surreal sceneries.

 

Almost night, almost light is a profound inquiry into the complexities of human existence, inviting viewers to navigate a densely layered web of visual storytelling. Mathias Bar's exploration goes beyond the superficial, delving into the hidden recesses of the human psyche, where the concealed monsters within are metaphorically unveiled. While deeply rooted in symbolism and metaphor, Bar's work transcends cultural and temporal boundaries, prompting introspection on the multifaceted nature of identity, on the tension between the seen and the concealed, and on the perpetual battle between light and shadow that defines the human experience.