Denver, CO 80206
October 8 – November 11, 2016
Opening Reception: Friday, October 8, 6-9 p. m.
Imaginative realism, as the cutting edge of contemporary realist painting, combines classical painting technique with postmodern narrative subjects, focusing on the unreal, the unseen, and the impossible, offering visions of humanity’s mythic past, its unexplored future and, in some cases, its terrifying present.
Inner Visions brings together over 70 artists covering the gamut of contemporary imaginative realism, showcasing the remarkable diversity of work being created under its banner. The show includes upcoming young artists side by side with award-winning, world renowned painters with multiple monographs dedicated to their work. Their work hangs everywhere from galleries and museums to major private and corporate collections.
“Imaginative realism satisfies a dual urge in the viewer, “says co-curator Patrick Wilshire. “It meets the viewer’s desire for aesthetic quality and appreciation of technical skill, but also provides the opportunity to experience narrative, character and concept within that technically-skilled framework.”
Participating artists: Linda Adair, Julie Bell, Steven Belledin, Laurie Lee Brom, Scott Burdick, Armand Cabrera, Jeremy Caniglia, David Cheifetz, Sam Connelly, Jeff Easley, Bob Eggleton, Craig Elliott, Jody Fallon, Fred Fields, Scott Fischer, Marc Fishman, Donato Giancola, Erik Gist, David Gluck, Rebecca Guay, Wayne Haag, Mark Harrison, Michael C. Hayes, Richard Hescox, Luke Hillestad, Kelly Houghton, Bruce Jensen, Steven Kenny, Vanessa Lemen, Travis Lewis, Martin Llamedo, Travis Louie, Don Maitz, Brian Mashburn, Menton Matthews, John Monteleone, Matt Mrowka, Aaron Nagel, Vince Natale, Odd Nerdrum, Billy Norrby, Anthony Palumbo, Ryan Pancoast, Jim Pavelec, Shane Pierce, Marc Potts, Omar Rayyan, Larry Schwinger, Dave Seeley, Britt Snyder, Annie Stegg, Christophe Vacher, Boris Vallejo, Dorian Vallejo, Eric Velhagen, Jeffrey Watts, Michael Whelan, Jeremy Wilson, Martin Wittfooth, Chie Yoshii, and Mark Zug.
About the Curators
Patrick and Jeannie Wilshire are the Directors of IX Arts, which is dedicated to the promotion, recognition and elevation of the art of imaginative realism. IX Arts is the organization behind the IX symposium, the annual celebration of imaginative realism (founded in 2008) and the IX Exchange, the online nexus for collectors of original paintings, drawings and sculpture from this style of realist art. They are the authors and designers of Visions of Never: The Collection of Fantastic Art (2009), The Art of the Dragon: The Definitive Collection of Contemporary Dragon Paintings (2012) and the forthcoming History of Imaginative Realism. They were honored to be guest curators of AT THE EDGE: Art of the Fantastic, which premiered at the Allentown Art Museum in June of 2012. They also curated the infra:REAL - The Art of Imaginative Realism show for the Jonathan Levine Gallery in NYC, and are proud to be partnering with the Delaware Museum of Art for the first IX Preview Weekend, taking place at the museum in Wilmington, Delaware September 23 - 25, 2016.