Dusa Jesih - "Camouflage" Exhibition - Rethinking the Space or "Out of the Box”
Entering my creative world is like diving into a fluid reality where the boundaries between dreams and reality blur." The exhibition "Camouflage" at the Mihelić Gallery in Ptuj, as part of the Artstays Festival on the theme of Space, goes beyond a mere presentation of paintings; it is a holistic experience that focuses on the (trans)formation of the image into space and back, as if literally entering and exiting beyond the picture. This transition from two to three, to the fifth dimension of alternative reality or parallel worlds, invites the viewer to participate actively.
As an artist, I am interested in the fluidity of reality and the construction of meaning through different perspectives. In the age of digital manipulation and the constant flow of information, the boundaries between the real and the imaginary blur. I reflect this dichotomy in my work, transforming paintings and photographs into objects, spaces, or architectural forms, creating an "augmented reality". This is then returned to the two-dimensionality of paintings, graphics, or photographs as if crossing portals between different dimensions.
The influence of architecture in my work goes beyond aesthetics. The paintings are modules, the transformers that integrate into the gallery space and encourage dialogue between art and the environment. The compositions and shapes are dynamic, encouraging viewers to think about how we structure the spaces around us and co-create meaning in them. The works go beyond the boundaries of the canvas and expand the artistic space to the entire gallery space. The exhibition transforms into an immersion in a multidimensional experience, where physical and mental spaces intertwine.
My artistic vision is linked to neuroscientist Anil Seth's idea of the "brain hallucinating our conscious reality". Like Seth, I also believe in the fluid and dynamic construction of reality, which is dependent on context, perception, and interpretation. In line with the principles of Gestalt psychology, I emphasize the totality of the artistic experience and encourage the viewer to perceive the entire composition, including the influence of space and their interpretations.
"Camouflage" is not just an exhibition of paintings, but an invitation into a world of imagination, where art intertwines with space and creates a unique experience for each visitor. It is a journey into the fluidity of contemporary art, where the boundaries between the real and the illusory blur and awaken new insights and feelings in the viewer. The exhibition includes paintings, graphics, projections, and installations.
The concept of camouflage in the exhibition, through dimensions where different physical laws apply or realities that are beyond our direct perception, also symbolically touches on broader social themes. Through the subtle incorporation of infiltration and concealment motifs into my works, I encourage the viewer to think about contemporary society and its complex mechanisms. In the context of the modern world, camouflage can be understood as a metaphor for different strategies for influencing, manipulating, and constructing reality. In the age of digital technologies and the constant flow of information, it is becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish between the authentic and the false, between truth and manipulation.
Dusa Jesih, Rethinking the Space III. | Camouflage, video projection, 5min, 2024 Music by @markratner
Duša Jesih, (No) Dialogue, installation, Mihelič gallery Ptuj | ARTSTAYS
Dusa Jesih, Rethinking the Space | Camouflage, Series of Prints, Soloshow Mihelic Gallery Ptuj 2024 | 9.7.-9.9.2024
