Charlotte's
Elder Art Gallery
to present
“Orientations”
by Leonel Matheu
On Wednesday, September 3rd, Elder Art Gallery
will host an artist reception to introduce Cuban-born artist,
Leonel Matheu. The artist and his wife, Paloma, will be present
for the event which will open at 6:00 p.m. at the gallery.
 Matheu
is an internationally-known artist whose symbolic work conveys
clear anxiety. Playfulness occurs in the placement of objects
that float about the surface of his paintings, as well as
the ambiguous nature of the objects themselves.
The accessibility and honesty of Matheu’s work is rooted
in profound decisions that motivated him to leave his birthplace
to become an American citizen. A recent HBO movie “For
Love or Country” starring Andy Garcia, depicts the life
of Matheu’s mother and his father, internationally known
Grammy winning jazz musician Arturo Sandoval, as they defected
from their native homeland of Cuba to come to America. Matheu’s
work contains a cautious sense of joy and liberation and is
accompanied by a profound humility and respect for the physical
world.
 Elder
Art will present fourteen paintings by Matheu in its exhibition
entitled “Orientations.” Of his work which will
be included in his one-man show Matheu states:
“Orientation is the philosophic concept that allowed
custom to start to pass through earth. It is also considered
the awareness of one's environment as to time, space, objects,
and persons. Since its beginning, orientation has been symbolized
by an icon known as compass card. It has remained
constant over the years until the present time. This symbol
is used in cartography to indicate different directions.
I incorporate the compass card, as one of several elements,
to a narrative environment within my paintings”.
In his exhibition, Orientations, Matheu puts forward an iconography
based on popular imagi nary
and modern graphics that allow the viewer to reflect
on a series of present day events. Matheu’s
images familiarize the spectator with a graphic context to
serve as analysis and lecture in a determined atmosphere where
the out looker is the protagonist of his/her own interpretation.
On September 6 in Miami the International Ballet Festival
will open with a gala event at the Jackie Gleason Theater
of Miami Beach. The opening performance will be danced around
one of Matheu’s paintings.
“Orientations” will run through September
30th at Elder Art Gallery in Charlotte. Contact the gallery
for more information.
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