《Mike Stilkey @ Full of Smiles & Soft Attentions》

Times Square presents Mike Stilkey's a solo exhibition

“Full of Smiles and Soft Attentions” featuring the most promising American artist Mike Stilkey’s latest book sculptures and paintings, as well as his latest 7-metre tall book installations, which the entire body of the works is painted on stacked books, blending with the book’s original colour and texture to create the most extraordinary treat for the eyes.

Stilkey is a storyteller, but not in the traditional written sense. As an artist, he creates lively, whimsical and entertaining stories whose audience can all relate to. When he first came upon his work it was something so completely different that he was at once enthralled. His style of painting was reminiscent of German expressionists with a twist of American illustration. Horses riding bicycles, well dressed men and women and their series of unique pets, animals playing instruments – somehow those viewing the work were able to see something of themselves in the paintings and find a personal relationship within.

  

  

  

Stilkey’s art is not typical of what you would imagine as narrative paintings. They are more surreal than real and more minimal than busy yet weave stories that allow just enough to allow a viewer’s personal interpretation. The most exciting aspect of Stilkey’s work is that it manages to appeal to nearly every audience, a quality rare in contemporary art. Generally speaking contemporary art will be appreciated by old but not young, those with mature taste but not those new to art, and on and on. It is a rare thing that nearly everyone can find appreciation for Mike Stilkey’s paintings and installations. Whether they first take note of the actual painting and then find an increased love of the book canvases or the books catch their eye only to find themselves lost in the depictions painted – it seems all walks of life can enjoy this artists work.” Exhibition ends 5th August 2012.