Monday, June 21, 2010

Exhibition by Rene Smith & David Burke in Bangkok

DREAMING MY DREAMS WITH YOU
Paintings by DAVID BURKE & RENE SMITH

KOI ART GALLERY
43/12 Soi Sukhumvit 31
Bangkok, Thailand


JULY 15th to AUGUST 16th, 2010

OPENING RECEPTION: Thursday July 15th


Rene Smith. Thailand's Least Visited National Park II. Oil on canvas 90 x 100cm.


David Burke. Acrylic and resin on canvas.


This exhibition showcases the paintings of two American artists, Rene Smith (New York) and David Burke (California). Both artists have recently held the one-year position of Visiting Lecturer in Painting at Chiang Mai University.

Dreaming My Dreams With You is an exhibition of new work by David Burke and Rene Smith made during their one year stay in Thailand. The paintings are a combination of ideas and techniques developed in the U.S. with images and concepts influenced by life in Thailand. Their work explores the way that traveling to and living in another culture mixes the visitor's actual experiences with dreams, fantasies, and hopes about new places. David Burke uses a unique and highly contemporary process of hi tech resins, gels, and acrylic paint to create his visually stunning semi-abstract paintings. Rene Smith uses a glazing technique based on traditional oil painting methods of the Renaissance to create paintings that are both highly realistic and dream-like. Although the two artists' work and techniques are very different, they have both been inspired by the experience of living as foreigners in Thailand. Both artists have been struck with the way that interior spaces flow into exterior spaces in Thailand, and the way that this causes the line between a private, interior space and a public, exterior space to blur.

This exhibition is the result of a true cultural exchange. David Burke and Rene Smith have been fortunate to spend a full year each in Thailand inside a predominantly Thai university. This experience has led to a very close relationship with Thai students and professors and a greater understanding between Thai and U.S. artists and art students. This exhibition is a reflection of their unique experience.

Contact: koi@koiartgallerybangkok.com

davidburke13@gmail.com
Gallery Phone: 662 662 3219
Gallery Mobile: 668 1 833 0690

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