I Observe

Rehs Contemporary, along with PoetsArtists, is proud to announce I Observe, a group exhibition that explores the concepts of individuality and awareness. Collectively, more than two-dozen artists will have 30 works on display - each providing a unique lens into their observations.

The act of observation is so central to the artistic process that the title I Observe almost commonsensically addresses the details the artist takes in and then puts forth to their viewers. Those physical that are explicitly represented, and emotional which are more subtly expressed. It can be something as unassuming as the way light plays with a surface; bouncing and reflecting off skin, creating various tones in the simple curve of a cheek. Perhaps it is the body language that is more revealing; or the environment – the world around us. Further, within a work itself there may be observational characteristics present which can enhance the narrative; whether that may be the subject studying something in the work, or in some cases even appearing to look back at the viewer as if in observational exchange. Every observation, even the seemingly mundane, is crucial to the construction of any composition with regards to its ability to translate a concise and powerful message.

Aside from the artist’s observation of their subject, countless viewers then study the finished works, setting in motion a lifetime of observation; the concept is truly tied to the arts from beginning to end. 

This exhibition aims to build and engage in a conversation that uses others’ observations and our observation of others to push our own personal boundaries, while striving to find common ground with those who are different from ourselves. And with that, it starts by being more in-tune with and conscious of our surroundings; the things we observe.