As one may infer from the alternative exhibition title, “Sleight of Hand”; things are not always as they appear at first glance. Figures levitate; tumblers perform unlikely feats of balance. Perhaps… The audience’s perceptions and preconceptions are exploited by a visual subterfuge to blur the line between the genuine and the fraudulent, reality and illusion. An ensemble cast of circus performers provides the perfect opportunity to address issues of disability and outsiderism; gender politics and political spin. Paintings compare and contrast the extraordinary feats of [extra]ordinary people with the elaborate deceptions of sophisticated groupings and elites; individual creativity set against state mechanisms designed to encourage conformity.

Oil on canvas, contemporary Black Frame