The Catacombs at Epiphany Center for the Arts
Abraham’s latest series is inundated with Mickey-like characters and references. Why Mickey? It is a recognizable character that has frequently made appearances in Abraham’s work since the early 2000’s. The artist’s love of Pop Art and cartoons from the 1950’s and 1960’s plays a large role in the types of characters he creates. In his college years, Pop Art woke him up. The style was different from normal landscapes and portraits. It was revolutionary in its sudden impact and it broke Fine Art and commercial art boundaries, something that really resonated with the artist. The body of work in Being Mickey hearkens back to that memory, but with a more refined approach as his own creative process has matured. Abraham sees Mickey as a self-portrait, the evolution of himself. The artist’s art making process is through automatism, as defined by the Surrealist movement. It is rooted in pop culture and incorporates the characters that enter his mind within an environment that is sometimes surreal, sometimes uncomfortable. The faceless figures constantly reappear in Abraham’s work but always include elements that give them some individuality. When he paints, he completely lets go of his conscious self and allows his subconscious to take over. The paintings are all of his thoughts, dreams and nightmares put on display. Many of the Mickeys represent Jungian Archetypes and are transformed within various surreal environments. Being Mickey transports us into the artist’s mind, providing a glimpse into that subconscious process.
Being Mickey is a collaboration between Elephant Room Gallery and Epiphany Center for the Arts. To RSVP for free the opening reception on December 9th, 6 to 9 p.m. in the Catacombs, follow the link below:
