Magical Realism
You may not believe what you see…
The artists in the fall group exhibition at Abington Art Center use allegory, fantasy, and myth to convey a sense of “otherworldliness.” Nature is often predominant and people, places and things take on heightened presence beyond the literal realm.
With roots in 1920s Europe, magical realism initally described painters trying to show reality in new ways. Unlike surrealism which focused on the subconscious world, in the work of these artists, magic is inherent in everyday reality—events that seem impossible are commonplace, and common things are not as they first appear. Perhaps best known as a literary genre, works of magical realism employ skillful time shifts, convoluted narratives and plots as well as elements of myth and dream represented in conventionally realistic terms. The results are artworks rich in imagery and meaning that challenge our definition of reality.
Magical Realism features 6 contemporary artists with visually powerful artworks.
Marilyn Holsing’s recent paintings are intimate works on paper where the imagery is narrative, figurative, and usually placed in landscape settings. The work alludes to fairy tales but the stories are totally Holsing’s invention and cannot be easily deciphered. The influences on her recent work come from old etchings, illustrations, toile fabric, and wallpaper. Holsing received her Masters Degree at the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, and has been living in Philadelphia since 1973 when she became a Professor at Tyler School of Art, Temple University. 
Susana Viola Jacobson’s paintings involve fantastic narrative or personal myths shown as events using representations of humans or animals. Her narrative paintings make reference to the early Italian Renaissance as well as to other periods of art history. Originally from Utah, Jacobson received her MFA at Stanford University. She has been living in Philadelphia since 1993. She is a Professor of Painting at The University of Pennsylvania.
In his paintings, Steven Kenny combines detailed realism, surrealism, and symbolism to convey the universal language of nature. Kenny’s paintings inspired the title and inception of this exhibition. Kenny received his BFA from Rhode Island School of Design, he currently lives in Washington, VA.
Deirdre Murphy’s paintings deal with that moment in time when something ordinary becomes extraordinary. The imagery can transport the viewer to new sensory places. For a moment, our beliefs are suspended, and we are allowed to slip into a realm where anything is possible. Murphy is aPhiladelphia-based painter. She received her MFA from The University of Pennsylvania, Graduate School of Fine Arts.
“Walter Benjamin Smith believes in the redemptive power of the mystical experience. …In one after another painted snapshot of a hallucinatory state, the works praise the mystical experience as the way to a better world. It’s the psychedelic Peaceable Kingdom.” Roberta Fallon artblog (11/8/06) 
Aaron Delamatre contributes the only work in the exhibition that is not painting, but rather an artist-made fantasy card game. OMNIANA is a series of philosophical debates in which players argue battles between strange and absurd characters. Delamatre received his BFA from the Art Academy of Cincinnati and exhibited his work recently at Vox Populi in Philadelphia. He lives and works in Bellevue, KY and is Creative Director of Part Drama. Part Drama is a podcast founded in 2007 that conceives and produces original serialized audio dramas in collaboration with other artists and writers. 