This weekend, the carnival is coming to town, but it’s going to be a bit different than Ferris wheels and cotton candy.
This Thursday, Aug. 26, Da Vinci Art Alliance will be presenting ‘Mind Carnival’, a solo exhibition of works by David Deakin. According to the release, made up of large installations, interactive sculptures, simple images, and complex narratives, ‘Mind Carnival’ reflects on the states of mind directing our world view. ‘Mind Carnival’ combines conceptual art foundations with narrative text and appropriated cultural iconography in an aesthetic pursuit of investigation.
Deakin is an artisan and visual philosopher who is known to use cultural symbols and historical analysis to convey the effects of prevailing socio-political powers on the human mind. He studied Western history at Muhlenberg College and then attended The Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art where his training was focused upon mastery of the various classic mediums of visual imagery. In Philadelphia, Deakin became established and involved through a collaborative of artists called Old City Arts. Through the OCA, the collective of creatives staged festivals and performances at various neighborhood venues.
As the release states, his experience with Locks Gallery, Old City Arts, and a major Duchamp exhibit reframed his choice of visual medium, view of art world, and the very notion of art to move away from abstract painting into applied arts and design and assemblages, starting with work in a display house, a residential architectural firm, and lastly into estate garden design. Using art as a tool for investigation, Deakin has been making assemblage sculptures and mixed media works for decades, focusing on important themes as they emerge. As he explains, “What I make, what I write, and what I say are all composites of the deposits my moment in time has brought.”
‘Mind Carnival’ opens at Da Vinci Art Alliance in Galleries 1 and 2. The show will be on view at DVAA gallery hours through its installment, Thursday to Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.
“This is beautifully crafted and provocative. The content is thoughtful, artfully organized and invites critical thinking and reflection. Voice and passion are evident in this piece. The flow of ideas works very well and guides the reader (even the non artist) to a way of considering art that may be brand new,” says Laurie Nicholson, DEd., Professor Emerita IUP in a statement.
Mind Carnival uses Deakin’s work to “infiltrate the social realm.” The artist in the official description is said to communicate lines of thought through image experimentation and experiential manipulation. Extending beyond the neoliberal capitalist economic model, ‘Mind Carnival’ “envisions a marriage of the arts and sciences to provide an expansion of our collective vision of the world.”
With the Da Vinci Art Alliance (a supportive community of artists and creatives focused on capturing the spirit of Leonardo da Vinci) acting as a space to provide artists with a community that fosters artistic expression and growth through exhibitions and programs, ‘Mind Carnival’ is a perfect example of just that.
“Da Vinci Art Alliance is extremely honored to present this body of work and await its promise to refresh our vision of seeing the world,” said Former Executive Director Jarrod Markman in a statement. “As a result of two years of planning, this 5-week long exhibition emerges alongside an ambitious new trajectory for DVAA. Colliding narrative, history, machines, technology and new media, ‘Mind Carnival’ embodies the transdisciplinary practices of our namesake, Leonardo da Vinci. The installation illuminates David Deakin’s determination and exemplifies curatorial diligence, creating extraordinary versions of the ordinary and giving tangible form to feelings and the unknown.”
For more information on the Da Vinci Art Alliance and their latest exhibit, ‘Mind Carnival,’ visit davinciartalliance.org
