of a kind with the morning light

Казкові ілюстрації Катерини Штанко

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Dawid Planeta’s “The Unknown” at Roq La Rue.

Opening on March 12th, 2020 at Roq La Rue Gallery in Seattle, Washington is artist Dawid Planeta’s solo exhibition, “The Unknown.”

Planeta’s digital works recently zipped like wildlife through the online world thanks to the striking symbolism and mystical nature of his dark, atmospheric landscapes and imagery. In response to experiencing a crippling depression, the artist decided to use the bleakness he was expiring as a source of introspection and exploration. By going deep into his subconscious a murky jungle world started to emerge, populated by giant spirit animals with glowing eyes that seem like beacons in the gloom. While the creatures are massively oversized and and loom imposingly, especially when paired with a the tiny, almost unnoticeable human figure that stands regarding them, they radiate a calm serenity. The wondrousness of these spirit animals is a comforting gift, and finding them and then having them bend a regarding gaze upon you feels like a connection back to the numinous world of spirituality and connection. In other hands a depiction of this sort could come across as overly sentimental and saccharine, but the nocturne earnestness of Planeta’s vision allows the contemplation of redefining our personal darknesses and using them as a source of power, rather than weakness. 

The exhibition will be on view until April 4th, 2020.

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Girl dives in the Vaitepiha River, Tahiti