New Exhibit: Imagined Israel: Mixed Media Paintings by Fran Gallun

January – April 15, 2013

In Imagined Israel, Fran Gallun mines the impressions gathered as she travelled and created art in Israel. Her work had previously incorporated Jewish texts and symbolism, but these trips awakened an intense connection to the land of Israel and profoundly changed her practice. She was deeply affected by the landscape, vegetation and quality of light as she travelled through the country. While there she began to create long, horizontal images fi lled with colors and shapes that seem to dance across the picture plane. These images convey an enthusiastic sense of wonder. Upon her return to the studio the work evolved into abstraction. Layered, detailed images emerged that encourage viewers to act as treasure hunters, sifting through each layer to discover visual surprises. Painted paper, monoprints and vintage photographs of Israel combine to create images that are both nostalgic and optimistic. These images invite repeated viewing and challenge us, each time we look, to dig deeper.