Magic Carpet Landscapes |
John Dingler’s Magical Landscapes Collection tells some remarkable stories
Artist John Dingler is a creative paragon, the ne plus ultra of artists. So how does John create his works that will turn heads at museums and galleries, where head-turning art is not a given? For John, that challenge was met by learning from the masters. “It seemed very natural to me to pay homage to the art of Frank Stella, Charles Arnoldi, Michelangelo, and Vermeer,” he explains. These four form the basis of his art. "John is an artist's artist" says Jonathan Solberg. He was “one of the first to adopt innovate methods with new materials but with a modern twist. A true colorist with a visionary flair, he is clearly a respected artist on the American continent and in Europe.”
The Collection: Mixed Media 11" x 18" x 7"
Studio View
Pseudo Scale Model Fine Art
John also was an early innovator in the making of scale models as fine art. Taking an imaginary journey into one of his scale models, he compels us to take part of his magical fantasy, caught between the urge to see it full scale and being chagrinned that it will remain a small albeit a powerful object of veneration forever.
His past activities were the crucible in which the Ten Magical Scale Models were forged, and by the middle of 2012, six months ago, he knew how he could translate an incipient thought-sketch into this series of ten. It was his superb combination of materials and processes conveniently available from commercial houses near his studio, that determined the form of one of his most elegant constructions ever to grace a gallery.
The first one in the series was a revelation, and inspired the second beautiful piece, also beautifully executed, which then led to the creation of the rest in this limited addition of ten astounding works of art.
Born in Gorizia, Italy in the region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, and receiving his Master's of Fine Art from the University of California, Irvine, he quickly transitioned to making independent work. “I love art history,” Dingler explains. “Those who make art can overlove their history," but when emotional content is involved, and he addresses it superbly, it’s an understanding he has that other artists rarely achieve.”
His past activities were the crucible in which the Ten Magical Scale Models were forged, and by the middle of 2012, six months ago, he knew how he could translate an incipient thought-sketch into this series of ten. It was his superb combination of materials and processes conveniently available from commercial houses near his studio, that determined the form of one of his most elegant constructions ever to grace a gallery.
The first one in the series was a revelation, and inspired the second beautiful piece, also beautifully executed, which then led to the creation of the rest in this limited addition of ten astounding works of art.
Born in Gorizia, Italy in the region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, and receiving his Master's of Fine Art from the University of California, Irvine, he quickly transitioned to making independent work. “I love art history,” Dingler explains. “Those who make art can overlove their history," but when emotional content is involved, and he addresses it superbly, it’s an understanding he has that other artists rarely achieve.”
Three-quarter view slideshow
Frontal view slideshow
Detail view slideshow
For example, take the first image above,
Navigator
titled Navigator, a self-portrait. It's the last piece. "I attempt to show a grand conclusion to this series of investigative art pieces."
"It reveals that I finally found my personal key to unlock access to the fundamental alteration of reality; By examining the near-totality of what lies above basic matter and by learning how this area behaves, I discovered that wheels that tip back and forth and rotate under great inertial resistance, not strings that vibrate nervously, are the basic property of matter."
"Significantly, I found a method to identify, locate, and use the Sine qua non of control mechanisms: The Wheel of Wheels which you see here."
"The Wheel of Wheels is made of concentric wheels. By using a formula that predicts fundamental behaviors, I discovered that turning the outer wheel would change the behavior of the inner wheels in unpredictable ways, turning at various speeds and declining to various angles."
"Further, the combined motions of the wheels would adjust the rotational speed and angular declination of all other wheels, from the smallest to the largest, from the nearby region to the furthest reaches of the cosmos in unpredictable ways."
"The unpredictability produced by turning one wheel upon all other wheels alarmed me."
"In the wrong hands, the effects could be catastrophic. Because of potential for misuse, therefore, I decided that my discovery must remain hidden for the time being in the form of codes of asthetics within this exquisite work of art, hence the self portrait in which I show myself turning the Wheel of Wheels."
"It reveals that I finally found my personal key to unlock access to the fundamental alteration of reality; By examining the near-totality of what lies above basic matter and by learning how this area behaves, I discovered that wheels that tip back and forth and rotate under great inertial resistance, not strings that vibrate nervously, are the basic property of matter."
"Significantly, I found a method to identify, locate, and use the Sine qua non of control mechanisms: The Wheel of Wheels which you see here."
"The Wheel of Wheels is made of concentric wheels. By using a formula that predicts fundamental behaviors, I discovered that turning the outer wheel would change the behavior of the inner wheels in unpredictable ways, turning at various speeds and declining to various angles."
"Further, the combined motions of the wheels would adjust the rotational speed and angular declination of all other wheels, from the smallest to the largest, from the nearby region to the furthest reaches of the cosmos in unpredictable ways."
"The unpredictability produced by turning one wheel upon all other wheels alarmed me."
"In the wrong hands, the effects could be catastrophic. Because of potential for misuse, therefore, I decided that my discovery must remain hidden for the time being in the form of codes of asthetics within this exquisite work of art, hence the self portrait in which I show myself turning the Wheel of Wheels."
In another example,
Body Surfer
titled Body Surfer, I am happily being pushed along by the largest wave, supported within individual currents, and gliding above the sea.
All is effortless; I can't feel my body yet I feel the ocean currents lapping me in caressing touches.
Concentric circles pulse, pushing me along the frozen time. I remember all, and the all accepts me, my feelings, desires, hopes.
In the middle of the churning ocean grid, there is a blue, deep water resting on its side. It's shown in an architect's elevation, a cutaway into which I may descend but never fall as long as this piece exists unbroken.
The sea has its own force while I have my own existence. We two are there.
All is effortless; I can't feel my body yet I feel the ocean currents lapping me in caressing touches.
Concentric circles pulse, pushing me along the frozen time. I remember all, and the all accepts me, my feelings, desires, hopes.
In the middle of the churning ocean grid, there is a blue, deep water resting on its side. It's shown in an architect's elevation, a cutaway into which I may descend but never fall as long as this piece exists unbroken.
The sea has its own force while I have my own existence. We two are there.
In the Ballerina,
Ballerina
a sole ballet dancer, she joyously performs on top of the mound, oblivious to the insular, limited environment, a slice of Earth, a cage in which she is compelled to present her art.
While her lower extremities have adapted to the terrain's rainbow colors, her torso is yet unformed waiting to be dipped into the colors forming the landscape. We wait. I mourn. The waves of color holding her up vibrate with luminescence and fragility.
Never in the history of FEMA concentration camps would such a happy performance, nor a performance of any kind, be presented by inmates be allowed if it displaced the work performed by the industrious poor, the ever-growing slaves. In this place, she takes charge.
While her lower extremities have adapted to the terrain's rainbow colors, her torso is yet unformed waiting to be dipped into the colors forming the landscape. We wait. I mourn. The waves of color holding her up vibrate with luminescence and fragility.
Never in the history of FEMA concentration camps would such a happy performance, nor a performance of any kind, be presented by inmates be allowed if it displaced the work performed by the industrious poor, the ever-growing slaves. In this place, she takes charge.
For artist John Dingler,
the limited-edition Magical Landscapes Collection is an exercise in pure storytelling. "It emerges out of a passion that I have as a thoroughly committed artist, from my European heritage, and an understanding of it,” he says. This collection has so many rich anecdotal histories, and he has tried to encapsulate the best of them here.