LEVI J CASIAS: REVEALING THE DIVINE
October 23, 2008–January 22, 2009
Curated by Teri Sowell
In Parker Gallery
Oceanside artist Levi J. Casias presents a selection of his recent work, Revealing the Divine. For the last few years Levi has been investigating the concept of mysticism in a religious manner. The death of Pope John Paul II caused him to feel a divide between his religious childhood upbringing and his current secular life. He became intrigued by the idea of creating a body of work that delved into religious experience for content. Casias believes that mysticism cannot be rationalized by the intellect, but can only be understood by personal experience, bridging a link between art and spirituality. The other major investigation in his artwork is the numinous. It describes the sense of the divine as opposed to a literal description of it. His work pushes the boundaries of rationalism into the realm of irrationalism. The minimalist style allows him to best describe a variety of religious and spiritual experiences that are indescribable. His intuitive works of art are organic and corporeal eliciting a physical and emotional response.
Materials and processes play a crucial role in the development of Levi’s art work. He uses industrial materials and methods to create contemporary art work.