Images courtesy the artist
Conceptual collage and appropriation artist Jonathan Rosen's first solo show at Collete is on a topic everyone can relate to: dreams. Focusing on the symbolic meaning of dreams as desires and goals, Rosen’s I Want To Dream debuts 12 canvases and one poignant late addition created in response to the recent Paris attacks: I Want Peace.Each artwork includes the phrase "I Want…" carved into the surface of the canvas, and then surrounded by material histories collected by Rosen. For example, I Want To Be A Winner reveals layers upon layers of scratched off lottery tickets, while I Want To Fly is covered in pristine white feathers. I Want To Dream is a chalkboard that invites viewers to add their own dreams and resonates with a quote by Yoko Ono that inspired Rosen to create this project to begin with: “A dream you dream alone is only a dream, a dream you dream together is reality.”Rosen’s pieces are layered with symbolism and hidden meanings, quite a lot like dreams themselves. The negative space of the carved words evoke the idea that dreams are unfulfilled until they become reality, and the chalkboard bulletin is inherently fleeting. Rosen creates work that is at once personal and universally accessible: “by revealing my dreams through these new pieces of art,” he says, “I hope to inspire and encourage others to do the same.”Jonathan Rosen's I Want to Dream will be on display at Collette through January 2, 2016. See selections from the exhibition here and on his website.Related:Walk Through an Artist's Dream in the Short Film 'Kensho'Collage Artist Combines Catholicism and Pop CultureArtist Wreaks Havoc and Destruction Using Torn Paper
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