Patricia Karen Gagic

THE ABSTRACT ART OF PATRICIA KAREN GAGIC
Prepared for the Art Gallery of Hamilton, The Atelier Series Exhibition. Title of Exhibition: 'Visualizing the Chakras: Manifestation of Will and Human Spirituality'.

Abstract, or non-objective, art is a relatively young, visual movement, originating at the beginning of the 20th century. An inclination towards abstract, or nonfigurative art starts in our early childhood. It is a messy beginning, but reaches the heights of sophistication with our age (or vice versa, as in the case of painter Pablo Picasso, who switched to abstract in his later years). But it should not be understood that an abstract artist is a grown-up child, and his product childish. To the contrary, as the child's drawing or painting is the mirror of its tiny soul, so is the abstract painting a reflection of the adult artist's message.

Patricia Karen Gagic is an international emerging artist. In 2002 she participated at the Europ'Art Geneva and at the "4th Art International" in Zurich. Future events are planned in 2003, such as Art Fairs in Brussels, Stockholm and exhibitions in Berlin, Galerie im Neuen Kranzler Eck at Kurfürstendamm and in Bern.

In her own words, Patricia's artistic instinct comes from the 'Godly sparks' that quicken her heart and encourage her soul to look deeper into the wisdom and beauty of Creation. She succumbs to these moments of divine inspiration, and accepts and embraces them unconditionally, allowing the ideas to flow freely through her. Her artistic feelings are clearly reflected in her richly coloured and wisely constructed images of surrealism. Abstract art is generally considered to be an archaic process. One may think that everything is allowed, for there are no specific rules. That is not the case. The paintings of this fine artist are highly abstract, yet recognizable. They are meticulously organized and well conceived. Among the wide variety of abstract approaches, Patricia employs the perspective images of 'misty' landscape, with no visible reference to any perceived reality. In some cases, her canvas may simply be divided by the single imaginary line of a distant horizon. But under the layers of mostly blue, grey or purple oils, lies the secret, awaiting the observer to figure out its purpose and recognize his/her own personality in the artwork.

As many abstract artists, Patricia too, sacrifices the natural beauty of the conceived object, in order to underline its essential forms to the observer, but in the way she sees them. Such 'imitated' images might appear ghostly or non-living, depending on the viewer. An optimist might interpret it as a 'dawn', a pessimist will definitely see a 'dusk', and a romantically inclined soul will interpret it as 'snow in the moonlight'. And then there are those who will produce the superior smile of a person who knows 'exactly' what the image means! Patricia knows that not all people are capable of seeing the 'unseen' and skillfully applies her artistic gift of graphic visualization. The images force you to stand in front of them, filled with unknown passion. To any art lover, who looks for the symbolism in patterns, designs, or colours, the abstract art of Patricia Gagic is more than that. The art compels you not only to interpret their hidden messages, but often to understand the reason for their, and your, very existence. What is beautiful or clear to one, may look confusing to another. But one thing is for certain, the abstract works of Patricia Gagic are visually striking, rich in colour, intriguing in design, and simply irresistible.

Text: Bozidar D. Benedikt (Ph.D.) - Dr. Benedikt holds a Ph.D. in Literature and a Masters Degree in Film and Television Design. He is a Canadian writer and award winning film maker, with 38 published books to his credit in various languages, and the Director of three feature films. For one of his books, he was nominated for the 2001 Nobel Prize in Literature