Native New Yorker and World-Renowned Surrealist Uses his Own Blood as a Medium — Artist VINCENT CASTIGLIA: Art Exhibition ‘Psychocosm’ Appearing at Westchester County Center, September 27th-29th
Opening: Friday, Sept 27th, from 8PM – 11PM
New York City native and world-renowned surrealist VINCENT CASTIGLIA recently announced his upcoming solo art exhibition entitled ‘Psychochosm’, taking place from September 27th-29th at The Westchester County Center (located at 198 Central Ave, White Plains, NY). The convention center will host an opening reception on September 27th from 8-11pm. ‘Psychocosm’ will include a striking collection of Vincent’s paintings and sculptural work, which are created exclusively in his own blood.
In the privacy of his studio, Vincent practices a kind of modern-day phlebotomy, siphoning the life force which contains his own psychic energy, while giving it an outlet and form. In doing so, he dissolves the barrier between artist and art in a most literal and immediate sense.
This exhibition encompasses many available works from the beginning of his career through present, and aims to examine the congruency of life and death.
Vincent recently took the time to explain his two favorite pieces in the exhibition, “Feeding” and “Stings of the Lash”, which are displayed below.
- “Feeding”(59″ x 41”, Blood on paper, 2006), depicts the archetypal mother of humanity, a fleeting organism which struggles to nurture itself in spite of the self-evident frailties that are innately threaded into its existence – namely sickness and death. Her transience burdens her more deeply to propagate. Yet hope runs through the composition; among the ruins of a physical shell, the background envelops the figures, like a promise, that like the child, they are being held together by something vaster. See below.
- “Stings of the Lash” (88″ x 59″”, Blood, 2005) marks significant events in my life, people, places and things – the ‘stings’ of my own ‘lashes’. This painting also deals with the unique nature of the human will. There is a “consciousness between impulses”, the space between actions. The figure stands between two neurons attempting to communicate; only the message is diffused in the space between them by this willful phenomenon. Behind him are three dimensions, which the figure penetrates, physically as well as allegorically, the terrestrial, the celestial, and beyond this the collective unconscious. See below.
Vincent’s figures, their musculature and skin, are painted with what could be thought of as “liquid flesh”. Its tendency to quicken the subjects is likely inapproachable by any other medium—as it is actual tissue with which it is being rendered. In this way the subject’s realism is not merely an optical illusion due to its level of detail, but rather is an actual transference of flesh and blood to each work.
For more information on the Westchester County Center, or regarding specific works in the show, please visit www.countycenter.biz or contact info@vincentcastiglia.com.
VINCENT CASTIGLIA is the first American artist to receive a solo exhibition invitation from Oscar Award-winning artist H.R. Giger in the history of the H. R. Giger Museum Gallery. Vincent’s art has been praised by fellow artists, musicians, and other notables throughout his career.
“With such precise technique, his depiction of human musculature is nothing short of outstanding.”
– Paul Booth / World-renowned Tattooist, Artist, Gallery Owner, Fanatical Nihilist
“If the body is the temple, then the heart is the altar and the blood is the sacred flame that enlightens the shrine. Vincent is painting with holy light.” – Martin Eric Ain / Musician, Celtic Frost
“The ominous truth that his art confronts, along with the exquisiteness in which it is portrayed, provides a timeless revelation into human existence.” – Joe Sopkowics, Forensic Photographer
VINCENT CASTIGLIA’s impressive work has seen many sides of the entertainment world, as well. MTV New Media’s Horror-Slasher Film, Savage County, featured his art as its official movie poster, depicting the three murderers in the film. Prior to the film, Vincent painted album art for heavy metal bandTriptykon‘s 2010 debut release, Eparistera Daimones. Triptykon is founded by former Hellhammer / Celtic Frost singer and guitarist Tom Gabriel Fischer. Vincent also painted the DVD cover for Fangoria Presents film, Corpsing.
His work has been featured on The National Geographic Channel (NatGeo), FOX News, CNBC, BBC, New York 1 News, Spike TV, The Discovery Channel, and The Science Channel. Castiglia was also recently a guest on the Jay Thomas Show on Sirius XM Radio. His work has been explored by countless art and culture publications, in the US and internationally, including the New York Post, New York Daily News, The Huffington Post, Art Business News, International Business Times, Bizarre Magazine, as well as Lexikon Der Phantastischen Künstler “The international encyclopedia of fantastic, surrealistic, symbolist, & visionary artists”. He was also recently awarded “Tattoo Artist of the Year” in ThisisHorror.uk’s “This Is Horror Awards 2012”.
His work hangs in many distinguished collections internationally, among them, the collection of Rock legend Gregg Allman. Vincent’s paintings have been exhibited at museums and galleries in the US, and internationally, including CoproGallery, (Santa Monica, California), Last Rites Gallery (New York) The Museum of Sex (New York), The Museum Of Porn In Art, (Switzerland), The HR Giger Museum Gallery, (Switzerland), , The Mall Gallery (London, England) Canvas Los Angeles (Los Angeles California), Fuse Gallery (New York), Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center (Ft. Myers, Florida), Art @ Large Gallery (New York) Gallery Lombardi (Austin Texas), L’imagerie Gallery (Hollywood, California), Museo De La Cuidad De Mexico, (Mexico), C-Pop Gallery (Detroit, Michigan), Shooting Gallery (San Francisco, CA), Seed Gallery (Newark, New Jersey), The 7th Annual Dirty Show (Detroit, Michigan), as well as The Congregation Gallery (Hollywood, California).
For more information on VINCENT CASTIGLIA, please visit www.vincentcastigliaart.com.
For press inquiries and additional information, please contact Adrenaline PR and Maria Ferrero at 732-462-4262 or maria@adrenalinepr.com.
