The encounter between the Painter, Chantal Westby, and the Photographer, Lénaïc Mercier, was one of those fortunate meetings between two artists who immediately realize they share a common vision. This meeting, and the realization of their shared passion, occurred at the time of Chantal’s exhibition «Kaleidoscope» in Nantes, France in 2014. Although traditionally painting and artistic photography are considered parallel disciplines, they decided to combine their talents in a collaborative project entitled «FIAT#LUX».

Lénaïc’s unique photographic gaze imparts a dreamlike quality to the scene as Chantal creates highly emotional works utilizing Chinese inks and natural mineral pigments. Before the camera’s eye the painter’s hand poses the brush on the canvas and the ensuing mixture of inks and pigments is registered in a unique combination of two artistic disciplines.

Through their project, Lénaïc and Chantal seek to provide a completely immersive experience, just as they had experienced during its creation. It is this creative universe, its sights, scents and sounds that they wish to share with the public.

Thanks to modern technical devices, video mapping, lights and diffusion of different scents and timeless sounds and the music composed by Moby, they will be able to immerse the visitors into their creative world, making them react to the art and interact intimately with it, thus bringing the paintings and photographs to life.

In order to create a complete surprise for the public, all the paintings and the photographs will be unveiled only during the exhibition.

Exhibition Dates: Sept. 26  – Oct. 17, 2017

Reception: Thursday, Sept. 28, 2017, 6:00pm - 8:00pm

Gallery Hours: Tues-Sat 11:00am – 6:00pm

Gallery Location: 530 West 25th Street, New York, NY

Event URL: https://www.agora-gallery.com/artistpage/Westby_and_Mercier.aspx

About the Exhibition

FIAT#LUX — a Latin phrase meaning "let there be light" — is a collaborative project by photographer Lénaïc Mercier and painter Chantal Westby that doesn't confine itself to photographs and paintings alone, but realizes through this site-specific installation an entirely immersive experience, at once utopian and intimate.

About Agora Gallery

Agora Gallery is a contemporary fine art gallery located in the heart of Chelsea’s fine art district in New York. Established in 1984, Agora Gallery specializes in connecting art dealers and collectors with national and international artists. The art gallery’s expert consultants are available to assist corporate and private clients in procuring original artwork to meet their organization’s specific needs and budget requirements. With a strong online presence and popular online gallery, ARTmine, coupled with the spacious and elegant physical gallery space, the work of our talented artists, who work in diverse media and styles, can receive the attention it deserves. Over the years Agora Gallery has sponsored and catered to special events aimed at fostering social awareness and promoting the use of art to help those in need.