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Philippe Bertho - Tango in a Box
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Perhaps once in a Generation, a voice comes along that is so fresh it defies definition, challenging the way we find expression. And we consider rationalizing it into conventional terminology, to better understand its vision. The work, and world of Philippe Bertho defies classification. It is a world of fantasy and illusion, where flat surfaces spring to textured life. Where the eye is fooled and the imagination provoked.
It has been said that in his paintings, Philippe Bertho creates a world where the whimsical meets the witty, a juncture between the fanciful and the eccentric. He does so through the many characters he portrays – climbing, searching, running, thinking, hanging, and in this case, dancing in a "hyper-realist" world.
In Tango in a Box, Bertho has yet again managed to "dance around" the way we typically see and identify with artwork. His work begs for a closer look, and always seems to surprise us with his vision of the modern world. He leaves the viewer questioning the movements and expressions of the individuals portrayed. As they tango inside of a cardboard box, which rests upon a platform, supported by what seems to be a cross between a rubber hose and a zebra’s tail, they are truly delighted. Never mind that at any moment, they both might tumble into an abyss if their box deteriorates and their platform teeters. But the characters in Bertho’s work don’t ever seem to take notice of their precarious situations. They do what they do – dance – as if the environment around them was as solid as a marble dance floor. They don’t seem to mind that the laws of gravity don’t appear to function in their world. But Bertho always gives us something to relate to in his characters. We may never dance in a cardboard box, on a platform surrounded by circles, in space, but we all can relate to the joy of this moment.
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