Michael Parkes is the brightest representative of magical realism in the art world. The most unusual in Parkes' work is his ability to combine metaphysical images and spiritual elements into reality. His works are shrouded in a mysterious atmosphere that can be deciphered, resorting to Eastern philosophy and ancient mythology.
Fantasies of a talented artist
In the fantastic world of Parkes, all earthly laws are canceled, and space and time are in their own motionless communication. It is very tempting to talk about the artist’s dream world, because he surpasses all our dreams and expectations with the freedom and audacity of his work.
Michael Parkes himself says that we were accustomed only to the perception of our own world, but this does not mean that we should not enter into other universes.
Michael Parkes: a biography of the master
The artist was born in 1944 in the city of Sixton (Missouri, USA). He studied painting and graphics at the University of Kansas, and after that he worked for 4 years as a teacher of fine art at Kent State University (Ohio), as well as at a university in Florida. But still, his main goal was to do art.
At the age of 26, he realized that he did not have sufficient technical skills. And at that moment Michael Parkes made a decision that completely changed his life. He realized that in order to become a true artist, he must see the world. In 1970, the master and his wife set off on a long journey through Europe and Asia in search of a new spirituality. In the future, the philosophy and esoteric teachings of the East and West will greatly affect the work of the artist. His images, borrowed from a number of wisdom and embodied in the forms of his own imagination, are understandable and accessible to the viewer.
In 1975, after the birth of a daughter, the couple returned to Europe and settled in Spain in a small village on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. There the master lives to this day. And if Parkes originally worked in the style of abstract expressionism, which was widespread among his teachers, then after a long journey he began to work in his own style, which fully allowed him to realize all the images that arise in his inner world.
Creativity of a talented artist
Michael Parkes, whose paintings can immerse the viewer in a meditative state of high awareness, became the creator of a new trend in painting, which is called magical realism. In his vibrant world, even the fictional monsters that are necessary to create harmony are beautiful and dreamy. All Parkes' works are permeated with calm and pacification.
Artist Michael Parkes devotes a lot of time to creating his masterpieces, focusing on the little things. And this is not so common in modern times, where representatives of the art world are constantly ready to create to meet their financial needs.
Stone lithography occupies a separate place in the work of the master, Michael began to get involved in it back in the 80s. Due to the fact that the process is very risky and there is a high probability of spoiling the work, modern masters practically do not trade with this type of creativity. But Parkes finds pleasure in this hard work, because the result is far superior to the effort spent.
Exhibitions and achievements of a talented artist
Michael Parkes has had a large number of solo exhibitions in Switzerland, Chicago, and Frankfurt. Also, his work was shown in prestigious galleries in Paris, Amsterdam, New York, Los Angeles and other cities in the United States.
In 2007, the realist Parkes became a distinguished guest and artist of the international exhibition Venus and Female Intuition, which took place in Holland and Denmark. In the same year, the work of a talented artist became the basis of the modern ballet Scorpius Dance Theater. The art of the master was revived in choreographic productions and characters. Michael has an impeccable reputation and undeniable talent. He became not only the founder of a unique style, he managed to occupy a special place in the history of world art
Artist's place in art history
Well-known art critic John Russell Taylor, who collaborates with the London Times and The New York Times, said that even if you compare Parkes' works with the brightest works of other artists, the difference is immediately evident. His technique is more picturesque, and the imagination has no limit to the story. If we talk about surrealistic painting of the twentieth century, the prominent representatives of which are Magritte and Dali, then it always has a sense of anxiety and stress. At first, this was also inherent in Parkes' creations. But it was always evident that in his work he strove for calm and silence, and in recent works he managed to achieve this.
Today, Michael Parkes is considered a leading master of fantastic lithography and painting, as well as the most famous representative of magical realism. With his wife, he founded Swan King International, where his creations are published and promoted. The master’s works are very successful and quickly fall into the hands of private collectors.