Delusion at the Rox Gallery

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One of the first pieces of art that anyone would see walking into the Rox Gallery was during the Delusions exhibition was one by the artist Lauren Xandra. Being displayed adjacent to the stairs near the front on the gallery the image immediately caught my eye for its vibrant contrasting colors and unique design. It was different from many other works of art that I have seen and while being extremely neat and clean, it also seemed to be in disarray. So many distinct designs and patterns were all being displayed within the constraint of a single frame. A combination of sleek lines, geometric shapes, and wavy patterns to name a few, were all composing this truly delusional work of art. It was difficult to understand what I was looking at originally, however I could see the effort that went into creating it. White, black, and gold were the three colors that were used to make this work however the arrangement and careful positioning, having the light touch each color made it seem as if there was so much more happening.

This I would soon realize was the beauty of the work in itself. While making it both sleek and precise and still achieving the delusion of making it seem in a state of disorder, a possibility arose within my mind. Was this image in itself a representation of the order that we have held in society, yet continue to perceive as being overwhelming? For example one could describe the exact activities a person would most likely go through on an average day as simply waking up, attending school or work, eating, and returning home and completing any errands or work; basically following a schedule. These although when described like this make the average day seem unassuming and rather orderly would justly be proven wrong when they themselves would experience them. When put together these straightforward tasks become a mixture of confusion and distress. Although being familiar with all the tasks individually much in the same way we are familiar with the distinct colors and patterns, together they are responsible for the disorientation we at times experience.

Strange how something so abstract has so many different means of interpretation. The title of Delusion for the gallery was truly a match in my eyes.