Artist recreates history

Ian Ackerson

Nestled quietly in Irvine Valley College is an exhibit dedicated to Douglas Cason that is both a hidden treasure and an artistic interpretation of history.

By recreating artifacts, Cason establishes the atmosphere of a museum. Cason shows, through his work, how history can actually be created and clarifies his “history is fiction” statement.

“I believe history is fiction and it is fluid,” Cason said. The art shows a lot of out-of-the-box thinking, with graphite and abstract oil painting reproductions from the book, Magnificent Obsession. His oil on wood portraits of the author of the book also illustrates his ingenuity.

“The morphing is representative of history being fluid,” Cason said.

Each portrait has a different fluid quality to it, as if the portrait was made of clay and the face had been shaped by hand into an abstract form.

All the pieces shown are recreations of historical artifacts of a man who has no history. The exhibit makes the viewer question what is real and what is not. The genius behind Cason is his ability to recreate something that never existed.

Magnificent Obsession new work by Douglas Cason will be on display Aug. 13 through Oct. 5. The gallery can be found in room B112 at Irvine Valley College. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday 12-6, or by appointment.

Please contact [email protected] for further information.

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