Imagine Wilde Things
On view from May 23 through June 13, 2025
Imagine Wilde Things is the 2nd exhibition in the new McKinney Arts exhibition space in Belleville, NJ. The gallery is in a private residential setting, so viewings are by appointment only.
Art works from Imagine Wilde Things, as shown from left to right, are as follows:
- "So Many Combinations," August 1987, by Mark McKinney. Two watercolor paintings, each panel is 30 x 22 inch watercolor paper. For this exhibition, they are displayed wrapping this corner, but can also be displayed side-by-side on a single wall.
- "...Three Wondrous Turquoises. He Who Wears Them On His Forehead Can Imagine Things Which Are Not," June 1988, by Mark McKinney. 30 x 22 inch watercolor painting on paper.
To view the exhibition in person, or to inquire about purchasing art, please contact McKinney Arts.
Press Release: McKinney Arts presents Imagine Wilde Things, the 2nd exhibition in the new gallery located in the ground floor space of artist/curator Mark McKinney's townhouse. Due to the residential nature of the location (Belleville, NJ), viewings of exhibitions are by appointment only.
Imagine Wilde Things takes its name from a passage in Oscar Wilde's Salomé, which was originally written as a one-act play in French in 1893, and then translated into English a year later. Artist Mark McKinney was in college during the time period that these paintings were made, and was reading Wilde's work in one of his classes. The passage - and the idea - that magical turquoise stones applied to the forehead could allow the wearer to imagine things that didn't exist was an inspiration for these art works. In this particular installation, the wearer of the turquoises (at right) is looking across the room at this wild vision of figures interacting in a non-identifiable space. A closer look reveals a devil-like figure trying to penetrate the thoughts of a purple figure protected by an enveloping halo; a menacing green head looking down at another purple figure who looks up in defiance (and is surrounded by dancing figures not unlike those in Henri Matisse's masterpiece Dance; big brown eyes overlook more figures, reaching for and embracing each other.
Imagine Wilde Things will be on view from May 23 - June 13, 2025. Inquiries about the exhibition, the artist, appointments, and more can be made here.
