The Magic Realism of Rob Gonsalves
Canadian painter Rob Gonsalves
surrealistic paintings portrays two seemingly different realistic
scenes magically merging into one. As a result, the term "Magic Realism"
describes his work accurately.
During his childhood, Gonsalves
developed an interest in drawing from imagination using various media.
By the age of twelve, his awareness of architecture grew as he learned
perspective techniques and he began to create his first paintings and
renderings of imagined buildings. After an introduction to artists Dalí
and Tanguy, Gonsalves began his first surrealist paintings. The "Magic
Realism" approach of Magritte along with the precise perspective
illusions of Escher came to be influences in his future work.
In
his post college years, Gonsalves worked full time as an architect,
also painting trompe-l'œil murals and theater sets. After an
enthusiastic response in 1990 at the Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition,
Gonsalves devoted himself to painting full time.
Although
Gonsalves' work is often categorized as surrealistic, it differs because
the images are deliberately planned and result from conscious thought.
Ideas are largely generated by the external world and involve
recognizable human activities, using carefully planned illusionist
devices. Gonsalves injects a sense of magic into realistic scenes. He
spends a notable amount of time planning each piece in order to make the
transitions flawless and usually finishes about four paintings each
year.