Michael Parenti: WHATATURK

Under the title "WHATATURK", Michael Parenti opened his first solo exhibition at Pi Artworks on May 24th with a series of mixed media works dealing with contrasts in identity, executed in a style he has termed "contemporary romanticism". The works in the exhibition come from the period of Parenti's residence and travels in Turkey during the years 2003 - 2006, and cover a broad spectrum of human encounters with the broad scope of lifestyles on display in contemporary Turkey. Parenti's incisive eye dissects themes of aspiration, alienation, and desperation not with the lines and strokes of the angry young man, but rather with soft blended edges and bold fantasy color palettes. Slightly out of focus, the works challenge one to find sharpness and clarity by altering not only the point from which they are viewed from, but one's point of view as well.