Featuring a selection of newly commissioned pieces inspired by the work and words of the Romantic poet John Keats. This exhibition showcases the range and breadth of figurative and inspirational meaning found within the words and ideas of the Romantic movement.
'Beautiful is what, without a concept, is liked universally.' - Immanuel Kant
At the heart of our artistic desires lies the search and appreciation for beauty. The words of Immanuel Kant serve as a reminder that in essence the familiar feeling of "liking" something must be at the center of our understanding of beauty. It is akin to appreciating the beauty of nature – if we discover something beautiful, if it speaks to us, if it connects to a memory, we want to hold onto it. We want it to be a part of our lives.
Towards the end of 2023, we partnered with several artists to create a series of works inspired by the ideas and philosophies of 18th century Romanticism. In our discussions, each artist was asked to consider creating a piece of art that would encapsulate their belief and understanding of Romanticism.
To that end, we provided the artists with a set of quotes from the works of Immanuel Kant, Friedrich Schiller, John Keats, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, and Lord Byron. The quote that all the artists kept returning to was from John Keats’ poem Ode on a Grecian Urn:
'Beauty is truth, truth beauty, - that is all
Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.'
This exhibition is a contemporary exposé on the ideas exemplified by the words of John Keats, namely that the creation of beauty is first and foremost a recognition of truth. Each artist’s work deals with their individual understanding, belief, and expression of the importance of beauty and truth as a cornerstone of our humanity.
