Peter Chan - Fata Morgana

Peter Chan is born in Hong Kong and raised in Canada, where he spent most of his life painting and drawing. Currently, he is interested in representational painting where he finds connection from classical masters in painting and sculpting.  Fata Morgana connects classical and contemporary ideals in the arena of romance. It is an exploration of emotional mirages and the connection between past love and present reflection. This exhibition calls to mind the sensations many of us have felt when the idealized past, seeming certainties of the present, and insecurities of the future all merge in the same moment. Paintings inspired by the sculptural works of Rodin and Bernini are about love, memory and veiled reality while paintings drawn from modern influences such as artificial light and television are about the psychology of loneliness and romantic encounters.

In Fata Morgana the artist uses light as a metaphor in support of his subjects and to enhance the drama. He employs techniques of chiaroscuro and diffused lighting to heighten philosophical concepts about the principles and permanence of beauty and romantic love. His narratives also reveal characters in quiet and meditative moments of reflection. His subjects are often friends, lovers, and family.