Inspired by travels to East Africa local artist
Emil Baumann's solo painting and mixed media exhibition Exploring
Atlantis debuts March 12- April 4 at the University City
Arts Center.
The show features Baumann's latest painterly investigations inspired
by his dreams, travels and thoughts about the wonders of Atlantis.
His works are noted for explosive bright colors, imaginative architectural
shapes, layering and attention to lines and forms to create expressive
eye-catching abstract images. The exhibition will consist of a
dozen paintings varying in size from 24 inches by 21 inches to
32 inches by 40 inches to 55 inches by 42 inches. Baumann paints
with oil, pastels, watercolors, acrylic and pencils. He prefers
not to title any works, allowing the viewer to freely interpret
his buildings, roads, scapes and scenes. In addition to paintings,
he will also debut ceramic works created in UCAL's pottery studio.
Emil Baumann lives and works in West Philadelphia. He became
infatuated with painting as a youngster when his family moved
to East Africa for four years. According to his father he was
a special needs child who was not linguistically-driven: "Art
became his language, his entry point to groups and a means to
connect to people of all ages. He paints happiness and his dreams."
Travels to Africa and India have also influenced his artistic
vision that have been referred to as "Outsider Art."
Internationally, Baumann has exhibited in the Contemporary Art
Gallery in Nairobi where he was awarded two prizes. Locally, his
work has been seen at the Pennyslvania Academy of Fine Art, Nexus
Gallery, East African Center andCommunity Education Center as
well as in exhibitions organized by Project Ingenu and Project
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