Michael Parkes

SUMMER STORM

2013

Michael Parkes (1944) studied graphic art and painting at the University of Kansas. After his studies he traveled for three years through Asia and Europe. In 1975 Parkes settled in Spain. Throughout his career, numerous international exhibitions underline the importance of Parkes’ work. Michael Parkes is both a uniquely talented painter and sculptor and master of the art of original stone lithography. Michael Parkes is the world’s leading Magical Realist. His more than 30 years of success as a fine artist stand out in the art world. Parkes’ works are collected by celebrities, important private collectors, and museums around the world. His body of work has stood the test of time. What is unusual about Michael Parkes is that in his images metaphysical and spiritual elements are joined into reality. His work evokes a mysterious atmosphere, which can often only be deciphered with the help of ancient mythology and eastern philosophy. In the fantasy world of Parkes, the laws of earthly reality are abolished, and space and time enter into their own motionless communion. It is tempting to speak of a dream world with Parkes, if it were not for the fact that the ‘dream world’ of Michael Parkes surpasses all of our dreams in audacity, freedom and intensity. In short, in Michael Parkes, the figurative art of our age has found a new, fascinating and extremely authentic exponent. As human beings, we limit our sense of perception to what is generally comfortable and present in everyday life. In limiting our perceptions to suit our individuality, we miss the vastness of other perceptions and the doors they represent. Though we have been conditioned to perceive nothing except our own world, Parkes convinces us to enter other realms.