Pixels are a form of pointillism, and we saw a couple of artists playing with this idea. Fran\u00e7ois Ar\u00e8s\u2019s paintings have an unusual shimmer to them. Up close, you discover that they are made up of tiny dots of paint applied to transparent Plexiglas. The works are framed so that the dots cast tiny shadows on the surface behind them.<\/p>\n\n\n
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<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nFran\u00e7ois Ar\u00e8s, Montreux<\/em>, 2026, acrylic on plexiglas 64\u201d x 68\u201d, Galerie Robertson Ar\u00e8s<\/p>\n\n\n Fran\u00e7ois Ar\u00e8s, Montreux<\/em>, Detail<\/p>\n\n\n\n Brandon Dalmer also explores the idea of pixels in his work. His painting is reminiscent of an old colour television screen, where individual red, green and blue pixels were visible. A pattern of these three coloured shapes comes together to create an image when viewed from a distance but breaks down into its component pixels as you move closer.<\/p>\n\n\n Brandon A. Dalmer, Buck Lake<\/em>, 2026, acrylic on panel, 60\u201d x 36\u201d, De Montigny Gallery<\/p>\n\n\n\n Filipe Lavin exploits the digital grid in a different way. At first glance, the work appears to be an abstract pattern of coloured vertical lines. Then you notice the legs and feet along the bottom edge. Lavin has taken a horizontal strip of pixels from around the middle of an image of a crowd and repeated, or stretched, it upwards to fill the rest of the composition.<\/p>\n\n\n Felipe Lavin, Desvanecidos \u2013 CDMX XII<\/em>, photomontage and lightbox, 40\u201d x 60\u201d, Galerie LeRoyer<\/p>\n\n\n\n Michael Stecky\u2019s pieces initially look like digital static. Their three-dimensional quality is apparent, but it\u2019s only when you look more closely that you discover what they\u2019re made of: stacks of multi-coloured puzzle pieces. It\u2019s a delightful surprise.<\/p>\n\n\n Michael Stecky, Satie Vexations #1<\/em>, 11\u201d x 13\u201d, Drey Gallery,<\/p>\n\n\n\n Moves with You<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n We tend to think we can fully experience everything through a screen, but some artworks require your physical presence to be appreciated. You have to move closer, walk around them, and see how they change with your point of view.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Arturo Fermandois\u2019s Aster X<\/em> does not translate easily into photography. The image below looks static, but in person the work moves and shimmers. Graphics are printed on glass, with another pattern on paper behind it. As you move around the piece, different patterns emerge, creating an effect of movement and shifting light.<\/p>\n\n\n Arturo Fermandois, Aster X<\/em>, UV print on glass, over paper print, 22\u201d x 22\u201d, Aninat Galer\u00eda<\/p>\n\n\n\n J. Margulis\u2019s Portholes<\/em> also changes with your viewing angle. Seen straight on, the work appears to be nothing more than vertical lines of colour. But the lines are actually formed by a series of shaped fins. As you move around the piece, their three-dimensional geometry becomes apparent, and the image continually changes.<\/p>\n\n\n J. Margulis, Porthole<\/em>, plexiglas, aluminum, automotive and acrylic paint, 16\u201d x16\u201d x 3\u201d, Galerie de Bellefeuille<\/p>\n\n\n\n Patrick Rubenstein\u2019s Les iris de Vincent<\/em> changes dramatically depending on your viewing angle. The back surface carries a composite image of the portrait and flowers. In front, a series of vertical fins have been printed with one image on each side. Move to the left and you see the flowers; move to the right and the portrait appears. The two images alternate as you move around the work.<\/p>\n\n\n Patrick Rubenstein, Les iris de Vincent<\/em>, gold leaf on mixed media, 30\u201d x 19\u201d, Galerie de Bellefeuille<\/p>\n\n\n\n In Reverse<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Normally, you stretch the canvas before painting, but Malachi Wilson reverses the process. In Cave I<\/em>, small sections of canvas are first printed with an inkjet, then stitched together and only afterwards mounted over a stretcher. The process creates interesting distortions in the image.<\/p>\n\n\n Malachi Wilson, Cave I<\/em>, inkjet on canvas, 52\u201d x 48\u201d, Janey Gallery<\/p>\n\n\n\n Paul Hardy uses scrims and printed fabric to reveal the underlying structure of a painting. The frame and internal bracing become part of the composition, alongside the translucent prints and fabric. Rather than concealing the structure, Hardy makes it an integral part of the work.<\/p>\n\n\n Paul Hardy, Untitled<\/em>, Acrylic, oil, inkjet impression on fabrics, 76 x 102 cm, Galeries Bellemare Lambert<\/p>\n\n\n\n Doing It the Hard Way<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Digital technology has made image-making so much easier. There are plenty of shortcuts available, but some artists prefer to take the more difficult path. There is something about the effort and labour involved that connects us to the work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Adrianna Matzeg\u2019s Pontocho Alley<\/em> initially looks like a digital image of two lamps reflected on a gridded wall. But the beauty of the piece emerges when you discover that the image is created through the painstaking stitching of coloured cotton thread.<\/p>\n\n\n Adiranna Matzeg, Pontocho Alley<\/em>, Cotton and linen, 24\u201d x 30\u201d, Abbozzo Gallery<\/p>\n\n\n\n James Nizam creates elegant geometric works that look digital but are entirely analogue. These desert landscapes are overlaid with abstract, floating geometries. They are made using a film camera, multiple exposures, and custom filters and masks that the artist creates and inserts into the camera in front of the film. In his large prints, Nizam has included the film frame to emphasize the analogue process. If there\u2019s an easy way and a hard way to create an image, Nizam seems to choose the hard way!<\/p>\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n