Moosey Art in Norwich, UK has lifted the veil on In Search of Light, a new solo exhibition by Ivan Seriy. With technical cues from his graffiti roots, Seriy brings his whimsical characters to life on canvas, offering a compelling commentary on the contradictions of our time through a rich showcase of oil paintings.
The exhibition chronicles the journey of a nameless boy and his cat friend as they venture through a dark forest, in a search for, as the title suggests, light. Each work is enchanted with the excitement of a new discovery as the pair face unexpected challenges along the way.
Autobiographical elements lend emotional depth to these works, complemented by a 3D-rendered quality that brings them closer to reality. In the ethereal glow of a lunar rainbow or a sparkle in the characters’ bulging, round eyes, light may serve as a beacon of hope, though at other times it communicates an err of vulnerability and danger. The luminous stare of “Big Brother” harkens on ideas of surveillance, while the dark waters of “The sea of tears” signal toward an ominous void.
The centerpiece, “Burning Bridge,” figures the boy is fleeing across a charred crossing, representing the beginning of a journey and the irrevocable act of moving on. This sentiment cleanly captures a hard truth that underpins the show: the path ahead is rarely straightforward, and when it is, it’s ablaze. Yet another reading of In Search of Light reveals that when the world feels cloaked in darkness, even the faintest flickers of light can help guide the way.
Moosey Art Norwich
3, Labour in Vain Yard,
Norwich NR2 1JD, UK
