Between DreamScapes
Leyla Cui is a New York-based artist whose work is influenced and inspired by Surrealism and the Art Nouveau movement. Her pieces reassemble and encode intuitive body parts with symbolic elements, creating a unique narrative of the collective feminine unconscious.
"Certain structures and tendencies within the unconscious are common to all of us due to shared genetic foundations in specific species,"
The shared experience of body parts produces empathy, temporarily reactivating corresponding archetypes. This results in suppressed signifiers from the unconscious surfacing through the chain of signifiers in her paintings. A recurring female figure in her work embodies this concept. Leyla explains, "This figure is not an external representation of myself. Outwardly, the female roles appear in different forms, with varying expressions, styles, and clothing. However, their inner essence connects with my subconscious, representing parts of myself, especially the intuitive connection to emotions."
Leyla's creative process and inspirations also reveal an unconscious character. She would often write down special dreams for reference. Subtle changes emerge in her work, which she may not perceive during creation but become evident through comparison post-completion, noticed by herself or familiar viewers.
Leyla Cui will hold a solo exhibition, *In Between Dreams*, at Temple Gallery from November 28 to December 3, 2024.
Witness Me
When standing in front of Witness Me, viewers encounter a Cubist-inspired approach that views different body parts from various angles on a single plane. Leyla considers hair a crucial element linking these body parts, symbolizing collective identity and shared memory. Due to its cyclical growth, shedding, and regrowth, hair also represents rebirth beyond individual mortality. Like collective memory revived within individual consciousness, hair is perpetual, silent, and eternal.
The Book of Witness Me
A small book in the lower right corner of Witness Me features the phrase "Read me," encouraging viewers to flip through it. The book recounts the experiences of the women in the painting and includes a short poem. This method is reflective, as the unconscious isn’t exclusive to visual perception; it should be multisensory. The act of touching or leafing through the book serves as a stimulus.
Whispers in Silence
Another distinct aspect of Leyla's work is its integration with physical space, extending beyond the canvas. Leyla’s outward space invites the senses, as exemplified in Whispers in Silence by an ear positioned two-thirds into the frame. This ear is meant for the audience outside the canvas, inviting empathy. The three-dimensional space here becomes a clue, linking the viewer with the two-dimensional space on the canvas, allowing entry of the audience's thoughts.
