About the exhibition:

Mind Carnival is an installation of works by David Deakin. The exhibition opens at Da Vinci Art Alliance in Galleries 1&2 on August 26th. There is no public reception for this exhibition, as it is an experience meant for isolated contemplation. The show will be on view at DVAA gallery hours through its installment.

Mind Carnival combines conceptual art foundations with narrative text and appropriated cultural iconography in an aesthetic pursuit of investigation. David Deakin, artisan and visual philosopher, uses cultural symbols and historical analysis to convey the effects of prevailing socio-political powers on the human mind. Using his work to infiltrate the social realm, David Deakin communicates lines of thought through image experimentation and experiential manipulation. Extending beyond the neoliberal capitalist economic model, Mind Carnival envisions a marriage of the arts and science to provide an expansion of our collective vision of the world. 

As a result of two years of planning, this 5 week long exhibition emerges alongside an ambitious new trajectory for DVAA. Colliding narrative, history, machines, technology and new media, Mind Carnival embodies the transdisciplinary practices of our namesake, Leonardo da Vinci. Mind Carnival illuminates David Deakin’s determination and exemplifies curatorial diligence, creating extraordinary versions of the ordinary and giving tangible form to feelings and the unknown. We at Da Vinci Art Alliance are extremely honored to present this body of work and await its promise to refresh our vision of seeing the world.

About the Artist:

David Deakin studied Western history at Muhlenberg College where he encountered the world of art. Once realizing the historical importance of visual art, Deakin attended The Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art where his training was focused upon mastery of the various classic mediums of visual imagery. Through PAFA Deakin was introduced to Marion Locks, a well respected gallery owner in Philadelphia where he was represented through the 1970’s. 

Established in Philadelphia, David became involved with a collaborative of artists called Old City Arts where they staged festivals and performances at various neighborhood venues. His experience with Locks Gallery, Old City Arts, and a major Duchamp exhibit reframed his choice of visual medium, view of the art world, and the very notion of art to move away from abstract painting into applied arts and design and assemblages, starting with work in a display house, a residential architectural firm, and lastly into estate garden design.

Using art as a tool for investigation, Deakin has been making assemblage sculptures and mixed media works for decades, focusing on important themes as they emerge. As he explains, “What I make, what I write, and what I say are all composites of the deposits my moment in time has brought.”

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