Alex McLeod
A Canadian artist’s technical take on the fantasy world
In a slick demonstration of hybrid creativity, Toronto-based artist Alex McLeod fuses his mastery of computer-generated imagery with a background in painting to create fantasy landscapes where fluid, hyperreal topography gel with glossy colors and a tactile sheen. Using a number of different graphics and 3D programs, McLeod builds ethereal sculptures that are then rendered and printed using the typical digital photography methods.
His latest works—on view at the upcoming Pulse NY art fair—project an intense scenery of gooey forms in candy colors, floating fortresses and otherworldly geometric shapes. As the eye settles, it becomes clear that there are no people in the pieces. McLeod purposely omits any sign of life in his emotional landscapes, toying with the notion that a stillness emerges in the aftermath of cataclysmic events. This tension between the enticing visual elements and the underlying darker elements give the work a challenging context despite its playful appearance.
From the wiry mountains and powerful contrasting colors in “Blackyellow” to the dazzling candy rainbow of “Daylight Mystery,” the consummate attention to detail and wildly imaginative environments leave the audience with an astounding amount to take in, but breaking down the work from this exciting young talent is all part of entertaining experience.
McLeod’s work will be on view at the Angell Gallery at Pulse NY from 3-6 March 2011.
