Tag Archives: Escapism

Looking at the Art of Escapism in Daniel Merriam’s Watercolors

by CaroPosted on

The word “escapism” can have a negative meaning, suggesting that escapists are unhappy and unable to connect with the world around them. It sounds like a surreal concept, but in our every day lives, on social media for example, we find ways to divert from reality.  Daniel Merriam’s recent exhibition at AFA Gallery challenges the notion that escapism is fundamentally negative. “It’s not a sin, it’s not a crime, it’s not a disease… You think of escapism as being denial. So a little bit of escapism is considered good – too much is not,” he shares. “Now You See Me: The Art of Escapism” is Merriam’s reflection on this idea.

Daniel Merriam’s Solo Show of New Paintings, “Now You See Me: The Art of Escapism”

by CaroPosted on

One could say that Surrealism as a movement is a way for artists to seek distraction from the mundane and engage in fantasy. On his current exhibition at AFA Gallery, painter Daniel Merriam shares, “Although I may be guilty of a little denial, it’s enabled me to go to the edge and back, which is kind of where people expect an artist to go.” Spanning over 20 new watercolor paintings, titled “Now You See Me: The Art of Escapism”, he allows himself to overcome the limitations of reality in this latest series.