Bedtime Story by Greg Hildebrandt, 2015 (All Photos By Gail)

Jonathan LeVine Gallery is currently hosting a huge Myth and Fantasy-themed group show, curated by collector and historian Patrick Wilshire, which fills both of LeVine’s popular Chelsea Gallery District spaces.

Patrick J. Jones, Darkdreamer

Infra:REAL – The Art of Imaginative Realism features a variety of paintings and sculptures by the following artists: Allen Williams, Anthony Palumbo, Billy Norrby, Bob Eggleton, Boris Vallejo, Brad Kunkle, Gerald Brom, David Palumbo, Donato Giancola, Dorian Vallejo, Eric Velhagen, Greg Hildebrandt, Ian Miller, Jeffrey Watts, Jeremy Mann, Jim Burns, Jim Pavelec, John Harris, John Jude Palencar, Julie Bell, Justin Sweet, Kirk Reinert, Laurie Lee Brom, Marc Fishman, Matthew Stewart, Michael C. Hayes, Michael Whelan, Patrick Jones, R. Leveille-Guay, Rick Berry, Robh Ruppel, Scott Burdick, Stephan Hickman, Thomas Kuebler, Vincent Villafranca, Virginie Ropars and Wayne Haag.

Imaginative realism is the cutting edge of contemporary realism, combining classical technique with postmodern narrative subjects.

John Jude Palencar, Pagan

Focusing on the unreal, the unseen, and the impossible, this genre offers visions of humanity’s mythic past, its unexplored future and, in some cases, its terrifying present.

David Palumbo, Moon Children

Just as science fiction serves for many as the archetype of postmodern literature, with its fascination with the “other” and the unknown, imaginative realism brings this same narrative to the figurative arts.

Dorian Vallejo, Passages

Curator Patrick Wilshire offers that “Infra:REAL is a group exhibition in the most classical sense, presenting the width and breadth of imaginative realism under a single banner. The exhibition features the work artists who share a fascination with the narrative of “What if?” and have a strong connection to the mythic taproot that burrows deep into our collective subconscious.

Laurie Lee Brom, Lair of the Absinthe Fairy

He continues, “[These artists’] technical approaches vary, from academic to avant-garde, but all are among the finest realist artists in the world, turning your vision “infra-real” and giving a glimpse above, below, and beyond the reality that both comforts and restricts us all.”

Here are few of our favorite works from the show!

Gerald Brown, Lord Kashaol

This one looks like it would be very much at home as part of a Last Rites show. Very scary!

Thomas Kuebler’s Taken from Moreau’s Island 1896 was definitely one of the more popular pieces during the opening reception. I am sure it found its way into many an instagram feed!

Stephen Hickman, Moon Gazing

This one is just lovely.

Michael Whelan’s Harbinger rings true to its title, as a desolate intersection, marked by a pendulous traffic signal enveloped in a wasp’s nest, foreshadows the approaching doom.

Really amazing.

The characters in Pseudosapiens By Moonlight, painted by John Harris, even have their own back-story.

Ian Miller, The Red Dragon Tree

Virginie Ropars, Gathering

And now we come to my very favorite piece of the entire show, a painting by Donato Giancola called Breaker. It looks like an almost typical, stormy sea-scape right? But no, something else is going on here. Something heavy.

Who is this silvery dude and what is he up to? What is he pulling out of the surf? Seriously, WTF is going on here? Holy Cow, this painting is so great. I want to own it.

Infra Real: The Art of Imaginative Realism Group Exhibition will be up Until August 22nd, 2015 at Jonathan LeVine Gallery’s Two Locations, 529 West 20th Street and 557C West 23rd Street, in the Chelsea Gallery District.