At "Day One," [PROXY] embraces how it came to be and where it is in development and in its life. "Day One" bares its bones and heart in equal parts. The show explores themes of self meditative approaches in artists creating their own haven and hints at how [PROXY]] itself vies to become a haven of its own. [PROXY] envisions being a new third place; to create an artful space that invites exploration, contemplation and joy.
"Day One" is an admission of novelty, of beginnings. Bringing together artists who create worlds initially for themselves and then to dream in and ultimately to create from, "Day One" sets out to find that expression establishes the self and that self is expression.
"Day One" is three distinct yet parallel worlds of three scintillating series. Gaze a moment too long and the works begin to buzz and claim a bodily presence of their own.
Gabe Fonorow gathers lines as one gathers one's thoughts. One at a time, one after another and at length.
Les Caison Ill processes in strokes, imparting a distinct mood. One iteration at a time, his fields of vision create a palpable atmosphere.
Paul Mok performs acts of dedication to the ritual and the worlds it builds. His practice fractals, blossoming new life into the inanimate.
"Day One" bears witness to the generative and transcendental power of repetition as a means to meditate. In exploring the essence of the repetition, artistic rituals behind the works reveal the nature & interests of their unique makers and practitioners. In laying bare the specificity of the artists' rituals, "Day One" nods to the psychological phenomenon coined by Carl Rogers: what's the most personal is the most universal.
[PROXY] hosted its Grand Opening Celebration on October 25, 2025 as we invited the community to join us for the opening of its “Day One” exhibition. The talented invited artists hail from both local and national art realms of Winston-Salem, Kernersville, and New York. The work featured is an intense and awe-inspiring mix of technical and figurative compositions that bring to light the ever-obsessive ‘work of the artist’ as a quest for understanding, expression and catharsis. Come see the work currently on display in the gallery, up through the end of February.