For over 30 years, my art practice has been an evolving dialogue – never-ending, never complete. My work has lived in a liminal space between creation and destruction, embracing imperfection, impermanence, and the subconscious flow of ideas. Each piece was a step further into the psyche, a meditation on identity, and an exploration of the unending process of becoming. Until now.
La FIN marks a profound shift. For the first time, everything is finished. Pieces like The Disappearing Man, The Elephant Man, Wounded Healer, and my ever evolving self portrait Hollow Man have reached their final form. What was once an infinite process has culminated in a retrospective of completion – a paradox in itself. This exhibition is not just a reflection of my journey as an artist but an invitation to confront the complexities of impermanence, the beauty of endings, and the transformation that lies within them.
At the heart of my practice is the concept of Active Imagination, a Jungian technique that bridges the conscious and unconscious mind. Through this process, I approach the canvas or paper without a predetermined plan, allowing images and forms to emerge organically. The work becomes a dialogue with the unknown, guided by intuition rather than intention. Each mark, layer, or alteration is a response to what has come before, creating a space where unconscious symbols and archetypes can surface. This approach transforms the act of making into a meditative exploration, where the artwork becomes a vessel for thoughts, emotions, and impulses that might otherwise remain hidden. Active Imagination invites me–and ultimately the viewer–into a deeper engagement with the psyche, fostering discovery and reflection through the creative process.
My process balances deconstruction and creation, with techniques like burning, grinding, sanding, carving, and endless layering of materials often appearing destructive at first. A scorched paper, an obliterated form, or a surface worn down to nothing becomes the starting point for something entirely new. Over time, these acts of erasure and decay reveal unexpected textures, shapes, and meanings, as each piece evolves through cycles of destruction and renewal. This relentless transformation reflects the impermanence of an image, an idea, and life itself.
Through La FIN, I close the chapter of endless creation, presenting these works as a reflection on presence and absence, process and finality.
La Fin
A Retrospective Exhibition
by Milo Dlouhy
December 5 to 31, Open Thursdays to Saturday 11am-6pm
OPENING RECEPTION: December 7th, 5-9pm
CLOSING RECEPTION: December 31st, 7pm to midnight
Bio
Milo Dlouhy aka. Milostate
(b. 1970, Czech Republic, based in Canada)
Milo is a multidisciplinary artist whose practice explores the impermanence of creation and the interplay between the conscious and unconscious mind. Drawing inspiration from Jungian psychology, mythology, and Buddhist philosophy, Milo’s work blurs the boundaries between process and outcome, often challenging conventional notions of finality in art.
His approach involves continuously revisiting and transforming pieces, creating an evolving body of work that reflects the fluid and layered nature of the psyche. Central to his practice are themes of imperfection, deterioration, and transformation, exemplified in projects like The Buddhist Sketchbook, an artwork which serves as both a personal exploration and a dialogue with universal archetypes and myths.
