FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Philadelphia, PA – October 22, 2009 - Dalet Gallery is pleased to present paintings of San Francisco artist Irena Kononova in the new exhibition, LEAVING EDEN, which will be on view Nov 6-29.

I intend to provoke the viewer into contemplating ever widening gap between the human-made world and the eternal world of nature confronted by civilization

- Irena Kononova

The works of Irena Kononova present a dualism of abstraction and representation, of utopian visions and sober reflections. This juxtaposition is often expressed through the interplay and overlapping of architectural elements and landscape.

To communicate the tension between the human constructs and idyllic landscape, the artist uses the differences in luminosity and textures. Utilizing multiple layers of pigment, turpentine leaks, and in many cases sand or marble dust, Kononova metaphorically depicts in large scale a series of earth histories. Her land spaces are more liquid than solid, beautifully dense with pastoral temptation yet fused with a cautionary caveat. These are in a sense the unattainable places of memory, to be rediscovered in dreams.

Irena Kononova is a graduate of Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts where she was a recipient of the Cresson Traveling Scholarship and various prizes. During her years in Philadelphia, Irena had won a juried show at the Fleisher Art Memorial and was interviewed many times for major newspapers. She was featured in a dialog on Art in Exile on Fresh Air program on the National Public Radio.

In California Ms. Kononova held solo exhibitions in Peninsula Art Museum and Maturango Museum as well as in number of art galleries. The artist has exhibited her work in the United States and abroad, notably at SFMOMA Artists Gallery, Evolving Art Gallery, Noma Gallery in San Francisco; Berman E.N. in New York City, Zona Gallery in Amsterdam, San Diego Museum of Art, Coutts Art Museum, Domont Studio Gallery in Indianapolis and University of Minnesota.

The exhibition will be on view at the Dalet Gallery, 141 North 2nd Street, Olde City, Philadelphia, PA 19106

For further information on Dalet Gallery, or to set up media interview with the gallery artists, contact Irena Gobernik at 215-923-2424 or irena@daletart.com or visit www.daletart.com