See different views of love

Posted Feb 2, 2012 By Kristy Wallace

EMC entertainment - Wearing white and standing on white canvas, 21-year-old Robin Lynch will be immerse herself in red paint as she does a performance art piece at Patrick John Mills' latest exhibit, called I Love You.

She describes the dance as a "giant, glorious mess."

"Basically the piece is all about the obsessive compulsive and self-destructive version of love," Lynch said. "You're tied up in it, and you can't escape from it.

"I had a very long-term abusive relationship. When I got out of it, I was thinking of a way to express how I felt and what I felt happened to me and how things got out of control so fast. This image came to my head, and I couldn't get it out."

Lynch's take will be one of the depictions of love displayed at Mills' exhibit, which started Jan. 19 and runs until Feb. 25.

While Lynch might show the negative emotions associated with love, artist and gallery owner Patrick John Mills said there will also be upbeat subject matter through showcased paintings.

"With the winter months being so hard, it's nice to make people smile a bit," said Mills.

"There are some beautiful paintings and there's some lovely work and a real diversity ... but also a lot of cutting edge and provocative work that has a very unique perspective on the words 'I love you.' "

He hopes that his audience walks away with different perspectives on the word love, and how it's a word that's viewed differently by everyone.

Lynch said she hopes her performance touches people in some way.

"It's an individual experience, and everyone's going to relate in a different way," she said, adding the colour red fit in most well with her performance. "Red to me is a very passionate colour. (It represents) lust, anger ... and the passageway to womanhood. All of that ties back to love."

Mills said the show is the most extensive one he's had yet, and he's happy to be encouraging young artists like Lynch, who managed to sell one of her works online in about two hours.

Lynch will be performing at the gallery at 8:30 p.m. on Feb. 2 during the First Thursdays Art Walk which runs from 6 to 9 p.m.

"In my own personal experience, love is a messy thing. Things change, and emotions run high," said Lynch. "So much happens in a relationship. Sometimes it works out for the better, and sometimes it doesn't."

There will also be a Love Art Party on Valentine's Day starting at 7 p.m. at the gallery.

For more information on the gallery, visit the website at patrickjohnmills.ca.