PARIS.- Making it to the top of the charts, first as a soul anthem, then as a rock tune, “Knock on Woord” is an upbeat ode to the disco era. Yet beyond pop music and superstition, Knocking on Wood can be so much more in visual arts.

As a material and also as a source of inspiration, wood can lead to a wide range of creations. This is exactly what Magda Danysz Gallery invites us to discover from the 10th of May with the group show « Knock on Wood ». Bringing together artists from Canada, Japan, Switzerland, China and France, both famous and emerging, the show is a mix of creations (sculptures, installations, two dimensional works, etc.) where wood is the essence. « Knock on Wood » offers a full immersion where humor meets sensual tactile emotions (how often have you dreamt of touching an artwork in a museum?) Wood can have different patinas, textures, colors, giving us so many emotions.

Swiss talent Christian GONZENBACH showcases the remains of a Trojan horse, Chinese master WANG KEPING shares his voluptuous feminine sculptures, the FRERES CHAPUISAT emerging artists ironically present a wooden tombstone made stating “In Wood we trust”. James Mc NABB reinvents the principle of the skyline. Ben BUTLED on the contrary goes abstract with fossilized shape. And rising star VHILS (aka Alexandre Farto) unveils a wooden door composition.

Each of the artists play with the subject, some even play with us and use fake wood… Now we all have to see what is real what is not… All together « Knock on wood » honors this noble material in all its facets. The artists’ artworks reveal the artistic essence of the material and are meant to surprise all of us.

« Knock on wood » is a superstition used to ward off bad luck and it goes way back in times. Persians and Egyptians already used it back in their time. The first would use it to put themselves under the protective power of Atar, the fire genius. And the second believed in the power of wood because it has a form of magnetism. Celts also gave a great mystic and spiritual power to trees quite early on in our civilisation. Like Shintoïsts in Asia today, wood has this sacred feature : « touching » a tree, helps one to get in touch with its energy and vitality.