Leila Mesdaghi exhibit at Cape Coral Art Center

The Cape Coral Art Center will feature a solo exhibit by artist Leila Mesdaghi entitled “Love Cannot Alter It” Jan. 3 through Jan. 23. An opening reception will be held Jan. 10 from 5 – 7 p.m.
Leila Mesdaghi is an Iranian-Colombian artist living in Fort Myers. To her, making art is a combination of emotional experiences and social responsibilities. Leila seeks to connect with her viewers in a visceral, evocative, and emotional manner; she stands on uncomfortable grounds and challenges how we observe, react, respond, and ease into conversations that take us to vulnerable places that possibly hold our understandings.
In “Love Cannot Alter It,” a title inspired by a sentence from Anne Carson’s book “Nox,” Leila thinks about the “emotionscapes” of fears of abandonment, physically and psychologically. To her, sometimes the only choice we have is to sit with our pain, embrace ourselves, and experience aloneness. Facing what we fear and maneuvering through the narrow paths of not knowing leads us to deeper places that will become familiar.
This exhibition is an invitation to look into things we cannot change, words we cannot take back, and feelings that hold us back.
The Cape Coral Art Center will also feature the Vision 2020 exhibit to celebrate Cape Coral’s 50th anniversary.
The Cape Coral Art Center joins the City of Cape Coral in celebrating 50 years as an incorporated city. Vision 2020 depicts this history through visual representation. Artists are invited to submit artwork that unravels life in Cape Coral. Entries to include history of the city, personal experience, environmental or other portrayals that commemorate Cape life. This is a judged and juried show.
The art center is located at 4533 Coronado Parkway. For more information about the art center and its programs, call 239-574-0802 or visit www.capeparks.net.