"The House of Fancy" is an exhibition of oil paintings by Mark Dancey that uses the 1880s building that houses Detroit Contemporary Gallery as a theatrical stage set. Dancey will create site-specific life size trompe l'oeil paintings that, when seen in period lighting, will show us ghostly ladies from the house's sporting past. There is a tango opera onstage, a tarot parlor in the back room, and mysteries revealed upstairs. As viewers we are used to staring at pictures, but these paintings stare back at us in a way that is challenging and provocative.
The reception will take place on Saturday, October 12th from 6pm-10pm
Into the Mystic - A review of “The House of Fancy”
by Bri Hayes for detroit contemporary
Mark Dancey’s exhibition “The House of Fancy” at detroit contemporary is an immersive experience that beckons viewers into a world where mystery, beauty, and symbolism merge to create a hauntingly poetic narrative. The journey begins before you even set foot inside, with three paintings of women gazing out from the second-story windows, their otherworldly beauty inviting you to explore the depths of the Victorian house they inhabit. These alluring figures serve as an initial introduction to the show's themes—fantasy, seduction, and a sense of something ethereal lurking just beyond the surface.
The experience deepens as visitors approach the illuminated red entryway, where we discover that detroit contemporary’s familiar sheep logo has been replaced with a picture of a woman riding a goat. This is a visual reference to medieval illuminated manuscripts and their depiction of the seven deadly sins. Dancey’s choice to use the old symbol for the sin of lust is a fitting prelude to the show’s exploration of indulgence, desire, and the interplay between the real and the imagined. Who’s to say how many other hooved friends are lurking around the corner…
Once you cross the threshold, the exhibition’s atmosphere shifts dramatically. Overhead lighting is absent, leaving viewers to navigate by the soft glow of candlelight. The show presents you with a choice: proceed left through the shadowy gallery or ascend the stairs towards the beguiling women in the windows. Which way will fate lead you? Either option is sure to captivate; but a surprise awaits for those daring enough to venture up.
For those who are more faint of heart and chose to proceed left, are immediately drawn into a world of tango music and Dancey’s remarkable trompe l'oeil paintings, each illuminated by candlelight and footlights. These life-sized, site-specific pieces are hauntingly beautiful, and their creation is a testament to Dancey’s artistry and vision. With the help of photographer Ewolf and burlesque dancers such as Margo Royale and Marina Casanova, Dancey has composed a series of ghostly women whose presence lingers long after you leave the room.
One of the standout pieces in this space is a full-length painting of Marina Casanova, depicted as an opera singer beneath a proscenium arch. With her mouth agape in song and her unwavering gaze, she seems to draw you into her performance, as though she might come to life at any moment. This piece embodies the show's title, "The House of Fancy," where fantasy and reality blur, and the boundaries of time and space seem to dissolve.
As you continue through the gallery, you encounter a provocative double-sided painting of a woman standing between the pocket doors of an archway. Her figure partially blocks the view of the room beyond, but her expression is welcoming, hinting at the mystery that awaits in the next space.
In the following room lies a saloon, a hidden gem reminiscent of the 1800s. Here, you are invited to raise a glass, whether in celebration or despair, while a mysterious man in a painting behind the bar watches over you.
In this evocative setting, Dancey draws inspiration from Federico García Lorca’s poem “The Guitar.” Illustrating the poem’s theme, Dancey shows a guitarist cradling his instrument, his head resting against its curves that echo the contours of a woman’s body. The love between musician and instrument is palpable, yet tinged with melancholy, as five swords pierce his heart—a symbol of the price of passion. The painting captures the tragic beauty of devotion, loss, and the inextricable link between creation and sacrifice.
Had this musician chosen to venture beyond his sorrow into the tarot parlor that lies beyond the pocket doors, he may have discovered a different fate. This room, steeped in mysticism, draws visitors into its chapel-like ambiance. A supernatural glow radiates from the turn-of-the-century fireplace, where large pillar candles burn brightly, illuminating the space with a sense of the sacred. Arranged meticulously along the walls are tarot cards representing the major arcana, created in collaboration with Dancey’s friend Estanislao de Medialao, who also appears in the piece “The Magician.”
Each tarot card is individually spotlighted by votive candles resting in copper sconces, lending the room an aura of both reverence and mystery. The cards themselves seem to hold secrets, each one a gateway to another layer of meaning within the exhibition. This room, with its intricate symbolism and timeless atmosphere, encourages visitors to contemplate the unknowable forces that shape our lives and fates.
In “The House of Fancy,” Mark Dancey has created an environment that discards current notions of art exhibitions. It is a journey through the subconscious, where viewers are invited to confront their desires, fears, and the hidden aspects of themselves. The Victorian setting, filled with rich historical references and visual metaphors, provides the perfect backdrop for this exploration. Dancey’s ability to fuse the old with the new, the real with the imagined, makes this exhibition a deeply engaging and thought-provoking experience.
The immersive nature of the show encourages viewers to engage with the space in a way that feels both personal and transformative. Whether through the seductive power of the paintings, the evocative music, or the eerie glow of the tarot parlor, Dancey invites us to step into the mystic—to confront the unknown and embrace the mysteries of life, art, and the human experience.