Exhibit on perfectionism by Jerry Dienes. LAST DAY!

Jerry “Niggle” Dienes. Photo: Tony Carnes/A Journey through NYC religions

Jerry Dienes creates paintings as they may have been conceived by Niggle, the artist in J.R.R. Tolkien’s parable, “Leaf by NIggle,” of the impossibility of perfection in this life. Dienes painstakingly realized still lives and portraits are forced to be small by their aim at perfect realism. He “embodies the story and examines what it means to lose oneself in pursuit of perfection,” say the show’s curators. Can serenity be found by the perfectionist? Maybe, it can be found in Heaven next to the presence of the perfect God. The artist says that his current show was inspired by Reverend Tim Keller’s 2017 sermon that used Tolkien’s story as an illustration. The art exhibit runs until July 5 at The Gallery at W83 Ministry Center, 150 W. 83 Street (between Amsterdam and Columbus Avenues).