Once explained, the idea of reality versus photography versus painting became evident in the works shown. For example, Jonathan’s rendition of Man Ray’s "The Kiss" depicts the subject of Man Ray’s original famous photo with the photographer himself in front of it. To play with the imagery even further, Jonathan painted his own replica in such a way that it will compel any unknowing viewer into believing that the work was an actual photo of Man Ray in front of his famous picture. With ‘original replicas,’ such as his rendition of "The Kiss," and the other similar works hung in the gallery, Jonathan has created a new and exciting element of art expression. Jonathan Santlofer has brought all of the qualities of photography, painting and the relationship between an artist and his art to a new and mysterious level.

On tour in the gallery, Jonathan discussed his Miniatures section. "All of the little works started as a really weird thing. A museum in Holland, called the Museum of Miniatures, asked me to do a piece two years ago. They invite artists from all over the world, and they keep the works in one townhouse. So, after seeing the catalogue, I decided to try one of my own. I love the idea of the work acting like a little three by three toy. One of my main concerns is how you can play two dimensional and three dimensional art against each other and with each other, and how it plays on the viewer’s sense of reality. Does the carved portrait feel more real than a painted one? Not necessarily."

Moving on from the miniatures, Jonathan brought our attention to the larger canvases that offered up very familiar portraits. "‘The Factory’ was where Andy Warhol did all of his art. "What I’ve done in all of these paintings is I’ve imagined what Andy Warhol would have liked. It’s like you’ve found this photograph and tacked it up on the wall."

A painting of Marilyn Monroe and Jackie Kennedy meeting in the Warhol ‘factory’ for a moment that never existed represents another way Santlofer plays with reality. "Of course Marilyn was dead before Andy Warhol started painting her, and I don’t even know if Jackie Kennedy ever made it to Andy Warhol’s studio. But, Andy was about creating icons out of our culture. I thought how perfect to just recreate those icons. I do this to say to the viewer, ‘this is real, but it isn’t.’ Then I paint it sort of like an impressionist painting so that it takes on ideas about photography and painting simultaneously."

For Santlofer, the Picassos are "really my fun." Honing into the artist’s art, his love of life and women, "I put him (Picasso) into each of the paintings and he is having some kind of encounter with one of his wives or girlfriends. What I wanted people to think is, ‘I know that painting,’ and then take a minute and realize what has been altered. I thought that Picasso would really enjoy these. They’re all carved first. I did that so it would feel like a unit before I moved on and painted them."