Walk into Civic Theater Gallery 514 and what stands out is artist Khalil Allaik’s impressively large canvas (18 ft. x 48 in.) without a wooden stretcher suspended from the ceiling by a wiring system. “Sedona Vortex” transcends the canvas. Allaik shaped the canvas to give it the illusion of three dimensions.

The exhibition, “The Artwork of Khalil Allaik,” continues through Sept. 30. The gallery is open 30 minutes before film screenings in Civic Theatre514.

The color palette of brown earth tones gives way, if you take several steps back, to metallic hues of blues and greens radiating from canvas crevices. “Sedona Vortex” represents Cathedral Rock, Sedona, Ariz.

“The Sacred Gate” (78 in. x 78 in.) is a square mixed media work. Gaps and spaces resemble amoebas. Circles and waves within the piece give the appearance of movement.

States Allaik in his artist’s statement: “My work is the dialogue between these two limitless universes, one within and one beyond. It is the dialogue between Matter and the Void.”

The dialogue between void and matter in Allaik’s art pieces continues with 10 drypoint etchings in black and gray on paper. The etchings serve as models for the sculpture.

Allaik comes full circle with the steel sculptures representative of his theme of matter and void with shapes and open spaces in the sculpture. Some of the sculpture show grooves from grinder blades, reminiscent of 19th century artists who showed paint strokes on the canvas.

Civic Theater 514 Gallery information: civictheatre.com, 610-432-8943