In every art exhibition, there are works that have a greater impact than others, and this varies from person to person. We all have different tastes and preferences, and that is the beauty of art: each person can see different things or identify with one work or another.
The truth is that art dates back many years in history. I would say that art has existed since the dawn of humanity itself. There has always been an expression of art, where feelings, emotions, ways of seeing life, experiences, everyday things, and history itself were captured. Art and culture are closely related, so art and life are very closely linked, and in turn linked to the visions or perspectives of artists.
I recently attended a large exhibition. It was too big, but this time I bring you the works that I liked the most, that impacted me the most, especially those with textures in their technique, which I love. As I approached the paintings, I could see the relief in each part of the work, and I love getting as close as possible to appreciate that and photograph them.
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Of course, there is a limit to how close you can get in museums; they put a line in front of the work and I can't get any closer than that. But the works I am bringing you today were so beautiful, at least in my view, that I took several photos of the same work in many cases.
Many people know that I love eyes, because they represent vision, gazes, and I love looking into people's eyes, as they say a lot about the person. But in art, many artists apply this, which is perhaps why this art exhibition was called ‘Artist's Gazes’.
I like to take photos of my surroundings, of the staircase that leads me to the hall, or rather I should say the great hall, because the dimensions are enormous. The common factor in all the works is the relationship between art, life, feelings and the artists' gazes. It goes beyond time, because the works belong to many different years, but the terms I mentioned before have no time or space, they are simply life itself.
‘Hineni (E. 3:4)’, 2018 – Julie Mehretu
This work is done in ink and acrylic on canvas, where geographical, historical and political themes are related in an abstract way. It refers to fires in Burma in 2017 and forest fires in California in 2018. The work refers to fire and what it causes, alluding to climate change and ethnic cleansing, with the artist making reference to the current world.
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‘Arrow in the Garden’, 1929 – Paul Klee
This work is done in oil and tempera on linen canvas. Here the lines and signs are engraved on the fresh paint, with the sun visible at the top and various plants at the bottom. The arrow tells us where the centre is, as the balance of the whole, movement and life.
If you look closely, other shapes appear in the painting. Try taking several close-up photos and see what was there. There are many geometric figures, such as a cross, a rhombus, a spiral and much more.
‘Armpit Hair’, 1972 – Rosemarie Castoro
I was surprised by the variety of materials used in this work: Masonite, wood, plaster, graphite, and varnish. It alludes to the body in motion, to minimalism within gestural abstraction. A sculpture composed of layers of plaster, covered with graphite on a wooden support. It is an abstract and feminist sculpture, with a certain degree of humour alluding to the shaved female body.
‘The Division of Waters’, 1954-1955 – Marcelle Loubchansky
More than a division of waters, I see the universe. What do you see?
‘Number 26 A, Black and White’, 1948 – Jackson Pollock
I don't think this artist needs any introduction; he is very famous and many people must know him. This work was created with glycerophthalic paint on canvas. It reminded me a lot of a friend who says he sees faces and shapes in this artist's paintings, when others only see what looks like someone simply splattering paint at random.
It is true that, when you look at it, the intersections of many curves and lines create shapes. What do you think?
‘Three Days of Death’, 1958-1963 and ‘Ray’, 1956 – Judit Reigl
Both works are mixed media on canvas. Abstract expressionist art, created by projection and manual application of pigments. They allude to flight, rhythm and pulsation in one case and the anguish and torment of the artist in the other.
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‘Reflections of a Waterfall 1’, 1982 – Louise Nevelson
Painted wood and mirrors are the materials used in this work, inspired by the artist's father, who worked in a wood factory, and Mayan geometric sculptures. What do you see in this work?
“Cape Count”, 2018 – Caroline Achaintre
This work was created using tufted wool, a technique used to make carpets, whereby the artist inserted wool threads into the canvas using a compressed air gun. It alludes to a giant mask or ghostly clothing, playing with pareidolia within the abstract figures. What do you see?
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“Sporal (Dome)”, 2023 – Mimosa Echard
I saved my favourite work of all those I have presented for last, mainly because of the colours and textures, and the number of materials used. These include capsules, pearl necklaces, fake flower pistils, rubber bands, false eyelashes, lotus pollen, make-up remover sponges, bracelets, rings, mirrors, printed fabrics, textiles, lacquer, varnish, glue and more.
In this way, the artist creates hybrid ecosystems with the natural and the artificial, the living and the dead, a fusion of all of these elements. The artist draws inspiration from myxomycetes, cells that are a cross between animals, plants and fungi, mysterious forms. I find the work truly marvellous; it is eccentric and psychedelic, yet harmonious at the same time.
It was an art exhibition that left me in awe, and I wanted to bring my favourites from all the works I saw, which were actually many, to this community. As always, at the museum exit, the shop awaits visitors with many items.
Thank you very much for joining me today, I wish you a very good Sunday. See you soon.
Amonet.
All photographs are my own.
