Three months ago, our main gallery in Barcelona was filled with what seemed like small windows that led us to explore landscapes from around the world through the collective exhibition "New Landscapes." And now Alzueta Gallery brings together twelve talented artists once again to repeat this captivating exercise, but this time in the heart of the country. That's right, "Nuevos Paisajes" lands in Madrid starting this June.
The term "landscape" is so rich and multifaceted that capturing its essence with words proves difficult. It is one of those words that encompasses so many meanings that it seems to defy any attempt at exhaustive description. Perhaps it is precisely because of this mysticism and fascinating challenge of representation that landscapes have been one of the most persistent and enduring themes in the history of art. Throughout the centuries, in any era and place, there has always been someone willing to capture the majesty of a landscape in their work. And now, as we organize this exhibition, we realize that the heart of this visual phenomenon resides in the uniqueness of each artist.
In " Nuevos Paisajes," the focus paradoxically does not solely revolve around the landscapes themselves but on the personalities and visions of those who have assimilated and represented them. In a time when technology has further connected our collective minds and imaginations, it is particularly interesting and valuable that each artist can embody their own interpretation of what a landscape represents, drawing from the ideas we all share. We could even say that, in essence, "Nuevos Paisajes" blurs the boundary between portraiture and landscape, merging both forms of expression into a singular visual experience.
Drawing analogies between cinematography and everyday life through representations of spaces, Hugo Alonso's (Spain, 1981) work confirms this theory of the portrait-landscape, which repeats itself in both art history and cinema screens. Francisco Mendes Moreira (Portugal, 1979), whose work is defined as 'a way to resolve and reflect on ideas triggered by contemporary culture,' always resorts to the representation of what we initially recognize as familiar landscapes. 'I use the surrounding nature to create works in which I can confront my inner conflicts,' says Raffael Bader (Germany, 1987) when discussing his work. Vinna Begin (Indonesia, 1971) describes her landscape works as portraits of experiences. The compositions of Juan Narowé (Brazil, 1993) blur the line between subject and landscape, pushing the personification of the backdrop to its limits. Jan Monclús's (Spain, 1987) work generates a constant interplay between the referential and the creative process, with his pieces resulting from how figurative painting is contaminated by the painter, their 'errors,' and psyche, thus creating our possibilities. Guim Tió's (Spain, 1987) mountains and meadows are memories of things that never happened. The mind of Gabrielle Graessle (Switzerland, 1956) functions as a filter between what she sees, what she feels, and what she ends up representing. This filtering effect is also evident in the work of Xevi Solà (Spain, 1969), whose reinterpretation is splashed with colors as expected from a master of chromaticism. The practice of John Joseph Mitchell (United States, 1989) evokes the emotional range of visual experience. James Morse (United States, 1982) uses earth imagery as a language to explore the emotions that arise when contemplating our existence. Larissa Lockshin (Canada, 1992) consistently cultivates spatial awareness in the viewer through materials and their relationship with the body, going a step further and planting the doubt of whether our landscapes have ever been objective in the viewer's mind.
In " Nuevos Paisajes'' none of the landscapes are limited to being mere representations. Each artwork is a unique and personal interpretation. This exhibition is not just a collection of landscapes but a collection of conscious or unconscious artistic self-portraits. It is a visual treasure that invites us to delve into introspection, questioning our perception of nature and our own existence. At Alzueta Gallery, we are thrilled to present this unique experience to the public once again, enriching our minds and senses with these "New Landscapes."
History is filled with accidental self-portraits hidden behind mountains, lakes, plains, and skies.
Press release courtesy Alzueta Gallery.
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