Nuevos Paisajes
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.
THE SOMEONE(S)
NOW IN MADRID
VINNA BEGIN
Indonesia, 1971
HARMONY no.11
2022. Coloured pencil on carboard. 43,5 x 34 cm
HARMONY no.6
2022. Coloured pencil on carboard. 43,5 x 34 cm
RAFFAEL BADER
Germany, 1987
WHERE IT WAITS
2022. Oil on canvas. 75 x 90 cm
VENISON
2022. Oil on canvas. 160 x 130 cm
ROAM THE CANYON I
2022. Oil on canvas. 140 x 115 cm
FLOATING HEAVINESS
2022. Oil on canvas. 140 x 115 cm
HUGO ALONSO
Spain, 1981
THE 10 SUMMITS
2023. Acrylic on belgium linen. 133,5 x 100 cm
FIRST WEEK
2023. Acrylic on Belgium linen. 133,5 x 100 cm
JAN MONCLÚS
Spain, 1987
SUNSET
2021. Oil on linen. 46 x 38 cm
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.
GABRIELLE GRAESSLE
Switzerland, 1956
UNTITLED
2021. Acrylic and spray paint on canvas. 30 x 40 cm
UNTITLED
2021. Acrylic and spray paint on canvas. 30 x 40 cm
HOMELAND I
2023. Acrylic spray on canvas. 180 x 260 cm
FRANCISCO MENDES MOREIRA
Portugal, 1979
GREEN RIVER
2023. Oil pastel on paper. 78,5 x 63 cm
FROST
2023. Oil pastel on paper. 78,5 x 63 cm
MOODY
2023. Oil pastel on paper. 78,5 x 63 cm
LARISSA LOCKSHIN
Canada, 1992
UNTITLED (JUNIPER’S MOON)
2022. Oil and soft pastel on stain. 42 x 52 cm
JAMES P. MORSE
US, 1982
BENT REED AND GOLDEN SEDGE
2022. Oil paint on wood panel and wood frame. 39 x 33 cm
LONG TO ROW THE INLAND SEA
2023. Oil paint on wood panel and wood frame. 47 x 41 cm
STUDY FOR A PURPLE FOREST
2022. Oil paint on wood panel and wood frame. 51 x 71 cm
MOON ON FALLEN TREES
2023. Oil paint on wood panel and wood frame. 71 x 61 cm
THE EVER-CHANCHING SHORE
2023. Oil paint on wood panel and wood frame. 61 x 71 cm
WHAT I SAW
2023. Oil paint on wood panel and wood frame. 105 x 125 cm
JUAN NAROWÉ
Brazil, 1993
UNTITLED
2023. Acrylic on canvas. 162 x 130 cm
PRODIGIOSIMO MILIGRAMO
2023. Acrylic on canvas. 64 x 53 cm
TORBELLINO
2023. Acrylic on canvas. 64 x 53 cm
XEVI SOLÀ
Spain, 1969
BE A PLAYER
2023. Oil on canvas. 119 x 92 cm
DON’T BE GRAY
2023. Oil on canvas. 119 x 92 cm
BE CONTEMPORARY
2023. Oil on canvas. 119 x 92 cm
JOHN J. MITCHELL
US, 1989
LAKE DUNE
2022. Oil on board. 33 x 49 cm
SNOW COVERED LANDSCAPE
2022. Oil on board. 23 x 39 cm
SNOWY LANDSCAPE WITH SAPLINS
2022. Oil on board. 28 x 39 cm
SNOW COVERED LANDSCAPE
2022. Oil on board. 23 x 39 cm
SNOWY LANDSCAPE WITH SAPLINS
2022. Oil on board. 28 x 39 cm
GUIM TIÓ
Spain, 1987
UNTITLED
Watercolour on old postcard. 40,5 x 30,5 cm
UNTITLED
2023. Oil on canvas. 55 x 46 cm
UNTITLED
Watercolour on old postcard. 40,5 x 30,5 cm
UNTITLED
2023. Oil on canvas. 118 x 91 cm
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 still full of accidental self-portraits hidden behind mountains, lakes, plains and skies.
