Questioning the sense of imagery through the power of art, the dialogue between different medium and the expansion of artistic boundaries are central thematic in today women visions. Collectively the artists selected in this ‘parcours’ challenge the conventional within the medium, offering new possibilities of perception and interpretation of art. Coming from different cultures, generations and life experiences these artists question the sense of the vision, the instability of the meaning we assign to things and the role we play in today's society.
By Emanuela Mazzonis
Memory as a driving force in art
The theme of memory, as a ‘memento’ of distant places part of our childhood, of times gone by and of fairy tales that have accompanied human growth, are recurring themes in the works of various artists. Malgosia Jankowska (1978, Poland) represented by Victor Lope Arte Contemporaneo (A02) through her translucent and delicate watercolors contrasts nature and human identity, past and present, dream and reality, fears and desires reminding us of the role of our secret subconsciousness. Claire Nicolet (1988, France) represented by EDJI Gallery (D12) focuses on monochromatic blue landscapes reminiscent of distant worlds suspended between reality and imagination, peacefulness and solitude. The floral silhouettes that stand out perfectly against the landscape backgrounds lead our mind to travel into surreal places, distracting us from the usual frenzy and inviting us to activate our imagination
Passage of time
Michelle Paterok (1994, Canada) represented by Duran Contemporary (D19) is questioning the passage of time in relation to the static frame of painting, using small gesture in her compositions, she explores the way we store images through time and experience. Using linen as a pictorial surface, she creates compositions that appear opaquer at first sight but then, as the viewer gets closer, is possible to discover details of known places and everyday objects that embrace new visual poetry. Tomona Matsukawa (1987, Japan) represented by Ceysson & Bénétière (B03) emphasizes the importance of human relationships in her paintings, whose titles recall conversations with other women of her generation, testifying to a present that flows inexorably. Like small still life compositions, immortalizing a moment of everyday life, these canvases remind us of the importance of common gestures and the vulnerability of our actions. Interrogations that are posed on the uncertainty of the current era, without providing certain answers, are found in the works of Taisia Korotkova (1980, Russia) represented by Galerie de l’Est - Darya Brient (C02). She questions also the rapidity of new technologies , pointing out contemporary aspects of human life in relation to the aging of our current era. As main technique she uses egg tempera on gesso and wood panel, underlining the importance of artisanal and long processes that translate new volume to the shapes and more brightness to the compositions. As an interval from the daily grind, Clara Bryon's canvases (1990, France) represented by Quai 4 Galerie (D05) become a moment of suspension between the light that shapes the architecture and the material that sculpts the bodies. A balance between strength and delicacy that must find a pictorial equilibrium, in an harmony of geometry and forms that spontaneously dialogue together.
The gesture at the heart of the work of art
Tiffany Bouelle (1992 France) represented by Galerie Porte B. (D20) explores new media combining the heritage of Japanese calligraphy with painting, watercolor, textile and sculpture. She questions every personal act as a symbol of creation to compare to the world around herself, pushing the boundaries between art, craft, materiality and gestures. Her canvases become portals to new visual universes bringing our perception to underline the importance of the single gesture as a visual symbol that goes beyond pictorial limits. The importance of the artistic gesture is central in the multi layered work by Myriam Holme (1971, Germany) represented by Bernhard Knaus Fine Art (C01) who, through the use of industrial materials, investigates the sense of transformation, expanding the concept of painting. The surfaces are tactile, the visible traces of paint are juxtaposed to graphic structures and metal layers that open new narratives between abstraction and materiality. Gabriele Basch (1964, Germany) represented by Galerie Carolyn Heinz (C11) is a pioneer in the creation of new patterns through the cutting gesture. She deconstructs in order to construct a new creation, after coloring the back of the papers, she starts cutting and remodeling the material. New shapes, grids and patterns are formed and have gained new visual life. Again, the boundary of art is pushed far away, the painting dimension is now open to new visual motif as a musical composition.
