This was already announced by Richard Wagner when he coined the term “Gesamtkunstwerk”, referring to opera as a total work of art that integrates the six arts: painting, sculpture, music, poetry, dance and architecture.
The Wagnerian ideal seeks a fusion between all the participatory elements of opera, as Jaume Plensa, known for his multifaceted artistic vision, has done. The Catalan artist has taken on the challenge of directing the stage production of the opera Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona.
Verdi’s well-known opera premieres this February 16 under the direction of Josep Pons, with a powerful aesthetic and ritual presence of Jaume Plensa. Inspired by Shakespeare’s Macbeth, the artist confesses that “it is one of the most profound and interesting reflections on duality between body and soul, between abstraction and matter“.
Plensa affirms that “it is one of Shakespeare’s most mental plays, because we have all been Macbeth, Lady Macbeth and other characters in the play at one time or another“, which is addressed “to the deepest sense of the human being“. All in all, for Plensa, Macbeth represents a deeply introspective theatrical work that resonates with the universal human experience. He explains that each character in the play is a representation of diverse aspects of the human being, inviting the viewer to explore his or her own psyche through the operatic narrative.
“I wanted to make a completely mental opera, to see in each scene moments that are like us, we have all been characters in the piece at one time or another“. Through the costumes, with most costumes out of his time, working on the choreography with Antonio Ruiz and lighting with Urs Schönebaum, Jaume Plensa aims to bring the viewer a more spiritual vision of the work, capturing in the best possible way the journey through the imaginary characteristic of the sculptor. His goal is to take the viewer on a spiritual journey through the rich imaginary that characterizes his work as a sculptor.
Last Wednesday, January 18, 2023 will remain engraved in the memory of the children of the Fundación Comtal, an organization that has been working tirelessly since 1994 to provide opportunities for the future to children, adolescents and young people in vulnerable situations and their families. On this special occasion, on the occasion of “World Selfie Day in Museums”, they had the privilege of visiting Galeria SENDA.
From the moment they set foot in the gallery, the young people were greeted with a warm welcome and a detailed explanation of the current exhibition: “Love Song” by renowned artist Elena Del Rivero. Excited by the opportunity to immerse themselves in the world of contemporary art, they listened attentively as the story and meaning behind each work of art on display at SENDA was narrated to them.
After absorbing all the information about the exhibition, came the most exciting moment of the visit. As part of the scheduled activity, each child was invited to choose one of the works on display in the gallery to study it closely. With pencils and paper in hand, they immersed themselves in a world of creativity and expression. With each stroke, they tried to capture the essence and beauty of the surrounding artwork. From the vibrant colors to the smallest details, each child let their imagination run wild as they brought their own interpretation of the works to life.
Amidst laughter and murmurs of excitement, the young people shared their creations with each other, enthusiastically describing every detail they had captured in their drawings. For many of them, this experience was much more than just an artistic exercise; it was a unique opportunity to express their emotions and unleash their creativity.
As the visit came to an end, the young people left Galeria SENDA with a sense of satisfaction and pride in what they had accomplished. For them, this experience was not only an opportunity to explore the world of art, but also a reminder that, despite the challenges they face in their daily lives, they have the power to create beauty and meaning around them.
In short, “World Selfie Day at Museums” was not only a celebration of art, but also a reminder of the positive impact art can have on the lives of children, especially those who need it most. Although it may seem like a global, absurd and little-known day, it is thanks to such oddities that art never dies. Moreover, thanks to initiatives such as the one proposed by Galeria SENDA for this celebration, art continues to be a beacon of hope and creativity for future generations. Because, as the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, said: “Without art, life would be a mistake“.
Chus Roig, partner and co-founder of the gallery during the explanation with the Fundació Comtal group
Here are some of the most outstanding drawings that the children of the Fundació Comtal created for this initiative, along with their respective original work:
Jaume Plensa Martina (2022) Wood, 140 x 32 x 44 cm
Túlio Pinto Complicity #29 (2021) Steel and glass, 140 x 40 x 96 cm
Stephan Balkenhol Man with pink tie (2022) Wood, 120 x 95.5 x 11.7 cm
Elena Del Rivero #102 (2020) Collage with damaged and recovered fragments of acrylic on canvas, oil, thread and canvas plastered on museum board, 29 x 23 cm
Evru Zush Girls Of My Life (1988) Oil on paper, 92 x 184 cm
Elena del Rivero has generated new music sheets, compositions constituted in and from the fragment, a palimpsest of memories that create community and collective imagination. Each work is nourished by previous gestures and generates choreographies in which we can intervene from shared thought. All these works accompany each other and are constellations that make up her vital imagination.
In this stellar space other voices resonate, other internal and social movements. In this space that welcomes us today, intimate passages and collective revolts are presented in constant dialogue, all forging her visual writing. Images, words, sound, spaces, her universe flies over us and touches us.
Without this necessary friction, the movement that fosters conduction would not take place, which, in the composer’s words, becomes a universal vocabulary in which music becomes language, made up of gestures and cadences, of fragments and memories of a collective ritual.
Some of the fragments that make up these collages were part of other works that were on the floor of his old studio, located on Cedar Street in New York, the day the attack took place of the World Trade Center, on September 11, 2001.
We could imagine that, months later, after collecting the fragments, Butch Morris was being heard in some room in the city. Tunes that coexist and promote frequencies from almost forgotten remnants. It is interesting to point to that gesture before and after something, it is interesting to think together about that universal conduction.
It is convenient to attend to the generated landscapes, to the ritual that surrounds them and allows us to be united, with that pairing of images, rhythms and stories, with that simultaneity that promotes the performativity of the ritual.
The Círculo Ecuestre is organizing this year 2022 its third edition of By Invitation: Círculo Internacional de Arte Moderno y Contemporáneo, at the club’s headquarters, located at 169 Bis Balmes Street. From December 14 to 18, twenty-three galleries, both national and international, have been chosen to exhibit representative works of modern and contemporary art in this Barcelona space. The By Invitation initiative arose from the mind of businessman and politician Enrique Lacalle, vice-president of the Círculo Ecuestre, in response to the need to offer the city of Barcelona a unique artistic event in an exclusive environment that makes attendees feel part of a special circle. Such has been the success of this annual exhibition that this year the Círculo Ecuestre is hosting the event for the third consecutive year.
For this edition of By Invitation 2022, we present part of the collections of some of the artists that make up the essence of Galeria SENDA. Firstly, the internationally known Jaume Plensa will exhibit his spectacular bronze sculpture “Study for Martina” as well as his work on paper “Dee“. His projects, characterized by monumentality and the exploration of the duality between the material and the immaterial, stand out for his ability to create sculptures that transcend the physical and explore the human essence and communication. Plensa is recognized for his public sculptures located in cities around the world, which awaken reflection and emotional connection with the viewer.
Joining this artistic event are the works of Antoni Tàpies, the prominent Catalan artist known for his contribution to the informal art movement or informalism and for his exploration of matter and textures in his artistic representations. Tàpies developed a distinctive style that combined abstract elements with symbols and signs charged with meaning. His work reflects his interest in the spiritual and metaphysical, using everyday materials such as soil, sand and found objects to create a unique artistic expression that challenges the traditional conventions of art. Tàpies left a lasting legacy in Spanish and international contemporary art, being recognized as one of the most influential artists of the 20th century. Part of his legacy will be exhibited in this edition of By Invitation with works such as “LLULL XXXIV” or “Polze núm.2“.
North American Peter Halley will also be exhibiting at the Círculo Ecuestre this year. Peter Halley is an outstanding artist whose work has left a profound mark on the international art scene. Recognized for his participation in the neo-geo movement of the 1980s, Halley uses geometry as a language to explore space and time in our contemporary society. His works, with cold, rectilinear geometric forms, reflect the closed and often oppressive order of our urban environment. Through his characteristic roll-a-tex texture and expressive use of color, Halley establishes connections to Pop Art and mass culture, offering a critical and reflective look at our social and political reality.
Yago Hortal and his monumental canvases will be hanging on the walls of By Invitation III. Born in Barcelona, he is an artist noted for fusing chance and consciousness in his creative process, turning the canvas into a vibrant stage where color comes to life. His expressive and passionate style invites the viewer to experience tactile sensations, creating a unique connection between the work and the viewer. A dozen of his canvases can be seen on the walls of the Círculo Ecuestre.
Xavi Bou‘s chronophotographic work will also be on display for this new edition. A geologist by training and photographer by passion, Bou has fused his love for the natural sciences with his artistic ability to reveal the hidden beauty of nature. Inspired by his experiences in the wetlands of the Llobregat delta, Bou has developed his most emblematic project, “Ornithographies,” which captures the invisible patterns traced by birds in the sky during flight. Through a unique combination of art and science, Bou has managed to challenge human perception and offer a new perspective of the natural world. This exhibition will feature three of his photographs from “Ornithographies“.
Túlio Pinto and his sculptural work “Complicity #34” will be present as part of SENDA‘s gallery proposal for By Invitation 2022. The Brazilian sculptor defies physical laws through his work, creating tensions and balances that defy gravity. With a background in Fine Arts and specialization in sculpture, Pinto uses a variety of opposing materials, such as cement, iron and frozen water, to achieve a unique harmony in his works.
Galeria SENDA‘s latest proposal is Gonzalo Guzmán, a sculptor from Madrid who, in his recent projects, uses lucid dreams as a source of inspiration and inner exploration in his art. His sculptures, which represent the metallic structures of his dreams, challenge the limits of reality and perception. By questioning our beliefs through art, Guzmán invites us to reflect on the world around us and our relationship with it.
In collaboration with Lab36, we will also exhibit works by Albert Pinya and Mina Hamada. Pinya, a multidisciplinary artist, explores human duality and social tensions through his works. With a provocative style and vibrant palette, he addresses themes such as identity, power and contemporary culture. His paintings and sculptures, charged with symbolism and energy, incite the viewer to question the complexity of the modern world and human interactions. On the other hand, multicultural artist Hamada fuses influences from East and West in her expressive murals and artworks. With a palette of warm colors and organic forms, Hamada invites the viewer to explore her dream world, where youth and philosophical depth intertwine harmoniously.
LAB36 – Booth E9
Galeria SENDA – Booth E9
Xavi Bou & Gonzalo Guzmán
Carlos Durán & Enrique Lacalle
Albert Pinya
Installation shot 2020
Installation shot 2021
As this is a private social club, access to enjoy the exhibitions is by invitation only. To obtain one of these, please contact the gallery in advance. In addition, and in parallel to the exhibition, there will be a series of conferences related to the works presented. For more information about the By Invitation III program, click on the following link https://byinvitation.es/ and discover every detail of this new edition.
This morning, along with Chus Roig, we have visited Evru Zush at his home studio in Barcelona.
We remember his exhibition “Volver a ser” at Galeria SENDA almost three years ago, an exhibition of small-format pencil drawings with which he presents hybrid beings with a human face and a snake body.
Evru Zush‘s work is characterized by the construction of a personal and autobiographical mythology, based on images that seem to overflow and the creation of his own style of writing, giving rise to multiple parallel universes that maintain a subtle balance where the logic of composition barely keeps the chaos in check.
During the creative process of his latest exhibition at the gallery, Evru Zush noticed that the drawings he was working on corresponded to the iconographic structure of the representations of the “Nagas”, Hindu deities with a human face and torso, generally female, and snake body. In this way, Evru’s constant desire to “be again” materializes, in the present exhibition, in the representation of snakes, beings that, like the artist himself, shed their skin in a natural process of renewal and increase.
Exhibition “Volver a Ser” Evru Zush in Galeria SENDA 2020
On January 12 at 7 pm Imma Prieto, director of Es Baluard, and Mateo Feijoo, curator of the El Archivo del Polvo project, will present LOVE SONG at Galeria SENDA
The exhibition is dedicated to the life and work of Lawrence D. “Butch” Morris (02.10.197 Long Beach CA.- 01.29.2013 Brooklyn, NY) whose music can be heard during the course of the exhibition courtesy of the artist’s legacy – with our thanks.
Del Rivero will present a selection of works taken from various projects carried out throughout his career that culminate in the concept of admiration for life and experience – leitmotiv and essence of the artist’s inspiration.
In the context of the last stage of the ”Dust Archive” (2001-2021), Love Song will include the 30 collages-assemblages that were presented in Es Baluard, Palma de Mallorca, built with pieces of painting rescued from his study of works destroyed during the 9/11 attack.
From “Letters from Home”, where the artist delves into the domestic with the kitchen table as a banner, the artist proposes a conceptual experience with kitchen towels-paintings from different years.
Elena also incorporates works related to the “Letters to the Mother” , another of her great projects since 1991, with elements that she has used constantly throughout her career such as needles, painting, embroidery and fabrics.
The exhibition is completed with ”Fragments of my Ruin”, a work in which all his ethical and aesthetic concerns of recent years come together in a large installation.
The artist Elena Del Rivero for Metal Magazine
With a photograph of Butch walking through the East Village in New York and taken by Elena in 2008, the exhibition will close along with others taken during the Black Lives Matter demonstrations in the Soho neighborhood. The images will accompany us throughout the visit as a reflection on the historical, the collective and the personal in the context of an immediate present.
Elena del Rivero has lived and worked in New York, USA, since 1991. She has had individual exhibitions at the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía (Madrid); New Museum (New York), Corcoran Gallery of Art Washington D.C.); International Center of Photography (New York); The Drawing Center (New York); or the Patio Herreriano Museum in Valladolid, among others.
Last Monday, November 7, Barcelona became the epicenter of art and reflection when Galeria SENDA opened its doors to welcome three prominent names from the cultural world: sculptor Jaume Plensa, photographer Jean-Marie del Moral and journalist Màrius Carol. The reason for this meeting was the presentation of the book “Interior, 2022”, a work that transcends the printed pages to explore the challenges and opportunities faced by creators in the context of a globalized market.
The theme of the talk, entitled “Shared Challenges. Creating in a Global Marketplace“, addressed profound and pertinent questions about the creative process in the contemporary world. How do artists face the pressure of producing in a globalized environment? What impact do market trends have on creativity and originality? These were some of the questions raised during the conversation, which turned into an exciting dialogue between creative minds.
Jaume Plensa, known for his imposing sculptures that explore the relationship between the individual and the environment, shared his vision of the need to maintain authenticity in a world flooded with external influences. For Plensa, true creativity arises from the connection with oneself and the surrounding environment, and it is crucial to preserve that connection in a globalized context.
For his part, Jean-Marie del Moral, whose photography captures the essence of urban life and human diversity, spoke about the role of art as a tool for expression and resistance in an increasingly homogenized world. For Del Moral, creativity is an act of resistance against uniformity, a way of celebrating the diversity and complexity of the world we inhabit.
Màrius Carol, a journalist with a long career in the cultural field, provided a unique perspective on the role of the media in the promotion and dissemination of contemporary art. In a world where attention is fragmented and information is constantly flowing, Carol stressed the importance of telling authentic and meaningful stories that connect with audiences on an emotional level.
The presentation of the book “Interior, 2022” marked the beginning of a series of #SENDATalks, a typology of talks organized by Galeria SENDA that brings together artists, creators and thinkers to explore relevant topics in the world of art and culture. These meetings provide a platform for the exchange of ideas, debate and reflection, fostering an open and enriching dialogue between different disciplines and perspectives.
The event concluded with a question and answer session, where the audience had the opportunity to interact with the speakers and delve deeper into the topics discussed. The atmosphere was one of inspiration and camaraderie, leaving a lasting impression on all present and sowing the seeds for future conversations and creative collaborations. In short, the talk at Galeria SENDA was much more than a book presentation; it was a transformative encounter that illuminated the complexities and challenges of the creative process in the 21st century, and demonstrated the power of art and culture to bring people together and enrich our lives.
In this edition of the fair Estampa we present a single show by the Brazilian artist Iran Do Espirito Santo with a sample of watercolors produced throughout the confinement, with which the artist inaugurates the use of color while remaining faithful to his own refined and austere style.
Galeria SENDA booth at Estampa art fair, IFEMA Madrid
In this exhibition entitled “El Pangolín”, Do Espirito Santo builds perfectly balanced geometric representations thanks to a gaze focused on detail.
The title is shared with the writings of Enrique Juncosa co-published by SENDA Essay and by Turner, which will be presented during the fair. The watercolors illustrate this anthology and create a relationship between the two poetics: the pictorial discourse and literature harmonize in a single aesthetic in which the delicate works of Espírito Santo shape the game of ideas that Juncosa proposes to us.
Since 1993, the Italian Massimo Vitali stands on a platform several meters high, and with a large camera he photographs beaches, nightclubs, ski resorts, supermarkets, swimming pools and other busy leisure areas.
The work of this contemporary photographer embodies the essence of leisure activity in the summer season.
But there’s more than meets the eye when it comes to this author’s idyllic seascapes. Vitali responded to the political turmoil in Italy in the 1940s, launching his beach series in the mid-1990s as a political commentary on mass tourism and social complacency. While Vitali’s photographs seem to depict the paradisiacal appearance from each place he captures, his work actually focuses on the individuals who appear in the composition and their collective response to society.
Using the beach as a platform for social research, Vitali sought to photograph bathers in their most vulnerable state in order to document society in its most authentic state Most of the artist’s work captures tourist destinations in Italy as it retains the idea that taking quality photos does not necessarily require traveling outside of your local community. Some of the famous places immortalized in Vitali’s work include Spargi Cala Corsara Cala Mariolu Porto Miggiano and Cefalù Viareggio however Vitali has since it has expanded beyond the borders of Italy to vacation spots in Brazil, Greece, Turkey and Spain.
Massimo Vitali, by Wallpaper*
Since the start of his iconic beach series, Vitali has continued to explore the natural environment, but instead focused on the impact of human disturbance on nature In contrast to his coastal scenes, Vitali focuses less on the pleasure and leisure of people and, instead, in the complex relationship between humans and their impact on the environment his most recent series entitled Disturbed Coastal Systems (April 2017) reveals an implicit message of the tension built between the man and nature.
Dates
08.09.2022- 02.10.2022
Organizer Government of Cantabria. General Directorate of Culture and PHotoESPAÑA
Headquarters
Central Library of CantabriaC/ Ruiz de Alda, 19, 39009 Santander
It has been confirmed that Do Espirito Santo will be making a large wall painting (a version of ‘En Passant‘) at the exhibition of Contemporary Latin American Art that has the Cisneros collection as a starting point. Open on April 30th, 2023.
