Kings & Queens

I was lucky to be given the opportunity to make an art installation in such amazing space.

Pictures by Anna Maurrasse

In the box...

A secret drawer or box where to keep little treasures: stones, buttons, shells, stamps...

After a walk on the woods collecting branches, leaves, flowers...

Showing the insect, mineral or art collection

"UN SEUL GRAIN DE RIZ" _ group exhibition in Paris

This year started with the annual exhibition "UN SEUL GRAIN DE RIZ". A small format graphic art competion by "métanoïa" gallery in Paris.

This year theme was the Heraclitan doctrine. More than 300 pieces from 27 different countries were exposed.

My interpretation of the theme were two wall pieces titled “Harmonie dans les chaos”.

Presentation:

"Out of discord comes the fairest harmony". Heraclitus.

Inspired by the Heraclitan doctrine, “Harmonie dans les chaos” consists in two textile pieces where the artist experiments with texture. An eclectic mixture of natural materials is laid randomly. Uniform and neutral colours were chosen for this theme to bring the main focus on the materials and its textures. During the making process, the materials blend in a final piece. Each material brings a different light, weight and surface. When the right balance between the materials is achieved, the result is an organic and poetic equilibrium.

Work in progress: My next installation "Adaptability"

Since April 2014, and after a long brake trying to adapt to my new home in Switzerland, I have been working in my new installation "Adaptability".

"ADAPTABILITY is about multicultural cities and its challenges.

The paradox of Globalization is that in one side is bringing us closer: standardizing quotidian objects and habits, disseminating knowledge and languages, universalizing cultures and ideologies… On the other side, it is facilitating the migration flows, what is pushing us to cohabit with other cultures and confront differences.

What a priory could bring us to a common ground, smooth differences and promote understanding; in fact it is making our cities more diverse than ever, rising cultural tensions and becoming integration a daily challenge.

Globalization, free movement policies, economic crisis… More than ever our cities are receiving people from around the world. A new model of society that integrates all this diversity is needed.

This installation is about flexibility and adaptation to space and context. The installation consist in the repetition of many small pieces to create together a bigger and more significant piece.

Although, each piece has been conceived to share a common goal and their impact on the viewer it is magnifier when unified, they also have been made to be sure that each piece can stand alone and individually produce a reaction in the observer.

Each location evokes a different arrangement, resulting each time in a unique installation with endless possibilities.

The installation pretends to awake spectator’s curiosity, moving from a first general group view to the individuality of each item, all with a touch of humour.

The pieces are abstract and loosely inspired by flowers, their seeds, fruits, buds and reproductive organs."

For this installation I have chosen to work with needle felting, because of its flexibility, and detail capacity.

The installation will be shown to the public for first time as part of the "Common Ground" exhibition.
It will be displayed from the 25th September to the 12th October in Farmleigh gallery, in Phoenix Park, my favourite craft gallery in Dublin. I will post more information soon.

"TimeOut Barcelona" and Barcelona TV talking about my exhibition

For "TimeOut" article, check here.
For Barcelona TV documentary, check Infobarris program from the 01.07.2014 here.

First solo exhibition in CC St. Andreu, Barcelona, from the 23rd June to the 25th July

This is my first solo exhibition, and I am very happy that it is happening in my home town, Barcelona.

 The exhibition is in CC St. Andreu, a small cultural centre, with an exhibition program focused in contemporary art. And it will be running from the 23rd of June until the 25th of July.
The Centre is in charge of all the advertisement, that means: edition and printing of 600 postcards wich are distributed all over Barcelona. The exhibition is also listed in the official summer agenda from the council .

The exhibition room was really spacious, with really tall roofs. Therefore I decided not to crowd the walls and leave them light, and give to every single piece the deserved attention.

The exhibition consists in 16 felted pieces made between 2012 and 2014.

All the pieces were made with the wet felting technique.

the inspiration was still my loved lichens, and endless source of inspiration.  

There was also a more interactive corner, where the visitor, could touch and play with samples. A TV displayed the pictures that I used as inspiration. Finally, a small information point for lichens with definition and curious facts was set up too. 

All the picture were taken professionally by Roberto Ruiz 

So you know, if you are planing a city break in Barcelona, do not missed my expo! More information, here.

Setting goals

In summer 2012, we left Dublin to Zurich. It has taken me more than one year and a half, to sit and look back to my felting.
During this time, all my energy and time was taken by the adaptation to the new country: new job, twice new house, new language, new style of life.... Few times, I tried to block a weekend and felt, but we all know that inspiration just doesn't happen like that.
So two months ago, when things started to settle down, I decided to start from scratch. A new creative phase starts for me in a different life frame. To evolute, I needed to question all my past assumptions, find  new motivations, set new goals, create a new network, confirm if felting is my medium and adapt my creative process to my new life syle.

So, what should you expect in this new phase?
The answer is new art installations and more international exhibitions, solo and group.
Keep an eye, the next months will be exciting...