Artistellar is proud to present The Mosaic of Blossom, a group exhibition with works by Sara Bonache, Rosalind Howdle, and Megan Menzies. The research behind this show surrounds a quest of the three artists' lifelong fascination with nature, femininity, and the bond between these. The exhibition aims at forging brand-new conversations around such topics. The Mosaic of Blossom can be thought of as a parallel investigation of the meaning of nature as it relates to life and women as they relate to nature, a life-giving narrative.
The relationship between female artists and nature is probably the most enduring love affair in art history, often depicted and honoured through centuries. Nature mirrors women for its ability to sustain life, being comforting and loving at the same time. Just like the female body, nature follows cycles, often evoked by circular patterns and echoing shapes on the canvas. In The Mosaic of Blossom, nature becomes the looking glass of these three women; it is intuitive and intimate and reciprocates women's needs in an attempt to restore their primitive bond.
The selected works align with those by American artist Georgia O'Keeffe and Swedish artist Hilma Af Klint, drawing elements such as vibrant colours, varied textures, and geometric symmetries. Each artist's style breathes in the liminal space between abstraction and figuration, an indirect yet intuitive representation of these organic emblems.
Sara Bonache (b.1991) engages with a sparkling visual lexicon and undulating lines. Her blossoms vibrantly rip off the canvas with lively colours and often evokes vulvar forms. Texts refer to her oeuvre as a continuous liaison of women's anatomy and plants' physiognomy. However, as much as the blossoms bloom outwardly, they are equally inbound explorations of what lies beyond what the eyes can reach. Bonache's works communicate courage, vigour, and power with the soft voluptuousness of her thousands of petals.
Rosalind Howdle (b.1997) focuses on the interconnection between entities in her practice. Whether it be two humans, two forms, or two paintings, she is interested in what sparks when the intersection happens; the divine force that creates energies.
Entirely non-verbal but intelligible, her artworks look at her art as a journey out of traditional categorization and classical iconographies. Everything in her work - from the use of volumes to the use of light - exudes a sense of research into what love and care for someone or something stand for.
Megan Menzies (b.1995) explores the relationship with the body as if relating to earthly energies. In her oeuvre, the body becomes the ground for nature to flourish and bloom in different ways. Lavender sprouts stick out of a belly and gently tickle an ear; faces are rarely portrayed; only the body is centred. She crafts a whimsical world where anatomical parts of the body blur the line between sky and earth. The earthly connection appears inevitable, almost a prerequisite. Her body of work originates from a deep state of melancholy and nostalgia and can be interpreted as a glimpse into her innermost essence.
All the works presented thrive together if encapsulated in a logic of emotional intimacy.
The Mosaic of Blossom is a space where the viewer is invited to step outside the comfort zone and enter a space that is personal and universal, but vulnerable. The exhibition enhances a visual response to formal elements such as light, colour, and texture, as well as an emotional one.
Lastly, The Mosaic of Blossom intends to craft a space that is always welcome, recognizable, and relatable for whoever enter
Text by Bianca Spaggiari