Not All Who Wander Are Lost

Med Armando Mariño’s anden udstillingen i galleriet ”Not All Who Wander Are Lost” præsenterer den internationale kunstner en ny billedserie med vandringen som udgangspunkt. Det er illusionen, der hersker, når man hypnotiserende trækkes ind i Mariños farvemættede billedunivers. Her kommer narrative figurationer til syne, som fjerne minder eller drømmebilleder i et billedsprog, der legende lukker abstraktionen og mystikken ind. Han lader kunstnerens narrative rolle stå synlig, og i hvad der synes at være en udfordring af selve billedmediet, udfordrer han forholdet mellem form og betydning. Således synes værkernes tematiske essens at findes i lige så høj grad i det usete som i det sete, i det for beskueren bortvente, skyggelagte og skjulte.

Mariño lader spejlingen gå igen i udstillingen, således at forholdet mellem omgivelser og figur, mellem mennesket og naturen, får metaforisk og symbolsk karakter og trækker motiverne ind i en verden hinsides den synlige. Det bliver mennesket i et sammenspil med naturen og i opslugende sammensmeltning med spejlinger af træer og lys, der i leg med abstraktionen lader det stå vanskeligt at tyde hvad der er menneske, og hvad der er natur. Som vandringsmanden er et menneske, der ekstrovert møder sin plads i naturen, bliver vandringen her i lige så høj grad en rejse ind i den menneskelige natur, et møde mellem naturen og civilisationen i mennesket og et spørgsmål om at omfavne og lade sig fortabe i sin egen natur. Ligeledes er det en rejse ind i den kunstneriske søgen og en visualisering af konfrontationen med mystikken i den menneskelige inspiration – for det er ikke alle som vandrer, der er fortabte.

Fra at være blandt de vigtigste ansigter for 90´ernes frembrusende Cubanske avantgardscene, har Armando Mariño avanceret og udviklet et personligt og komplekst kunstnerisk udtryk. Med et sprudlende farveliv og et drømmende billedsprog formår han et udtryk, hvor stor billedelig skønhed genlyder af stærke politiske og sociale temaer. Med forfinet sarkasme er han i stand til at bryde kromatiske grænser for den visuelle kunst såvel som at lade sine værker runge af stor samtidig relevans.

Armando Marino (f. 1968, Cuba) bor og arbejder i New York. Han er uddannet ved Jose Varona Pedagogical Institute, Havana, 1992, og dimitterede fra Rijksakademie Van Beldeende Kunsten, Amsterdam, i 2005. Han har en bred udstillingshistorik i Europa, USA, Afrika samt på Cuba. Han er repræsenteret i betydelige private og offentlige samlinger i hele verden såsom Deutsche Bank Collection; Shelley and Donald Rubin Collection, USA; 21cMuseum, Kentucky, USA; Centro Wifredo Lam, Havana, Cuba; ASU Art Museum, Arizona, USA; Arttoteek Den Hagg, Holland; National Museum of Valjevo, Jugoslavien; University of Virginia Art Museum, USA; Marcelino Botín Foundation, Spainen; Howard Farber Collection, New York; Colección Berardo Museo de Arte Moderna, Sintra, Portugal etc. Desuden er Marino blevet tildelt The Pollock-Krasner Foundation Grant i 2011 og The Christopher Reynolds Foundation Grant i 2010.

Galleri Christoffer Egelund inviterer til åbningen af udstillingen ”Not All Who Wander Are Lost” fredag den 30. oktober fra 17-20. Udstillingen løber til den 28. november 2015. Åbningstider: tirsdag-fredag fra 11-18, lørdag fra 12-16. For yderligere oplysninger og pressefotografier kontakt venligst galleriet på: info@christofferegelund.dk eller tlf. +4533939200.

English:

With Armando Mariño’s second exhibition in the gallery “Not All Who Wander Are Lost” presents the international artist a series of work that centres on the theme of the wanderer. The beholder is hypnotizingly drawn into Mariño’s saturated pictorial universe, which is enforced by the illusion. Here the narrative figurations appear as distant memories or dream scenarios in an imagery that playfully lets in abstraction and mystique. He allows the narrative role of the artist to remain visible and challenges the relation between form and meaning, thus in turn challenging the pictorial media itself. The thematic essence of the works thereby seems to lie as much in the unseen as in what is seen. We find it in elements that are turned away from the beholder and shaded or hidden.

We see reflection continually used throughout the works, so that the relations between landscape and figure as well as between human and nature gains metaphorical and symbolic character. The motifs are thus drawn into a world beyond the visible. Mankind is shown in an interaction with nature and in fusion with reflections of trees and light. Bordering on abstraction, the devouring nature leaves it almost difficult to determine what is human and what is nature. As the wanderer is a man who extrovertly meets his place in nature, so is the wander itself here just as much a journey into human nature. It is a clash of nature and civilisation in mankind, as well as a question of embracing and surrendering oneself to one’s own nature. Moreover, it is a journey into an artistic quest and a visualisation of the confrontation with the mystery of human inspiration – for it is not all who wander who are lost.

From the boisterous Cuban avant-garde scene of the 90s, Armando Mariño has advanced and evolved a personal and complex artistic imagery. With a vibrant life of color and a dreamful expression, he manages imagery wherein great visual beauty echoes political and social themes. With refined sarcasm, he accomplishes to break chromatic borders for the visual arts as well as allowing his works to boast of great contemporary relevance.

Armando Marino (b. 1968 in Cuba) lives and works in New York. He graduated from Jose Varona Pedagogical Institute, Havana 1992 and from Rijksakademie Van Beldeende Kunsten, Amsterdam 2005. He has exhibited widely in Europe, USA, Africa and Cuba. His works are represented in major private and public collection around the world such as Deutsche Bank Collection; Shelley and Donald Rubin Collection, US; 21cMuseum, Kentucky, US; Centro Wifredo Lam, Havana, Cuba; ASU Art Museum, Arizona, US; Arttoteek Den Hagg, Nederland; National Museum of Valjevo, Yugoslavia; University of Virginia Art Museum, US; Marcelino Botín Foundation, Spain; Howard Farber Collection, New York; Colección Berardo Museo de Arte Moderna, Sintra, Portugal etc. Furthermore Marino has been awarded The Pollock-Krasner Foundation Grant in 2011 and The Christopher Reynolds Foundation grant in 2010.

Galleri Christoffer Egelund cordially invites you to the opening of the exhibition “Not All Who Wander Are Lost” on Friday October 30th from 5pm – 8pm. The show will run until November 28th 2015. Opening hours: Tuesday – Fiday from 11-18, Saturdays from 12-16. For further information and press photographs, please contact the gallery at: info@christofferegelund.dk or at +4533939200.