Tashkeel artist-in-residence Alonsa Guevara evokes mysticism of nature in solo show

Counting Leaves will be running at the Al Serkal Avenue gallery until April 26

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Alonsa Guevara's Counting Leaves exhibition at the Tashkeel concludes on April 26. Pawan Singh / The National

Razmig Bedirian
Apr 17, 2023

After a year-long residency at Tashkeel, Chilean artist Alonsa Guevara has revealed a series of works that show a mystical and hypnotic appreciation for nature, while drawing from local inspirations.

Her exhibition at Tashkeel’s Al Serkal Avenue gallery, Counting Leaves, which closes on April 25, encompasses paintings, textile and audio installations, and a lavish dining table laid out in the centre of the space.

Pomegranate branches swirl in spring in circular mandala-like canvasses. Cross-sections of fruits reveal, in glistening oil paint, the pulpy depths of figs and tomatoes. The luminescent brush strokes of a ghaf tree, meanwhile, conceal birds, nests and a gawking owl — elements that Guevara encountered during her research in the UAE.

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Stepping into Counting Leaves is a bit like accepting an invitation to a spiritual forest banquet. But in Guevara’s works, nature’s fantastical aspect is not buffered by folklore or imaginary beings such as fairies and wisps. Rather, the artist goes back to the roots, branches and fruits of life, converging their patterns with spiritual motifs to instil in the viewer a primeval connection with nature.

More:
https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-culture/art-design/2023/04/18/tashkeel-artist-in-residence-alonsa-guevara-evokes-mysticism-of-nature-in-solo-show/

Instagram images:
https://www.instagram.com/alonsaguevara/

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