Hints of Paradise

Art and Architecture share many things in common, in fact the first one nurtures the other. In many cases, however, we find them conjoined in a very casual way. This never happens in the works of Claudia Cirici: Architect of British School and artist from the bottom of herself. I met her art at Cantón Exposición, a Guatemalan gallery of art, two or three years ago. The female angels I saw there were rendered in clay with a masterful hand. Later, I found her again working hard in a monumental sculpture called Rostro del Tiempo, a 1 Ton clay figurative creation done for a Guatemalan high end watches boutique, Relojería En Hora. From the original, scaled studies, precursors of that monument, she created a new collection of smaller panels, human figures (a continuing exploration of the artist) and towers. Oh towers! They made me remember the writings of the great Julius Caesar. Every piece is a beautiful study of formal aesthetics composition, masterful handling of clay (a difficult material) and inspiration. Watch-like parts pervade the whole concept, so much, that they become essential for this related series of sculptures. In a sense they remind us that Time is that elusive fourth dimension intertwined in every aspect of our lives. From money to how long we will live. Besides, they talk to us of long gone eras deeply rooted in ancient, arcane cultures. Her art does not make me shiver, as H. R. Giger’s does. However, hers is the quantum of solace that ignites the fire of my love for Art. For her creations are the kind of essential concepts devoid of any frills that takes me instantly to Paradise. Watch the collection, if you can.
Claudia Cirici’s Rasgos del Tiempo will be on display at Relojería En Hora during Feb., at Centro Comercial La Pradera, Zona 10, Guatemala.
Images, klavaza, 2008.

The Art of Estefanía Valls

In Topâzu, the erotic masterwork of Ryû Murakami, Ishika says that the Nazis knew very well that in a woman´s hair resides her beauty. Ugly for some, essential for others, for this young Guatemalan painter hair is the central core of her first big leagues exposition. Paintings, sculptures and the gallery itself blend to become a unique work of art. Hair is an indicative of many things, she says, when white it marks the end of youth, it becomes a nuisance if it appears in certain undesirable spots of the body, it reminds that a child is becoming a teen.

Estefanía has attended art schools in Barcelona, New York and Guatemala, but her interest in art stems from her early age. For me her sculptures are the stars of the exhibition: She conjoins parts of known animals to create a new one. One with mythological overtones, part fantastic art, part a dream like creature taken from the entrails of the Jungian Collective Unconscious. Over the walls, you will see severed human-like heads, letterings and intense colours. From everywhere you will see hair, sprouting, adorning, infesting. In her paintings they are apparent when viewed from a lateral side. Some of her paintings were originally photographs, but now they are so exquisitely overworked that you will see in them deep volumes, rich colours and subtle suggestions.

Estefanía is not a rookie to art. However this is her debut, a very firm and inspired one into the serious, erudite, art of Guatemala.

A Pelo, esculturas y pinturas de Estefanía Valls Urquijo, is open from Feb. 8 to March 8 at Galería Ana Lucía Gómez, Avenida Las Américas 19-30, Zona 13, Guatemala.
Imagess: klavaza, 2008.