The painter and sculptor from Alcantarilla Manuel Menárguez shows works inspired by four essential elements at the Almudí Palace in Murcia: fire, air, earth and water
Fabrics and stones; paintings and sculptures; materials extracted from the depths of nature, are those that make up the exhibition ‘Sakrum’, a name inspired by the word ‘sacred’, by the Murcian artist Manuel Menárguez (Sewer, 1957), which is in the Almudí Palace until January 15 in the Upper Room, the skylight and surrounding walls.
‘Sakrum’
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When
Until January 15. Monday to Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. -
Where
Almudi Palace. Murcia.
The origin of this exhibition goes back to those months of confinement when the artist points out that he had conversations with himself and with his two dogs: «I began to reflect on everything that was happening and how each one was asking their god to save us of that pandemic. The result comes almost two years later, embodied in thirty pieces that take the visitor on a journey through the essential components of life: fire, air, earth and water.
‘Altar with self-portrait’.
At the beginning of the Almudí Palace stairs, viewers will find explanatory texts, reflections by the artist and the first painting he produced in confinement. A little further up, a neon sculpture that he designed as a fountain of life. “People look for water – he indicates – but it is a dry source” and with it he wants to vindicate the importance of our inner being: “You have to look for life within yourself, our inner being is the most valuable thing”.
Reached the door of the upper room, there is a black panel made up of 72 small pieces, where each person can write their wishes as people used to do when they went to church “they left an object in the shape of a foot or hand if they hurt, wishing to recover ». «My desire is to try to contribute something to art and to the world, and to catch time. I know we are going to die, but for a while I would like to live intensely,” confesses Menárguez.
The first section inside the room represents the fire, with elements of very powerful colors (yellow, orange, red…) and a main piece, ‘an altar’ with a mirror. In this way each visitor can see and feel part of the exhibition. «Something sacred and on an altar: in the church on the altar is the saint, here you see yourself». “I think that humans are sacred pieces of nature.”
‘Incorruptible body, mummy’.
The second part is dedicated to the air, the elements are hanging from the ceiling, there are symbols such as the ‘Star of David’ and a kind of galaxy, accompanied by lights and shadows. “For me the element is as important as its shadow,” he emphasizes.
In the section of the earth there is a painting with many fabrics that represents the ‘Orion Constellation’ and a mummy tied to the painting, that is the earth and it cannot escape from it. «I advise everyone to touch the stones and the works, they have a magnetism. Speaking like this it seems that I am esoteric but I am not at all, “she says between laughs. Other works in this sector is a sculpture with a natural stone: selenite. The work “looks like a pregnant Venus.”
The last component is water, in this space the blue color dominates more, the pieces “are more relaxing, far from the disturbance caused by the first section,” according to the sculptor.
‘Archaic fertility.
Manuel Menárguez, inspired by the readings of the theories of the Greek philosopher Empedocles of Agrigento (Agrigento, 5th century BC), who considered in the 16th century that these four elements were united by love and separated by hate, was carrying out a research work and composition of each piece. With elements of nature itself, “selenite and alabaster stones are found in the mountains.”
Graduated in Fine Arts from the San Carlos University of Valencia and a painter, sculptor and restorer, Menárguez believes in nature and its strength: «The earth itself is destroyed because it changes, the strength of nature is much more than that of humans, our actions affect, but we do not have as much power as it is said ».
It intends to organize guided tours and a modern music concert, even a parade in the same space as the exhibition.
#Strong #sacred #nature