Milano Design Week 2024
From April 15th to May 15th, 2024, Matria
Gallery presents the first solo exhibition in Italy
by Spanish artist Iván Prieto, featuring a
selection of works never before exhibited in
Italy.
The ultra-contemporary works of artist Iván
Prieto (born in O Barco de Valdeorras, Spain,
in 1978) focus on the human figure from
perspectives evoking surrealistic aesthetics.
They explore connections with freak culture,
cinematic references, and other elements
configuring a scenario inhabited by
androgynous and extraordinary beings.
Meditative and introspective characters.
The exhibition path presents a series of
sculptural groups guiding the visitor through a
symbolic representation of people from the
artist's environment and his personal
experiences.
The creation of these types of works and
sculpture itself represent a state of meditation
for the artist. There is a perception of
connection with that silent part of the mind, an
introspection reflected in his works. These
hybrid, silent works, with their huge ears,
seem to be on alert, trying to capture every
essence of their being, learning to love and
accept their own vulnerabilities. During this
process, they appear as isolated beings, in a
trance, where sculptures delve into
themselves and establish a symbiosis with
other works, such as the group of dancers
and contortionists, conveying a sense of
continuous search for balance in life.
The characters, with their closed eyes and
fragility, seem to be immersed in an active
search for inner peace and silence while
dancing and struggling to maintain balance.
The androgynous representations of men and
women manifest the imperfections and
fragilities of the human being in contemporary
society, creating their own universe. In his
characters, hybrids between human and
animal, emotions take the form of masks;
according to the artist, they "function as
bulwarks that the figures use to confront
reality."
Disturbing, moving, and dreamlike, Iván
Prieto's sculpture evokes a universe of artistic
suggestions reminiscent of works by the great
masters. Compared to the work of Juan
Muñoz for its ability to convey the
restlessness and loneliness of his characters,
and to the photography of the renowned
Diane Arbus for the shared taste for the
"freak," or to the cinematic characters
immersed in David Lynch's surreal universe,
Prieto's art stands out for a complex layering
of emotions and concepts.
Prieto finds in the people of his intimate circle
the primordial inspiration for the creation of his
sculptures, a creative process that inevitably
recalls the technique of George Segal, also
known for his use of human models. On the
other hand, the immobile pose of his
characters and the installation capacity of his
works stylistically approach Erwin Wurm, thus
creating an artistic dialogue that develops
between different currents and influences.
"The tightrope walkers" are a recurring theme
in Ivan Prieto's artistic career, symbolizing a
constant state of "being in balance." Other
elements are the busts, which evoke the
liberation of the surrealist subconscious, and
the androgynous characters, with a marked
Platonic influence, often represented with
painted lips.
A notable example is the character of "Icarus,"
a self-reflective sculpture that pays homage to
the artist's fragility during his stay in Berlin,
where he faced asthmatic crises due to the
change in environment. This experience is
reflected in his work through the "inflatables,"
characters that seem to deflate, suffocated by
a hostile environment.
In Prieto's works, emotions take on forms of
disguises, often represented by hybrid figures
blending human and animal traits, functioning
as masks to confront reality. His current
installation features hieratic and colorful
characters, unable to display a smile,
occasionally just hinting at one, suggesting a
reflection on the human condition.
Iván Prieto, Iván Prieto, born in O Barco de
Valdeorras (Spain) in 1978, graduated in Fine
Arts from the Complutense University of
Madrid in 2002 and completed his artistic
training at the Hogeschool voor de Kunsten in
the Netherlands. Since the first decade of the
2000s, he has extensively exhibited,
developing projects and exhibitions in various
European countries and China. His works are
present in important institutional and private
collections worldwide, including the University
of Madrid, the University of Toledo, La Casa
de Galicia in Madrid, and the Fundación
Granell in Santiago de Compostela. His
artistic influence extends beyond Spanish
borders, with works also in cultural institutions
in France and Poland.
Location - Hours:
Galleria Matria
Via Melzo 34
20129 Milano
info@galleriamatria.it
Information
Ivan Prieto
Silente
April 15th - May 15th, 2024
Public Opening:
April 15, 2024, at 6:30 PM
Opening Hours Galleria Matria
Tuesday to Saturday 11:00 AM/1:00
PM - 3:00 PM/7:00 PM
Closed days and holidays can be visited
by appointment by writing an email to
info@galleriamatria.it
Free admission
Press Contact
Liana Solis
T. +39 348 0308757
press@galleriamatria.it
Press Preview:
April 15, 2024, at 4:00 PM
Send requests to Liana Solis
at the email address: press@galleriamatria.it