Patricio Reig: Eden

Patricio Reig, Eden, 2012, Zero Image Pinhole Camera print on Dibond, 39.4” x 76.4”. Courtesy of the artist and Juan Ruiz Gallery.

Juan Ruiz Gallery - Miami

By Heike Dempster

The term ‘eden’ comes from Hebrew and refers to a ‘mental garden.’ Patricio Reig’s “Eden” is based upon this concept and therefore reflects not just on the physical place depicted in his work but also a state of mind and a quest for spiritual peace.

Reig’s work centers around the essence of existence and life. His concept of nature contains all the elements of life such as memory, time and space. The artist’s interpretation of Eden is a dialogue about existence as the flowers, ponds, leaves and plants in his work represent the cycle of life, from birth to death. The passing of time is inevitable and life moves continuously forward leaving us nothing but memories of the past or even of just a moment ago. Existence is in a constant state of transition and everything organic changes and ages every second until it decays.

Part of the organic quality of nature at first appears to be removed in Reig’s work. Using the mid-19^th century method of “camera obscura,” the artist captures the atmosphere but not the colors of nature. He creates a reflection of state rather than a simple representation of reality as the unnatural image of nature captures the essence only.

Even though the process of change is halted as the image is captured, creating a scene of stillness and silence, the movement is present through the artist’s use of metal and lacquered finishing. His techniques let the images reveal themselves more gradually adding a quality of flux, change and wondrous revelation. The aureate sheen in combination with Reig’s use of multiple images to compose each piece allows the artist to preserve the innate quality and go beyond the surface of nature photography into a state of deep reflection.

The scenes in “Eden,” communicate not only serenity, but also a sense of sadness as every moment bygone is lost forever. The lush vegetation and the emotions it communicates create a dialogue between subject, audience and artist about life resulting in an exchange and awareness of shared memories created while experiencing the art.

The video installation by Enrico Ferrari Ardicini adds biblical connotations to “Eden.” He reinterprets Reig’s Eden through the video lens using Reig’s photography as the basis. Ferrari Ardicini starts with the female. The woman playing in a garden represents Eve but also refers to the ancestral beauty of the female body, which is in itself a symbol for space and freedom.

In Christianity the Garden of Eden is the place of divine creation, which eventually became synonymous with paradise, conjuring images of tropical vegetation, beautiful gardens and fertility. Eden is the location of Eve’s creation and it is here that she tempts Adam with the apple. In Ferrari Ardicini’s work the woman is multiplied in a quest for wonder. She explores the garden that seems to dwarf her, moving through various scenes. She moves and dances as she encounters not only the nature and plants surrounding her but also herself, her own body and confronts her life and mortality.

Patricio Reig’s and Ferrari Ardicini‘s “Eden” is a place of beauty and of understanding. Nature captures every aspect of existence in its constant cycle that leads the path in a quest for spiritual enlightenment and contemplation of human existence.

(October 19 - November 17, 2012)

Heike Dempster is a writer and radio host based in Miami and actively involved in the local art scene.

Filed Under: Reviews