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Te lo prometo, ( I promise) 2020Aby Ruíz Recent Works
Online Viewing Rooms, Sept 4 - Nov 12Aby Ruíz Recent Works, features five new works by artist Aby Ruíz. These pieces continue Ruíz's exploration of human condition where feelings of anguish and solitude prevail. Polyptychs, so characteristic in Ruíz's works, are the main format of this selection where multiple single scenes provoke a sense of sequence, as well as a dynamic view. The viewer is looking back and forth to find a connection among these images, resulting in the development of a story where the spectator becomes the creator of a narrative.
Te lo prometo (I Promise) is a mixed media on canvas polyptych where Ruíz incorporates three dimensional elements, something he has been exploring for a while. Reverse canvases are used to achieve this aspect, and the portraits of a man and woman as well as a toy figure give the impression of being framed in a box. This feature recalls the boxes the artist created and were part of the exhibition Contrapeso during 2018.
The human body, fragmented, turned, twisted and exposed seems to be the protagonist of this piece and it is also one of the main themes in the work of Aby Ruíz, as the body is the main container of emotions and actions. The feeling of fragmentation is also achieved through interrupted scenes that in most occasions continue in the next canvas. Informal sentences are inserted and could be used as clues to decipher a message or a story.
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La de Troya (The One from Troy) 2020
Oil and charcoal on paper, 50x40 in (127x102 cm)
Images from the past, opposite scenes and cut off sentences create an active view of this polyptych. The three different horses transport the viewer in time recognizing important periods, including childhood. The embodiment of anguish is depicted through the Guernica horse and echoes a human version. Contrasting scenes keep the viewer actively looking and the game of words showing opposites verbs "Recuerda Olvidar" (Remember to forget) alluding to memory and complementing the images based on past icons.
The cut off sentence "Bre Olvidar" leaves the viewer thinking and trying to guess the missing part of the word so he/she can continue deciphering messages.
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"When I finish a piece I feel as if I need another one next to it"
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Relevo, 2020
Oil and charcoal on paper, 50 x 40 in (127 x 102 cm)
In Relevo human existence themes predominate. The word "llegar" (arrive) grabs the attention especially when realizing that the positive meaning of the verb contrasts with the arrival place. The figures in the next scene are running exhaustively towards their final destination and human and animals bodies multiply as if they were evolving. This time the artist introduces classical references through columns and sculptures and some abstract compositions are incorporated in a very subtle way,
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Hurgando un barrio recojo grosellas (Poking Around a Neighborhood I Pick Gooseberries) 2020
Acrylic and charcoal on canvas, 52x40 in (132x102 cm)
In Hurgando un barrio recojo grosellas fragmentation is achieved with a different layout. Individual scenes are drawn into a canvas, creating a non-symmetric circuit and producing a more dynamic view. This circuit seems to be displaying elements from the past, such as a polaroid photograph and a picture from 1979, bringing viewers past memories as he/she relates to the objects and scenes that were part of his/her life. The monochromatic palette emphasizes the feeling of an old photograph and also memories from a distant past. Once again, the artist is using the past as reference of what we are.
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Gira el sol (Recordando a Vincent) (The Sun Turns) 2020
Mixed media on paper, 29x40 in (74x102 cm)
Aby Ruiz's main form of expression is through the human body. This is why the artist is so attracted to the image of Sorrow by Vincent Van Gogh. This figure is the embodiment of suffering, showing her absolute struggle through her body. The male version of Sorrow is also introduced in the same scene but the lack of connection between them increases the idea of solitude and pain.
Sunflowers full of life and blooming are transformed into dark and ghostly flowers alluding to the fragility of life.
Once again, the viewer can observe the mindful disposition of every scene where color becomes a key element in this dialogue of scenes.
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About Aby Ruíz
Aby Ruíz was born in Arecibo, Puerto Rico in 1971. He was involved in the arts from an early age and took painting classes with Pablo San Segundo. Then he studied painting, drawing and printmaking at the Specialized School of Fine Arts in Arecibo under the tutelage of professor and artist Roland Borges Soto.
Aby Ruíz has exhibited internationally, including Brazil, Canada and the United States and his works can be found in prestigious institutions such as Museo de Arte Contemporaneo, Puerto Rico as well as numerous private collections.
Aby Ruíz is recognized for expressionistic compositions where unpleasant situations trigger the viewer’s emotions. Distorted faces, confrontational bodies, caricaturesque masks and hybrid figures are the main characters of these compositions where reality meets allegory.
Aby Ruíz, Recent Works
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