On Thursday 20th of September Berlin-based BC Gallery will be presenting a new and exciting exhibition with Chilean artist Pablo Benzo, his second at the gallery.
After his first successful solo exhibition „Willow Waltz“ at the gallery two years ago and promising art fair representations in Basel 2017 and Madrid 2018, Chilen artist Pablo Benzo is back with „The Allure of Devotion“ featuring a series of works produced over the last year.
Benzo’s oil paintings show cubistic abstracted organic forms such as flowers and plants. Placed in pots on tables and adding a background around it, be it in form of a room or an open space, the effect of a still life is used to create a sense of calm towards the viewer. The carefully (over years) developed colour palette, painted in more-than-usual multiple layers add an extra layer of depth to the paintings.
Benzo characterises his work as constructions of “confusing and unreal situations” where enigmatic creatures and empty spaces, sleepy plants and objects, are mixed with geometrical shapes, often without a defined perspective in the composition. His shapes, plants and creatures seem to suspended in time and space, adding a mysterious touch to each of his works.
„The haziness and certitudes present themselves and without further explanation are left in oblivion to give way to moments in which there is no awareness. Provided of guidance by the liberating power of brief moments, I find myself flooded by the force of creation. The allure of devotion emerges as a deep answer. I have taken, from the vitality and persistence of my “painter heroes”, the energy to pursue the long and arduous search. In this quest, the passionate nature is exposed in order to shape symphonies of colour and figures, where observation, memory, and fantasy converge into a spiritual home. The allure of devotion is not thought of as a parenthesis nor as a specific adventure or an isolated passage in his oeuvre, but as part of a life-long journey.“ – Pablo Benzo
In addition, the artist is very specific on the choice of framing, often finding old frames rather that having new ones made, and in doing so giving the paintings a more classic look and feel. All of this results in very harmonious art works. The amount and size of the works have also been taken in consideration of the exhibiting space to translate the feel of the paintings to the complete show as a whole.
About the artist
Pablo Diaz, also known as Benzo, is a Chilean painter, Graphic Designer, Illustrator currently living and working in Berlin since 2013. Pablo spent most of his youth doing graffiti and painting in the streets, followed later by a genuine interest in fine arts, expanding his repertoire and exploring new media such as acrylics and watercolour. His arrival in Berlin led to new challenges and experiences, specially with oil painting which soon became his new favourite medium. At this point he also started working with collage and ceramics, complementing and extending his visual imagery.
Author: Fran
Founder and editor of Urbanite. Street Art lover who after the finishing her MA thesis on the Mexican and Norwegian muralist movement in the 1920-50s, developed a fascination for street art and graffiti that eventually led to collaborations with different art blogs, including the creation of this one.
