"Guardians and Serpents"titles the Venezuelan artist's first solo exhibition" Lucía Pizzani in Brazil in Marilia Razuk GalleryThe works that make up the exhibition are part of his artistic research, which uses nature as an investigative source, but also combines imaginary and ancestral materials, grounded in studies in conservation biology. After a period of immersion in Ilhabela, Pizzani brings to this exhibition works with elements inspired by the Atlantic Forest, the local biome of the São Paulo coast and the place of his artistic 'residence', where he was able to create works using raw materials from that place. Approximately 20 works, including paintings, drawings, and ceramics, comprise the exhibition.
The artist, who was born in Caracas and now lives in London, explores in her research the interconnections between the narratives of natural history and human experience, as Camila Bechelany states in her curatorial text. “As a result of this immersion in Ilhabela, she was able to develop works using local materials and broaden her references, deepening her research on the cycles of life and the interdependence between human and non-human beings. Invoking the symbolism of the guardian and the serpent, the exhibition is constructed as a liminal space between the physical and immaterial worlds where the presence of mythical female figures is personified in sculptures and images produced by the artist.”
Using clay and locally sourced plants, Pizzani created “sculptures that investigate the ideas of metamorphosis and protection also associated with the feminine,” adds Bechelany. Among the elements of this exhibition, Lucía evokes one of the oldest symbols in human history, the serpent – a symbol of regeneration in different ancestral cultures, due to its ability to shed its skin. Other traditions see the serpent as a guardian. Having the elements of nature as a source of inspiration, research, and an environment for gathering raw materials allows the artist to imprint in her works the different perceptions of her own history around the world, thus permeating the history of humanity.
