Oil on canvas

121.9 × 91.4 cm. 48 × 36 in.

Signed in English and dated on bottom left

LITERATURE
2021, The Poetic Realm, Yu-Hsiu Museum of Art, Nantou, p. 18 and 129
EXHIBITED
26 Jun – 26 Dec 2021, The Poetic Realm, Yu-Hsiu Museum of Art, Nantou

PROVENANCE
Mind Set Art Center, Taipei
Acquired directly by present private Asian collector from the above

This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued by Taipei Mind Set Art Center and signed by the artist

Weaving Fabrics with the Heart, the Radiant Beauty of Eternal Love
The Warmth under Marina Cruz's Brush

Filipino artist Marina Cruz has been unfolding the poetic spaces of her inner self from a unique feminine perspective since she graduated from the University of the Philippines College of Fine Arts in 2003. One day, while rummaging through her home, she accidentally stumbled upon over 100 small dresses sewn by her grandmother for the younger ones, inspiring her to connect "memories, emotions, and history" in her creative thinking. In 2008, she won the Ateneo Art Awards in the Philippines for her work Embroidered Landscapes. In the same year, she also won the first prize in the Philippines Art Awards and the Morris Awards, gaining attention from the public. Since then, she has held solo exhibitions in Australia, Beijing, Singapore, Taiwan, Germany and France, and other places, and has been active in the international stage. This time, she presents Sensual Ruffles with White Flowers in 2018, which is a bold departure from her depiction of complete clothing in the past, instead using a close-up perspective to explore the abstract texture and composition in a delicate and in-depth manner, revealing the landscape of life and the poetic warmth behind it.

The Years Bloom like Flowers in the Picturesque Scene

Like the pink sweet pea flowers depicted by renowned American artist Georgia O'Keeffe, in Sensual Ruffles with White Flowers, Cruz magnifies the intricate patterns on the dress, skillfully creating an abstract beauty from tangible objects. As we see the delicate petals unfold, resembling a corner of a dress, the closely clustered stamens form a floral ornament, with each embroidered white flower quietly blossoming. The gentle and delicate brushstrokes overflow in the painting, like a soft and ethereal fabric, dancing with beautiful scenery, transforming the dynamic abstraction of British artist Cecily Brown into eternal tranquility and poetic sentiment.

Under Cruz's delicate and hyper-realistic brushstrokes, every pattern and trace on the dress is amplified and revealed on the canvas. Whether it's the tiniest stain or the most intricate stitch, whether it's the subtle yellowing caused by time or the fine abrasions, they all unfold a grand visual perception from a microscopic perspective. Just as the title of the artwork Sensual Ruffles with White Flowers suggests, the patterns in front of us become tangible and perceptible through each stroke and depiction. The texture and style of the dress slowly reveal the poetic dimension of sensory experience in the most warm and tactile way.

The Path of Memories of Love

The clothing depicted by Cruz was all hand-sewn by the older women in the family. As the children grew up and the era of industrial production arrived, these old clothes were forgotten through the passage of time. Mothers folded and stored them in the corners of time, hiding their unknown dreams. Now, the dresses are once again spread out before our eyes, showing the creases left by the years. They transmit the artist's personal experience and reflect the collective lives of women, encompassing family, history, and the transmission of love through time and space. As our gaze travels through the winding hems, it's like walking down the path of memories once again. The vibrant pink represents childhood joy, the delicate lace embodies the smiling face when wearing new clothes, and each white flower carries the deep affection and expectations of the mother. Even if they have faded slightly, the dense stitches captured in the light never fade away. In this poetic and timeless scene, viewers seem to see the calm and cherished gestures of the mother, her boundless love stitched into every needle and thread, sparkling with eternal brilliance.

Price estimate:
HKD 120,000 – 200,000
USD 15,400 – 25,600