"Grisailles: Banquet of Light" Installation view ©Thaddaeus RopacOn view from March 9 through April 15, the Spain-based contemporary artist Miquel Barceló (b.1957) will present “Grisailles: Banquet of Light,” a solo exhibition at Thaddaeus Ropac Seoul.
The title of the exhibition, “Grisailles,” refers to a painting technique used by medieval artists who used only gray or gray-scale colors to create light and shade. Barcelo inherited the tradition of grisaille but added and developed his own form by applying thin translucent layers of red, blue, yellow, and pink colors on a monochromatic background to create his own style.
Alongside the bull paintings, which symbolize strength, the exhibition will highlight the artist’s recent series of large-scale still life paintings titled Banquet. It features iconic elements reminiscent of Vanitas paintings, such as skeletal creatures, skulls, bouquets of flowers and baskets of fruit, including marine life that the artist often encountered on the island of Majorca, where he lived. By juxtaposing these opposing elements on the same canvas, the artist invites viewers to reflect on life and death, decay and recovery.
Miguel Barceló is an artistic nomad whose work is inspired by his travels around the world, including Europe, New York, and Africa. He utilizes non-traditional artistic media from the natural world (ash, algae, sediment, etc.). He is known for his mixed media paintings, expressionistic bronze sculptures, and ceramics.
