A ray of sunlight shines behind the curtain and reveals the dust and pollen grains floating in the air. The suspended, sparkling particles create a magical, almost spiritual effect, transmitting a sort of divine presence, like a good omen [1] that is announced at the first light of morning. The crepuscular rays or rays of God - as these phenomena are known when they occur in nature - even when observed in everyday life, have an extraordinary, celestial aspect, capable of attributing a precious quality to a moment, a place, an object.

 

Reliquary is Pedro Liñares' first solo exhibition in Portugal and refers to a collection of images and objects that, faced with traces of emotions, stories and shared experiences, become small amulets and symbols of protection. An air that is as mystical as it is nostalgic shines through the paintings. Surrounded by a kind of mist or aura, they constellate a network of invisible relationships [2], they are shortcuts to forgotten scenes and dreams never dreamt [3]. The dust of time settles in memory, a murky and yet profound vibration blurs perception. We navigate between indecipherable words and hidden motifs, background and form confound as elements are revealed behind layers of paint and excavations trace small openings through which light subtly passes.

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(...) the older the objects, the closer they bring us to a previous era, to divinity, nature, primitive knowledge, etc [4].

 

The opaque colors, the diffused light and the layers worn away by the archaeological gesture, which makes images emerge from the background of the painting, demonstrate the artist's interest in what is rare and ancient. They refer to the frescoes that cover chapels with mythological narratives, or to the everyday scenes found on the walls of houses in Pompeii under the ashes of Vesuvius. Liñares' method involves the development of multiple studies, which are then transferred to the canvas. Through addition, accumulation and subtraction, the process extends until the original image is completely transformed, making the painting itself a receptacle for the sensations experienced, capturing sounds, aromas and impressions of these small events. Memories are sometimes more intense, others more diluted.

 

The preciousness of these interpretations comes from the intimate and emotional connection with their origin and is incorporated by the individual and subjective experience of the artist, be it a gift, a meeting or an appropriated postcard. In Relicário, every object is a magical object [5]. Among labels, dried flowers and books - subjects that punctuate Liñares' work - the presence of the carpet stands out in this exhibition. In detail or as a backdrop, it constructs landscapes that are at once playful and transcendent. Just like the flying carpet in The Arabian Nights, we travel to distant lands through this series of paintings that reveal a suspended time, between the momentary and the eternal.

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[1] Pedro Liñares (2024).

[2] Calvino, Italo. Six Proposals for the Next Millennium. São Paulo: Companhia das Letras, 1998.

[3] Pedro Liñares (2024).

[4] Baudrillard, Jean. The System of Objects. São Paulo: Perspectiva, 2019.

[5] Calvino, Italo. Six Proposals for the Next Millennium. São Paulo: Companhia das Letras, 1998.