Femininity by Abelardo Hernandez & JM Robert
Femininity is not about rules. Femininity is about being free. Free to be yourself, free to love, and be loved, free to not judge others, free to want the best for others, free to not expect others to conform to your rules, free to understand, free to lead and not follow, free to believe rather than doubt, free to be a force for good, free to care, free to love yourself, free to….
The exhibition Femininity is dedicated to true femininity. That this big issue is thematised by two male artists is indeed very unusual. Abelardo Hernandez and JM Robert are two very sensitive artists and in their stunning female portraits they have proofed, that they are able to visualize such an essential and sensible theme.
Abelardo Hernandes Alfonso, Cube / Spain
Abelardo Hernandez was born in Cuba and studied in Havana, where he graduated in art at the Art School of San Alejandro in 1987. Today Abelardo lives and works in Barcelona, Spain. Through his artworks, Abelardo’s message is freedom and infinite curiosity for everything around him that creates a real aesthetic and cultural mixture. He reinterprets what is beauty (for him). His themes are miscellaneous but always related to characters from different cultures and folklores.
Abelardo plays with volumes, plans, colours and relieve. All his works are conducted with a unique technic. We can describe his technic as a three-dimensional collage. He starts with a flat drawing and then he fragments the work in volumes to create light and shadow. Superposing several layers of cardboard and rare paper, Abelardo creates deepness that will be revealed when the observer change viewing angles. The impact of extra lighting on the artworks amplifies shadows and creates a unique visual sensation.
JM Robert, France
From early days, the French artist JM Robert started to created his paintings by imitating the effects of patina, dirt and degradation that are often on old the buildings. Through his studies in Arts, he was inspired by Pop Art and Street Art and finally found his own style. He draws on abstract backgrounds reflecting the effects of urban walls. His palette of flashy colors provides a strong contrast to the black colour that he often uses to paint female faces.
“The damaged walls of the houses and buildings fascinate me. I always feel the thrill in front of deteriorated and degraded walls – this is my main source of inspiration. In my paintings, I try to develop my own aesthetic design of ruins. I want my paintings to speak a contemporary language that reflects the history and story of our cities. It is natural that graffiti creations become my way of communication to the world, as they are bold, strong and direct.”
And a sensation: During the New Year's Countdown 2015/16 in Paris, a painting by him was projected on the famous Arc de Triomphe. The painting is a portrait of “Marianne”. “Marianne” is a national symbol of the French Republic, an allegory of liberty and reason, and a portrayal of the Goddess of Liberty. JM Robert created the painting on the day of the deadly Paris attacks to commemorate the victims.