Artistic difference, in unison

Cristina Valls · Reus Diari · 30 May 2016

There are artists who want to tell stories through art and others who prefer the viewer to participate in them. This is the result of the exhibition that artists Modest Almirall and Teresa Riba have created in their joint exhibition at Anquin’s Art Gallery. The pictorial, drawing, and sculptural works were inaugurated together last week and can be seen until June 28. “We have known each other for many years and have shared the same space several times,” comments sculptor Teresa Riba.

And it is that, as she explains, the important thing about a joint exhibition is rhythm and balance. “It seems that the pieces are placed any which way, but that’s not true,” Riba continues. With all this, painter Modest Almirall adds that “in a joint exhibition, nothing should overshadow another piece, but the whole set must remain compact. We have to see everything leveled. That’s why the assembly is vital.”

The art of stories

If the viewer walks through the gallery, they will find different paintings arranged in series. “My artworks are not isolated, there is a common thread that is a story, which can come from a news item, a documentary… and the pieces, moreover, have representativeness in themselves,” argues Almirall.

According to the artist, his art is also based on exploration, whether of abstraction or figuration. “I usually create an anthropocentric art with touches of irony and visual games,” details the painter. In addition, his work also includes public participation.

“What I want to try is for observers to imagine a story by seeking meaning in the succession of images,” he continues. Teresa Riba also joins in the search for interaction with the public with figurative, almost tactile sculpture. In fact, one of her sculptures cries out for interaction. It is a work completely surrounded by a rope. “Children would free it, experiencing art. Adults, on the other hand, seek an explanation for why it is tied,” she explains.

The sculptor also makes drawings, not sketches. “They resemble each other because they seem unfinished, but that doesn’t mean they’re bad,” she assesses. What Riba wants to capture is gesture, spontaneity, and movement. “This must be left as it is, with lines,” she explains, pointing to her piece. “Drawing is a very important moment, like a dialogue, where each gesture identifies many people when seen,” comments the artist. The sculptural roughness also hints at this gesturality.