My second solo exhibition took place in Lima, Peru, and this was the curatorial text written by Viktor Krebs that accompanied it:
Finding meaning in existence is an essential need that drives María José’s artistic vocation. It all began, she tells us metaphorically, “with a very strong rain,” when she realized that life can be very short and that it is necessary, therefore, to close the doors that lead nowhere, confront fear head-on, and forge a new path.
She embarked on an inner quest through a journey where drawing and color became the means through which she connected with the people she met, the world, and herself. We are all souls. Our substance may disappear, but our spirit transcends. These canvases intend to reflect this through portraits of the essence of the places and people who were part of this journey.
María José’s paintings lead us to open our eyes and contemplate and see more deeply into our interior. They invite us to perceive our soul through the souls of her characters, in their changing forms and vibrant colors, in the grayest of places or in the happiest of emotions.
Speaking of the soul may seem naive in our time, as if this word has been worn out from excessive use. And yet, María José rehabilitates it in the unique constellation of lines, shapes, and colors that adorn her paintings.
These canvases are the culmination of what was, and continues to be, a journey.
And after that very strong rain, the sun emerged.
A soul that was lost to be found.
MJRL
*The artist’s canvases are inspired by her travels through Indonesia, Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia.