The Art of Walking
Posted by Arts House Geneva on 01/05/2016
Some cities have traffic lights saying: “Walk!” Cristina Rodriguez conveys the same message in Geneva through her exhibition of paintings “Promenades Enchantées à Genève”, showing at the Cité du Temps from 25 May to 3 July 2016. This series of 10 large oil works presents a unique guided tour of the City that warmly welcomed the artist from 2010 to 2012. Your eyes will meander around familiar sights and landscapes, pausing to take in some of the characters that reside in these very specific places. “Geneva needs to be walked, it needs our time and our silence, in order for it to embrace us,” claims the Columbian artist with conviction. The beauty of this ‘indoor walking tour’ is that the colours will not be washed away by a summer shower.
Cristina Rodriguez is particularly drawn to what she calls Geneva’s “secret spaces”. In the visual urban storybook created by this selection of oil paintings the locations range from city parks to iconic waterside spots. Take a peek at two lovers kissing by a wall beneath the Promenade de la Treille. Imagine the sight of your breath in the cold air as you watch a lonely skater in action in the Parc des Bastions. As night eclipses day, a dancing couple add their rhythm to this spectacle. From birds to angels and fish to mermaids, a range of narrators is on hand to tell these tales. Cristina Rodriguez is certain that the world she presents has the power to heal wounds and restore spirits. We think you’ll agree…
Born in Bogotá, Colombia in 1964 Cristina Rodriguez obtained a BA in Fine Art from the Universidad de los Andes, in 1987. She went on to secure two scholarships to continue her studies in painting at the Slade School of Fine Art in London from 1989 to 1991. Currently residing in Portugal she has lived in Colombia, Peru, Germany, the USA and Zimbabwe, in addition to Switzerland and Great Britain. Her thirst for travel has taken her to Finland, Russia, Turkey, Egypt, Algeria, Namibia, South Africa, Greece, Ecuador, Bolivia, Peru, Austria and Bulgaria. Her exhibition record is extensive and her work can be found in private collections in Europe, the USA, Central America, South America, Africa, Asia and Australia.
Welcome to a unique indoor city tour – no umbrellas needed!
Contact: Evelyn Cantacuzène-Spéransky ehcs333@gmail.com ArtsHouse Geneva, ‘16 Ref. 15.12 CR/EHCS