OF THE MANNER OF ADDRESSING CLOUDS
The Galeria Miguel Marcos is pleased to present the individual exhibition of Cristóbal Ortega, titled “Of the Manner of Addressing Clouds.” This showcase represents a window into the artist’s vast creative universe, carefully selected from the works produced in his studio located in Miami.
Each artwork exhibited in this exposition has been meticulously chosen and bears a unique title, carefully selected by the artist himself. These titles, influenced by personal events and experiences, add an additional depth to the pieces on display, inviting the viewer to delve into the complexity and richness of the artist’s life.
The analogy between clouds and Cristóbal Ortega’s work is undeniable; just as each individual interprets shapes and figures in the clouds according to their imagination, in his work, there is space for free exploration of the imagination. This relationship suggests a profound connection between the viewer and the artwork, facilitating a contemplative and reflective experience.
Although the title of the exposition borrows words from Wallace Stevens’ 1 poem “Harmonium” (1923), Cristóbal’s work stands out for its originality and authenticity. Through his paintings, the artist invites us to immerse ourselves in a universe where imagination and reality intertwine in a poetic and emotive manner, each brushstroke reflecting his unique vision of the world around him.
Gloomy grammarians in golden gowns,
Meekly you keep the mortal rendezvous,
Eliciting the still sustaining pomps
Of speech which are like music so profound
They seem an exaltation without sound.
Funest philosophers and ponderers,
Their evocations are the speech of clouds.
So speech of your processionals returns
In the casual evocations of your tread
Across the stale, mysterious seasons. These
Are the music of meet resignation; these
The responsive, still sustaining pomps for you
To magnify, if in that drifting waste
You are to be accompanied by more
Than mute bare splendors of the sun and moon.
The artist has expressed that painting feels like his own sweat, as if he were portraying his life on canvas. This sincerity and passion are transmitted through each work, serving as a visual testament to the artist’s experiences and emotions.
Cristóbal Ortega, born in Alhaurín de la Torre, Málaga (Spain), 1970, graduated from the School of Architecture at the University of Seville, specializing in Urban Planning. He has been dedicated to painting since the 1990s, and over time, his work has moved internationally, from China, where he established his studio in 2010, to Miami (Florida), where he opened his next studio in 2022.
- Wallace Stevens was an influential American poet born on October 2, 1879, and died on August 2, 1955. He was born in Reading, Pennsylvania. Stevens studied English literature at Harvard University and later worked in the insurance industry for most of his adult life. Despite his occupation in the business world, Stevens always maintained a passion for poetry. He published his first book of poems, “Harmonium,” in 1923, which was critically acclaimed and established his reputation as an innovative modernist poet. His poetry is known for its rich and abstract style, as well as its exploration of philosophical and metaphysical themes.
