Ricardo Brey
(c) M HKA
The introduction of collaged elements represented a decisive moment in the genesis of "Universe". It was prompted in large part by the delivery to the artist in 2002 (by his wife's mother, Ana María, who was visiting from Cuba) of a small box of "little treasures" that Brey had left in Havana when he emigrated. His powerful reacquaintance with these symbolic objects was fueled by distinct memories of the places and circumstances in which they were found and collected- which included not only locations in Cuba, but also in Mexico, Italy [...] and elsewhere. Beginning with a piece of wood from his former studio [...], Brey began to incorporate his personal herbaria of dried, pressed plants [...]- a process that extended to the concoction of the media he used to apply to the paper supports, which were also composed from a heterogeneous amalgamation of found and appropriated materials, fraught with memorial and locative significance. The "universal goulash" of "Universe" was, therefore, a molten collage distilled from the "glue, animal hair, sands from different deserts and beaches, small stones and pieces of bones" that were also incorporated in the works in their unaggregated states, or used (as with the glue) to bind and attach them.
In: Welchman, John. Qué le Importa al Tigre una Raya Más: The Futility of Good Intentions. p. 65, 72
1004 drawings on 99 iron and glass showcases
To view the online albums containing the drawings from this project follow the links below.
On display at:
AthenA Room
Koninklijk Atheneum, Antwerp
Franklin Rooseveltplaats 11
2060 Antwerp
Open from 10 am to 5 pm on Fridays, and 2 to 6 pm on Saturdays and Sundays. Free admission.
