Cecilia Paredes Peruvian, b. 1950
The Encounter, 2020
Photo performance inkjet print
50 x 75 in
127 x 190.5 cm
127 x 190.5 cm
Edition of 7 plus 3 AP
In The Encounter, 2020, Paredes inhabits another empty commercial warehouse. Textile mills such as this made the Philadelphia region a leader in the industry over 150 years ago. Now, the...
In The Encounter, 2020, Paredes inhabits another empty commercial warehouse. Textile mills such as this made the
Philadelphia region a leader in the industry over 150 years ago. Now, the barren factory floor shows luscious green nature growing slowly, emerging from the cracks in the surface to start the process of reclaiming the expansive, empty space. The vibrant moss appears in dense and pillowy patches that are seemingly soft to the touch. Paredes sits crossed-legged on top of one large tuft sheathed in fabric mimicking the vegetation below her, and holds a branch in her hand, like a scepter. Attending to the scene of emergent greenery, Paredes becomes a visionary figure cultivating the encounter between the intrinsic beauty of the natural world and the poignant beauty of architectural ruin.
"In The Encounter, nature has already crossed the threshold. A shallow pool gathers the sky. Moss claims the concrete. Seedlings try their luck. The figure kneels, draped in green, holding a thin branch as if taking the place’s pulse. The action is quiet. The commitment is not. The photograph suggests a method for living in damaged rooms. Kneel. Look. Begin where the living begins again." - Jorge R. G. Sagastume.
Philadelphia region a leader in the industry over 150 years ago. Now, the barren factory floor shows luscious green nature growing slowly, emerging from the cracks in the surface to start the process of reclaiming the expansive, empty space. The vibrant moss appears in dense and pillowy patches that are seemingly soft to the touch. Paredes sits crossed-legged on top of one large tuft sheathed in fabric mimicking the vegetation below her, and holds a branch in her hand, like a scepter. Attending to the scene of emergent greenery, Paredes becomes a visionary figure cultivating the encounter between the intrinsic beauty of the natural world and the poignant beauty of architectural ruin.
"In The Encounter, nature has already crossed the threshold. A shallow pool gathers the sky. Moss claims the concrete. Seedlings try their luck. The figure kneels, draped in green, holding a thin branch as if taking the place’s pulse. The action is quiet. The commitment is not. The photograph suggests a method for living in damaged rooms. Kneel. Look. Begin where the living begins again." - Jorge R. G. Sagastume.
