Susurros del bosque: Abraham Lacalle, Juan de Morenilla, Neo Rauch, David Salle, Santiago Ydáñez

Veta by Fer Francés is pleased to present Susurros del Bosque (Whispers of the Forest), which brings together works by Abraham Lacalle, Juan de Morenilla, Neo Rauch, David Salle and Santiago Ydáñez. All of them confront the theme of the forest, a classic in painting, using different strategies deeply rooted in the history of art: from the rapid brushstrokes of Ydáñez, to the mini-unciosity of Morenilla, and the surrealist and metaphysical influences of Rauch.   

 

‘Atocha', the large-format canvas that dominates one of the walls of the room, is one of the most celebrated works by Abraham Lacalle (Almería, 1962). The work shows a tropical forest, a jungle inhabited by a soldier and a sinuous wild animal. The composition is broken by the cannon fire of a tank right in the centre of the image. Lacalle's work has been exhibited at the Reina Sofía Museum and belongs to important collections such as the Coca-Cola Foundation and the Santander Foundation, both based in Madrid. 

 

The theme of the forest has been little explored in the work of Juan de Morenilla (Murcia, 1992) as he considers it difficult to encompass. The very title of the work in the exhibition, ‘Fábula Inconclusa’ (Unfinished Fable), alludes to this never-ending nature. The painting presents a cave, inspired by the landscapes of Dutch Baroque artists, inhabited by different animals engaged in a variety of apparently unrelated actions. There are elements that allude to creation, seen as an ungraspable exercise in bringing order to chaos.  A graduate in Fine Arts, Morenilla has participated in international programmes such as WOA in Finland and Voces Rizoma in Morocco, and has been selected in Pam!Pam!18  

 

Neo Rauch (Leipzig, 1960) is one of Germany's most prominent contemporary painters, known for his style that fuses elements of surrealism, socialist realism and dream narrative. His wood engages the viewer in a mythical, intimate and present-day experience, immersing him in a symbolic and ambiguous world. Rauch has exhibited at renowned institutions such as the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Pinakothek der Moderne in Munich, consolidating his international relevance.  

 

David Salle (Oklahoma, 1952), an American painter and sculptor, is recognised as a key figure in the postmodernist movement of the 1980s. His work combines superimposed images, cultural references and a fragmented aesthetic that defies 

linear interpretation. He has exhibited in prestigious venues such as the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, making his mark on global contemporary art.  

 

The forest of Santiago Ydáñez (Jaén, 1969) has a melancholic touch, which connects with the tradition of romantic landscape painting. Considered a master when it comes to expressing human emotions, Ydáñez understands landscape as a face capable of expressing feelings. Ydáñez has been awarded the BMW Painting Prize (2018) and the Scholarship of the Spanish Academy in Rome (2016), and his work forms part of collections such as the Botín Foundation, the Reina Sofía Museum, DKV and the CAC Málaga.