Pozuelo de Alarcón,
In recent years, certainly as a result of many impulses lasting over time, good times for botanical art: the Royal Botanical Garden hosts interesting exhibitions dedicated to artists (Pilar Pequeno, Paula Anta, Soledad Sevilla) and collections (Pampas Gens). ) who paid special attention to plants and in the coming weeks, at the Museum of the University of Navarra, Vic Muniz’s project is a project inspired by engravings and drawings from albums of Latin American flora from the 19th century. One of its most remarkable episodes in flora shows the origins of photographic art in relation to the science of the “promised land”.
Marta Cirino, a botanist with extensive experience, continues to collaborate with the activities and research projects of the Madrid Botanical Garden, until December. Mira Space de Pozuelo, his work devoted to the description of plants derives from his desire to observe the beauty of nature and the poetic aspect he sees in it. That name Botanist, used by the author himself, is not simply descriptive: since 1985, the Association of British Botanical Artists has defined artists who create these types of pieces as professional, although these terms should not contribute to simplifying the diversity of interests of artists who work from plants: growers of floral art, botanical drawing or in scientific illustration. There are those who focus, and sometimes the boundaries between one branch of the field and another are not clear; They depend on the accuracy or detail of the pieces or their potential use in the field of science.
Cirino trained in biology, and after completing his studies decided that his field would be botanical illustration, although he always approached it, as we progressed, from a lyrical point of view, for his own nature and the beauty he saw in nature. With more power than any other highly intelligent feature. After participating in various projects for the aforementioned Royal Botanic Gardens, he became a regular artist at the venue, where he continues to teach an annual course on the subject; Her favorite subject was aquatic plants, and that interest allowed her to meet Santos Cirujano, one of the greatest Spanish experts on underwater plants and who inspired this author’s own work as a scientific illustrator. The Gold Medal of the Royal Horticultural Society, once again a British institution, or its production is part of the Botanical Archives, depends on the High Council for Scientific Research – we remember. Sirino and Santos Sirujano both lightened the publication Spanish Aquatic Plants. Vascular hydrophytesWith Ana Mego Molina and Pablo Garcia Murillo.
In his career of more than thirty years, the language of the indigenous people of Madrid has been linked to the study of botany, although he has transcended it, and since graphite has been his main working tool, his compositions are dominated by black and white; More recently it has incorporated some color. Although the plant forms and unique structures of each species are the focus of his attention, he has gradually given primacy in his production to individuals who have allowed him to capture emotions based on his own experiences.
In Pozuelo’s exhibition we will see some repeated plants (lily, rose, calla lily, jasmine, carnation …), but in each case he tried to reveal something new from them: other stories outside of science; He sees them as portraits that tell stories, and they make him question his lack of interest in the human figure. Gradually, he used different roles in the same piece, adopting a third dimension or spatial games; In this last type of work he concentrated on ideas, he made room for chance and gesture, and he adopted free strokes, all of which are features that strengthen the poetry, at any rate, in all his pictures.
Cirino’s desire is that the exhibition helps its visitors understand what botanical art is and how deep the connections between art and science were and are. But other achievements are possible, the commissioner, Jesus Camara, points out: If one day botanical prints help the world perceive new species from distant origins, perhaps now Marta Cirino’s prints will serve to remind us of nature’s perilous path toward destruction through the soothing language of beauty that always encompasses it. Unfortunately, today, the extinction of many species seems to have no respite.
Marta Cirino. “Nature in Detail”
42, Orchard Road
Pozuelo de Alarcón
From October 25 to December 10, 2023
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