Load Gallery presents Portals: the digital version of Mario Rodríguez's renowned series

Load Gallery is proud to present the debut solo digital exhibition of Mario Rodríguez (MAREO), Portals, a profound exploration of the landscape as a source of spiritual contemplation.

Trained as both an artist and architect, Mareo seeks to distil the very essence of the landscape. His geometrical precision manifests itself in his apt manipulation of space, the choice of materials, and the subtlety of how they are used. The minimalism, paired with the monochrome palette, invites a meditative experience where distractions are stripped away, allowing the light to take centre stage. This careful manipulation of light and shadow encourages a spiritual awakening—a revelation that emerges as one peers into the void inside cracks and fissures Mareo so masterfully presents.

Through a multidisciplinary approach that blends digital media, painting, sculpture, and installation, Mareo reinterprets the natural world, using cracks, fissures, and wavy lines as metaphors for the human experience of rupture, healing, and evolution. These elements, found throughout nature in everything from mountain ranges to rivers, lightning, and stone, become portals through which Mareo invites viewers to reflect on their internal landscapes, wounds, and paths toward transformation. As Rumi said, “The wound is the place where the Light enters you."

"My work is a homage to nature, a fusion of landscape abstraction and spiritual exploration that encapsulates the dichotomy between 'Matter' in the physical realm and 'Light' in the quest for the ethereal and sacred. Through my art, I delve into the intricacies of topography and natural forces, viewing them as living energies in constant motion, shaped and reshaped by the passage of time."
                                                                                                                                                                                                                   - Artist Mario Rodríguez

From the monumental presence of mountains to the subtle erosion of rocks, Mareo is captivated by the landscape's transformative power. "I perceive matter as the condensed form of light, a medium through which we can witness the perpetual process of evolution and expansion across epochs," he explains. This perspective informs Mareo's approach to work, where the convergence of matter and light becomes a metaphor for the tension between the earthly and the divine, the seen and the unseen.

Mareo draws inspiration from a lineage of artists who have similarly explored themes of rupture, absence, and transformation. He acknowledges the influence of Lucio Fontana’s spatial concepts, particularly the idea of the “cut” as a gesture that opens up infinite possibilities. Anish Kapoor's use of voids and reflective surfaces, alongside Pierre Soulages’ exploration of light within blackness, also resonate deeply within Mareo’s practice.

For the first time, Mareo will present Portals in a fully digital format, accompanied by a striking LED sculpture. This addition brings a tangible dimension to the exhibition, offering a material presence that anchors the ethereal themes explored in the digital works. To enhance the sensory experience and reference his initial inspirations, the gallery floor will be covered in a dense, rolling fog produced by a smoke machine, with a scent of nature in the air.

"We wanted to create an ethereal atmosphere, where smoke fills the space and a subtle natural scent envelops visitors, creating a sensory journey that propels the deep exploration of the cracks in both our inner and outer worlds. Portals is a series that explores these cracks, transforming fractures into pathways of healing, resilience, and illumination. Through this work, where art, technology, nature, and spirituality converge, light becomes a symbol of renewal. This sensory fusion guides viewers through landscapes where matter and light, the physical and the spiritual, intertwine. Let yourself be carried into this enchanting universe, where every crack holds the potential for rebirth."
                                                                                                                                                                                          - Founder of Load Gallery, Alex Simorré

In this digital exhibition, Mareo’s artistic process is laid bare, inviting viewers to witness the evolution of his exploration.

Opening Days:
October 31 - December 7, 2024
Thursday-Saturday

Opening Hours:
16.00-21.00

For more information please contact Load Gallery at:
visit@load-gallery.com