Thierry Goldberg Gallery is pleased to present Rooted Embodiments, an online exhibition of new paintings by Rocio Navarro. The show opens on April 21 and will run until May 27, 2023.
The paintings of Rocio Navarro often feature isolated female figures that are situated against flat planes of color, floral patterns, or domestic interiors. The paintings are sometimes self portraits, depicting the artist herself in a contemporary setting, where flora and fauna take center stage in the form of patterns adorning the subject’s attire or as backdrop.
Growing up in Chihuahua, México, Navarro absorbed the imagery of her local culture and heritage. The recurrent appearance of flowers in her work brings to mind Alfredo Ramos Martinez’s paintings from the 1930s. But Navarro’s painting style, flat planes of color and simple, elegant lines, invoke a sense that is both youthful and contemporary.
In her self-portrait This is a Call 1 (2023), Navarro is seen holding four red and yellow tulips. Her right hand separates one of the flowers from the group, her gaze is directed at the viewer. She seems larger than life, looking down from higher ground, her expression is confident but muted. It is not clear whether she is about to hand the flower to someone or keep it for herself, her stare conveys a moment of careful deliberation.
In another self-portrait titled No Cows, No Problems (2023), the artist is shown reclining on a red sofa. The painting recalls Titian’s Venus of Urbino, where the Greek goddess is depicted reclining on a red chaise longue in a 16th-century palace. By replacing the nude female figure with a present-day image of herself, dressed comfortably in a spaghetti-strap tank top and geometric print pants, Navarro reclaims the art historical narrative of the painter and his model.
Rocio Navarro (b. Chihuahua, México 1991) lives and works in Toulouse, France. She holds a BFA from TecMilenio University, Chihuahua, México. Her work was included in exhibitions at La Varangue, Vic Fezensac, France; Galerie d'Art Insolitudes, Pau, France; and at Les Milles Tiroirs, Pamiers, France. This is her first exhibition with Thierry Goldberg Gallery.
For more information, please call or email the gallery at +1.212.228.7569 or info@thierrygoldberg.com
Rocio NavarroRooted Embodiments
Past Exhibitions exhibition