ARCHETYPE

About

Herrick Gallery is thrilled to present a solo exhibition of new and recent work by Raul Pina, described in the words of Joseph Beuys as a SHAMAN-SHOW-MAN! The artist proposes to re-attach himself to the tradition of the Mexican Day of the Dead, whilst positioning his work firmly within the framework of contemporary art and as far as possible from ceremonial clichés. ARCHETYPE will include sculptures, drawings and paintings and Dr Bombastic, the artist's alter ego, will give a live performance in the gallery on the opening night. The work is an eclectic mixture of symbols, materials, attitudes and dimensions. For ARCHETYPE the artist will attempt to disclose the mystery behind ancient symbols and archetypes, which are present in his work. The spiritual link between the Moon and the Rabbit, which is present in Chinese culture, will meet the Aztec heritage of his work. The alchemical elements of transmutation of souls, which happens inside the skull, is also present! The formal solution is to keep the essential elements of ‘good art of all times': Expressionism in the pictorial solutions and the aesthetics of Primitivism, twisted and mixed with elements of Modern Pop culture and the presence of a ‘Cold Cartesian Neo-Conceptualism' as a formal element. Raul Pina was born in Mexico. He studied at the Esmeralda School of Fine Art, Mexico's most prestigious art school. He worked in Mexico City until 1997 when he moved to London where he now lives and works.