What was there in the beginning? The answer will differ depending on who you ask and their beliefs. The act of creation is at the center of most religious and mythological texts for a reason: wherever they go, humans look for the familiar, and creating is an inherently human thing. “Spark of Fire,” an upcoming solo exhibition of the Colombian artist Santiago Parra, attempts to lift the veil of secrecy hiding the story of the creation of the world. Parra’s large-scale abstract paintings are subjective but pertain to a universal experience. The new show will take place at JD Malat Gallery in London from March 7 through April 6, 2024.
Spark of Fire: New Works by Santiago Parra at JD Malat Gallery
While not belonging to any specific religion or culture, the creation narrative represented in Santiago Parra’s art feels extremely familiar. According to the artist’s mythos, at the core of creation lay instinct and impulse, pure and unrestricted forms of expression, and uncontrollable energy. In the artist’s masterful hands, paint cans, canvases, and brushes become more than inanimate objects. Just like ancient gods breathed life into clay and earth, Parra breathed life into his tools that get a mind of their own. At the same time, his intuition and emotions become the guiding force behind his artistic practice.
At “Sparks of Fire,” Parra presents a series of 14 new works of art that he created between 2023 and 2024. After seeing “Eyes in the Heat” by Jackson Pollock, he felt the need to “answer the call” of artists who tried to tap into the depths of human consciousness before him. In a trance-like state of hyper-awareness, the abstract artist allowed his nature to take the lead. The emphatic brushstrokes and splashes of black paint appear from under his hands as a result of a process that could be described as ritualistic. Santiago Parra takes on the role of a shaman, someone so strongly connected to the natural world and so far separated from the rational that they become one with nature.
“Sparks of Fire” offers a unique opportunity to witness the birth of the world and Parra’s development as an artist and creator. Don’t miss your chance to see this process in person. The exhibition will run at JD Malat Gallery from March 7 to April 6, 2024.
