Art from Necochea in New York

Published in Ecos Diarios, Necochea on September 20, 2009

As a recognition for her solitary work, humanly self-absorbed, Sonia Ferrari has been invited to participate in “Masters of Imagination” exhibition in Agora Gallery, New York, USA. The exhibition started on September 8 th. for collectors and investors. It opened for the public on September 10 th. and it finishes on the 29 th. Fourteen Latin American artists have been selected by the Gallery and, according to Ferrari, it is room for emerging artists. “I was invited to participate about a year ago. From then on, we have made plenty of arrangements to be ready to exhibit in New York. Agora Gallery represents eight of my paintings and, at this moment, four of them are being exhibited,” Sonia said. “Mujer de Rojo, Del Blanco al Negro, Angeles and Don Juan were produced in 2005 and 2006 and can be seen at Agora Gallery.”

The pointed paintings belong to Sonia’s first steps in 2005. “Pablo Benedini, the great master, has been my guide in this adventure I’ve embarked on thanks to a friend of mine, Lala who invited me to join a painting workshop at the Municipal School of Art (Escuela Municipal de Arte) years ago,” Sonia explained.

Order and chaos

“Agora Gallery have learnt about my artwork through my page www.soniaferrari.com.ar and these days there is an art critic about the exhibited paintings. Besides, the enriching aspect of this experience is that I am in contact not only with the Gallery Director but also with the other participants with whom we exchange opinions of each of our creations,” said Sonia. Ferrari’s work is “of expressionist style, with the occasional abstraction suggesting an elemental struggle between order and chaos. Indeed, even Ferarri’s black and white portraits convey similarly tenuous boundaries between interior and exterior, thought and façade,” it is pointed on Agora Gallery website. It is also stated that “Many of her works feature inklings of cubism in their foregrounding of strong lines and geometric shapes, while paintings dominated by one bold color bring to mind Henri Matisse.” “All these is a caress to my soul”, she acknowledges, whose art, undoubtedly blooms from her most sensitive intimacy. Ferrari’s paintings are powerful and, a bit naive; her portraits are filled with feelings, subjectivity and emotion that the artist has skilfully reflected on in each brushstroke. “My childhood was a blend of fantasy and reality. Both were almost the same to me because I used to live in a house which was also the cinema of my town, Juan N. Fernández. Some of these life experiences are traced in my art, especially in sculpture,” reflected on the artist.

Sculpture

A year ago Sonia joined a Sculpture workshop at the Municipal School of Art in Necochea given by the teacher Maximiliano Acuña. “Opening my mental structure, letting my soul flow and transporting it into the pieces of my childhood were my early stages,” she described. As a consequence, cedar armrests of the cinema, melted iron of the stools and now plaster (her present) have taken different shapes. “For the celebration of 100th anniversary of the foundation of my town I have created the Queen’s sceptre with stools from the cinema, my house,” Sonia explains. More than sincere thanks are expressed by the artist to “those strong arms, brilliant minds” that guided her to this path through Art where she has had to throw her heart and soul. “We work with emotions and feelings; family and friends are very important. Today I work under the critical but wise view of my children, my mate and also the people who collaborate at home, my temple, with a perspective totally pure and sincere,” Sonia Ferrari concluded.

Image Credits: Oportunidades Humanas 2, Acrylic on Canvas, 59" x 39"