HONG KONG.- Ora-Ora commences a new solo show by world-famous Spanish artist Cristobal Gabarron today. The multi-disciplinary artist, an international force since the 1960s, has created five brand new series of works specifically for a Hong Kong audience. Spanning Christmas and into the New Year, this five-week event will take place in Ora-Ora’s Tai Kwun gallery in Hong Kong. In recognition of the artist’s multi-decade commitment advocating for humanism, the exhibition is titled: “Gabarron: The Humanist.”

Gabarron has been a consistent and major artistic voice in favour of tolerance, understanding and supporting societal progress, and has worked extensively with international organizations like the UN or the EU to promote a safer, more joyous world. The timing of his exhibition in Hong Kong coincides with a period of uncertainty and suffering in Europe and the Middle East, which makes the artist’s message, and his investigation of the human spirit poignant and timely.

Speaking of Gabarron’s solo show, Ora-Ora CEO and co-founder Henrietta Tsui-Leung said: “Cristobal Gabarron is known as the maestro for good reason. This is an artist with a multi-decade commitment to humanity, and a belief in the goodness of human beings. His paintings radiate vibrancy and joy, and teach us about ourselves.”

Cristobal Gabarron said the following: "At 78 years old, this exhibition in Hong Kong is more than just that; it is a journey through time, a dialogue between my life and the audience. In each canvas, I find freedom of expression amidst the wonder of creation. I am thrilled that my art finds a home in the vibrant heart of Hong Kong. I hope that each stroke speaks to those who behold it, taking them on a journey where passion for art is eternal."

Noting the significance of the Hong Kong location, the artist expanded: “Hong Kong is a platform for cultural exchange and engagement with a diverse audience across Asia. I hope this exhibition and my art practice complements and builds on Hong Kong’s unique, cosmopolitan tradition of dynamism and diversity.”

The five series total 21 works and include four series of paintings in oil and pigment (titled “Eloquence of Silence,” “Essential,” “The Sacrifice of Metaphor” and “Old Skins”), and one series of colourful fiberglass and polychromed resin sculptures (titled “Green Mowing,” between 36 and 50cm in height).

The artist specifically created each artwork with the size limitations of Hong Kong properties in mind, reducing the monumental scale of many of his previous works to a more intimate, personal scale. The artist described this as allowing him “focus on the essential significance, the balance of the infinite angles and curves.”

Each series chronicles a different aspect of the human condition. The series “Old Skins” is an homage to human experience and a meditation on the transience of existence. For Cristobal Gabarron, each experience marks our skin. The moments we live are written on it: stories of love and hate, of light and shadow, of encounters and disagreements. The journey of life is written on skins as much as it is on pages. The artist will be travelling to Hong Kong to be present during the exhibition period, and will be presenting a ticketed event titled “Ambit” on December 17, 2023 at the Asia Society Hong Kong. “Ambit” is centered on performance and action painting, allowing attendees the chance to watch the artist in action. Details of further events will follow.

Cristobal Gabarron

Cristobal Gabarron was born in Mula (Murcia), Spain in 1945, and is one of the most significant artists globally, with a career which spans six decades. A self-taught artist, his prolific body of work includes painting, poetry, sculpture, and public art installations. Gabarron's art is characterized by its vibrant colours, dynamic forms, and a distinctive blend of figurative and abstract elements. His creations often explore themes of culture, history, and human rights, reflecting a commitment to social and global issues. His quest for greater human understanding has been a key part of his work, visible since early series such as “Vietnam” (1970) which protested the Vietnam War. Gabarron's art has been exhibited extensively internationally in museums, galleries, and public spaces around the world, including the United Nations headquarters in New York.

Gabarron held his first exhibitions in 1964 at the Galeria Castilla in Valladolid and the Galeria Macarron in Madrid, and exhibited internationally since 1967, when he showed at the Loeb Gallery in New York. In 1969, he held his first exhibition in Italy at the Gallerie D’Arte Stagnini in Rome, as well as at the Renée Sublin gallery in Paris. The following year (1970) featured several exhibitions in France. He has since exhibited globally, across Europe, the Americas and China. His work has been the subject of analysis in retrospectives, such as those held in 2006 by the Chelsea Art Museum in New York and IVAM (Valencia Institute of Modern Art), the Gdansk Museum of Modern Art in Poland, or the National Museum of Art of China in Shanghai. In all, critics and historians with the authority of Donald Kuspit, curator and professor at New York University (NYU), or Kosme de Barañano, curator and professor at the Spanish “Universidad Miguel Hernández de Elche”, have carried out careful analysis and studies of Gabarron's professional career, which are included in the abundant literature published during the last several years.

Ora-Ora
Gabarron: The Humanist
December 14th, 2023 - January 28th, 2024
Opening Reception: December 14, 2023 (Thursday) 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
* Artist will be present