IBIZA.- Fundación La Nave Salinas presents A Garden Within, a solo exhibition of works by Spanish artist Mai Blanco this summer. Founded by Lio Malca nearly a decade ago, Fundación La Nave Salinas is committed to presenting diverse artistic languages to new audiences. The dynamic, reimagined 1940’s salt warehouse along Las Salinas beach in Ibiza is an ideal space to present Mai’s largest body of work to date.

Born in Asturias, a picturesque province in the north of Spain, Blanco has harbored an unwavering conviction of being an artist for as long as her memory serves.

Blanco's oeuvre comprises self-portraits that delve into the quest for meaning, often threading through the labyrinth of nature. In the natural world, she discovers an inexhaustible wellspring of primordial beauty, forging a profound connection with the transcendental. This bond gives rise to an exultant celebration of life, embracing simplicity and authenticity. For Blanco, the mere act of being and existing in this world is inherently transcendent.

With a penchant for portraying nude figures amidst nature, Blanco captures the quintessence of humanity in its archetypal form. Mindful to eschew elements that might confine her characters to a specific time or place, she endeavors to uphold universality and timelessness in her practice.

Her figures draw subconscious inspiration from a pantheon of revered artists, spanning from classical luminaries like Bonet, Botticelli, and Rubens to contemporary masters such as Pierre Bonnard, Jean Dubuffet, George Baselitz, Alice Neel, Pablo Picasso, and Cecily Brown.

Blanco's linework emanates with remarkable fluidity, effortlessly evoking the sensuality of the female form while also hinting at the strength and prowess of mythological female warriors known as Amazonas. Her color palette, soft yet vibrant, serves as a subtle reminder that amidst strength and independence, her characters retain the inherent grace of femininity.