like a virgin – Athene Galiciadis
30th August – 4th October 2014
Opening reception 29th August, 6 – 8 pm
The first verse of Like a virgin, Madonna’s 1984 hit song and also exhibition title of Athene Galiciadis’ first solo presentation with BolteLang, goes:
I made it through the wilderness
Somehow I made it through
Didn’t know how lost I was
Until I found you
These phrases not only reflect the origin of this exhibition, but also express Athene Galiciadis’ appreciation for the freedom she felt approaching and realising these new works. As many artists, Galiciadis does not follow a strict work procedure or concept, but rather lets her inspiration be carried by visions and daydreams. These reveries are materialised through drawings, paintings, sculptures and installations whose interactions, carefully orchestrated by the Swiss artist, result in harmonious site-specific presentations.
The title, resulting from the works as “écriture automatique”, not only describes the working process, but more concretely conveys the subject matter of Galiciadis’ empty, untainted vases, with their form, colour and haptic reminding the viewer of the young, female shape.
Like a virgin
Touched for the very first time
Like a virgin
When your heart beats next to mine
The third verse in Madonna’s song underlines this understanding of Galiciadis’ works, giving them a sensual aura. The vases are typical for Galiciadis’ work, which during the last years was led by her search for the perfect shape. She thus again and again embellished fabrics, organic forms and objects with geometrical patterns, thereby creating a recognizable language where geometry and organic abstraction merge into one.
Apart from a source of inspiration and expression, like a virgin also refers to the artist’s personal life changes, subconsciously influencing the coherence and strength of this long awaited solo exhibition.