The first turn of the spiral
Casas Riegner is pleased to announce the first solo exhibition of young Cali-born artist Camila Rodríguez Triana (1985, Cali), titled The first turn of the spiral. The exhibition, opening on Thursday, November 21, 2024, reflects the gallery's ongoing effort to create new intersections between its general program and the innovative proposals of emerging artists.
Camila Rodríguez Triana’s work stems from a personal quest for origins, through which she has explored the myths, worldviews, and spiritual practices of the Mhuysqa culture. For the artist, these traditions represent a vital source of knowledge, inviting a rethinking of our relationship with the natural environment and a reconnection with deep-rooted ancestral knowledge, reinterpreted through a contemporary visual language.
In 2020, her participation in the Rolex Mentorship Program under the guidance of Carrie Mae Weems marked a pivotal moment in her career. This mentorship allowed her to deepen her research into themes of identity, decolonization, memory, and territory, which have become central to her work.
The first turn of the spiral invites viewers to explore the balance and interdependence between feminine and masculine energy. The artist proposes a return to ancestral worldviews, where these energies were not seen as opposites or separate but as complementary forces in constant relationship. Drawing on Mhuysqa myths, she questions the rigid separation imposed by Western perspectives and offers a new understanding based on balance and unity. The spiral, a central symbol in the exhibition, represents the cycle of life and the union of masculine and feminine energies.
In this exhibition, Camila Rodríguez Triana presents a series of works created using ancestral crafts such as pottery, weaving, embroidery, and carving in wood and stone. Inspired by her roots, the artist explores how “making memory involves walking the land with our feet and working with our hands through ancestral crafts as a way to restore the bond with a past that has been historically denied.” This approach has allowed her to establish a dialogue between her identity and traditions, collaborating with artisans from various regions to construct her own visual narrative.
We invite you to the opening of The first turn of the spiral on Thursday, November 21, 2024, at 6:00 p.m. at Casas Riegner: Calle 70A # 7-41
