The Cypriot Exhibition 2018

Studio 42 “George Heracleous” and the Embassy of the Argentine Republic, have the pleasure of inviting you to the exhibition of Natural Art Sculptures by the International artist Fabian Marcovich. Marcovich is an Argentınıan sculptor who has chosen to travel around the world lookıng for roots and trunks that are rotten, wood that has been submerged in rivers, pieces with unusual shapes and forms and stones that have been naturally sculptured by the elements.

N a t u r a l   A r t   S c u l p t u r e s
S t u d i o   4 2
E l e n i s   P a l a i o l o g i n a s   4 2
L  i m a s s o l ,    C y p r u s

2 5   –   2 9   M a y   2 0 1 8 ,   5 p m   –   9 p m

O p e n i n g   n i g h t :   2 5 t h   M a y   7 p m

 

Considering Nature as an artist herself, Marcovich is an interpreter who cleans the superfluous from pieces brought out from the earth until their hidden beauty can be recognised.

Philosophically this process shows a parallel within life: how much occult beauty exists behind the apparent? How to overcome first impressions – in relationships, especially human relationships – and find beauty in every person, object and place?

Fabián Marcovich would like to express his gratitude to George Heracleous for generosity offering his studio without any economic interest in order to cooperate with an unknown collegue.

George Heracleous’ work in Studio 42

This exhibition wouldn’t be possible without the cooperation and love of Julia Robinson.

 

But what is Art?

Art is like looking into the still pond of life. Art and living – reflections of each other. So when Fabian decided to not return to his old ‘norm’ of living but to adventure into the unknown, into a life that has no images, no security, no knowing, he also delved further into what it is to be an artist, to connect with his art.

For what is Art?

I believe, as a writer and poet, that art as a product, is the final souvenir of a journey, and that the true Art is the process.

And you can ask, what is the process? It is a wandering within, away from the known, away from what we know of ourselves, to let loose the bonds of our mind maps of our self images, to venture into a place where we simply do not know.

A compatriot of Fabian, the Argentinian Bernando Nante, once said, ‘Dios es donde vos no sos’ (God is where you are not). One can say the same about the journey of Art. We go where we are not. Where we do not have the tools to control, to where our egos dissolve and we become flow.

Everyone has their own art form. Everyone goes into ‘Art’ through different channels. There are so many paths up the mountain. So many ways deeper into ourselves.

What is the destination?

Anyone who says without question, doesn’t know. But what appears to be reliable sign posts that you are on your own path, is that time becomes plastic and may even disappear for a ‘time’. You may come up from out of your art only to find that hours have disappeared…sometimes days.

Another sign is the feeling of fulfilment of having created ‘something’ inside,  space, a sense of having something that cannot be touched, nor named, but is nourishing, that shines out of your eyes, that gives energy (even if you are exhausted after so many hours of concentration). You feel alive.

And, I believe the journey of Art, is the journey closer and closer to the all encompassing plane of Love.

But what is this thing (or verb) called Love?

If anyone tells you in no uncertain terms what love is: they do not know.

But when I see Fabian work, when I see the results of his journey, when I hear him talk, when I feel him shifting the baserock of his being and becoming freer and freer, when I see the shine sparkling out of his eyes, I know that he has been on his artistic journey – that he is creating his art.

For not only does it shine through his eyes, it shines through his pieces.

And this ‘capture’ in a certain form of what we do not know what it is, nor can name, nor can claim to be ‘ours’, but that at certain level we all recognise, is true Art.

Written with love for Fabian Marcovich
by Julia Robinson
on Saint George’s Day, 23rd April 2018.

 

Gratitude

Paul Hussell’s trailer the day before the exhibition.

l would like to profoundly thank Paul Hussell for opening the doors of his house for the exhibition and also for his unconditional support, his human warmth and for being my first client in England. I would like to extend my gratitude to all of his family for being so open and for their affection for me and my work.

Paul Hussell and Fabian Marcovich setting up Parallel Worlds

I would also like to thank the Watson family for their hospitality, their generous disposition in providing the prime material for my sculptures, a workshop to be able to make them and their support.

Oliver Watson’s Tractor that helped move all the heavy stuff.

To the workers at Riverford Farm in particular John the head of the workshop, Adrian the tractor driver and the others for their care and support helping me spontaneously with any need I may have had.

Fabian in the workshop at Riverford Farm

Thanks to Miguel Valentini, an angel sent by God, who generously shared his tools within 24 hours of meeting him in the street, and who stood me in good stead over the months by sharing his knowledge as a sculptor with me, helping me put bases on the pieces and becoming a good friend.

Miguel Valentini at work
Sculpture by the master Miguel Valentini

And finally, the desert for the end, I would like to thank Julia Robinson for pushing me to trust in my capabilities as an artist, supporting me by developing the web page, for taking such wonderful photos for the web, for translating and for accompanying me with her love every day during the whole process.

 

The Exhibition in Totnes Transition Town

A r t i c l e   w r  i t t e n   b  y   J u l i a   R o b i n s o n

The exhibition in Totnes Transition Town was nothing but success.

‘But what is success?’ I hear a collegue asked Fabian.

‘Well,’ he says, slowing down his thinking, to that place where his beauty upsurges in and amongst his words, ‘First it was a deeply satisfying experience to see all of my pieces in one place. I saw I have a body of work. I was moved seeing all of my pieces in one place in such a beautiful setting.’

I too was moved to see such a strong body of work. Each piece adding to the whole.

‘Then,’ he continues in his beautiful simplicity, ‘I saw people connecting with my work. I saw them enjoying the pieces. It was especially pleasing to see a young couple interact with them, they were really ‘there’.’

I know what he is saying, his pieces draw you into a world of their own. A world remembered, familiar, how could we have forgotten? An artist friend of mine, walking around the gallery with me said, ‘His work is so simple, and yet so complicated. It is as if nothing is there and yet everything is there.’

I too, was drawn into new worlds, which surprised me having lived with the pieces for so long. How to hold opposite sides of two different worlds? Is this just wood we’ve pulled out of the river? Is this art that holds in itself a concept of something more than just the beautifully carved wood? Asking my friend, she tells me such wise words, ‘Both.’
‘Both?’
‘Which to hold on to?’ I ask bewildered
‘Both…both at the same time.’

And suddenly I was swimming in that deep idea of C G Jung – that one of the paths into humanhood and a life well spent is to unite the polarities, the opposites. I had always considered this as ‘meeting in the middle’ or ‘compromise’ between poles. But perhaps it is simply being able to hold two separate worlds in one mind? Separate and whole in themselves. Like a relationship where we are dependent and independent at the same time. Being only one is too unilateral. Holding both aspects within us simultaneously is healthy.

‘Simple’ does not mean ‘easy’.

And Fabian’s work came through as a concept. And Fabian’s work came through as beautiful objects without meaning.

I have such an analytical mind (as you probably have noticed in this blog) and yet his work asks simply, ‘Do you like this? Yes? No?’ and when I come to a ‘Yes,’ I am baffled that I am not required to have a reason why. A simple yes is fine. A simple no is fine. Simplicity.

All this goes through my mind as I hear Fabian say to our collegue the third reason why the exhibition was a success, ‘And, I also did it for money, and we made some!’

The collegue nods, back on safe ground.

‘Yes,’ he says gazing a little into space, ‘It was beautiful to see all my work as one body in such beautiful surroundings. It was beautiful to see people connect with my work. It was very satisfying that this converted into money. Yes, a successful event. Thank you.’